The Big Ten leads all conferences with five selections among Dick Vitale's preseason All-Americans. Purdue's Robbie Hummel and JuJuan Johnson earned first-team recognition, while Michigan State's Kalin Lucas landed on the second team, and Illinois' Demetri McCamey and Wisconsin's Jon Leuer earned fifth-team honors.
Recently in Men's Basketball Category
The Big Ten leads all conferences with five players on the USA Men's Select Team, USA Basketball announced on Thursday. Illinois' Mike Tisdale, Northwestern's John Shurna, Ohio State's William Buford, Purdue's JaJuan Johnson and Wisconsin's Jon Leuer have been named to the 20-player roster that will train against the 2010 USA Basketball Men's National Team during its July 19-24 training camp in Las Vegas. COMPLETE RELEASE
Big Ten Athletes of the Year Evan Turner (Ohio State basketball) and Megan Hodge (Penn State volleyball) have been nominated for ESPY awards, ESPN announced on Thursday. Click HERE for more information.
Ohio State basketball player Evan Turner and Penn State volleyball player Megan Hodge were named the Jesse Owens Male and Suzy Favor Female Big Ten Athletes of the Year, respectively, the conference office announced on Wednesday. The Big Ten Athletes of the Year are selected by a panel of conference media members from nominations submitted by each institution.
To read more information on this year's winners, click here.
The Big Ten Conference office announced on Wednesday the 2010 Medal of Honor winners. The award was established in 1914 when the Big Ten endowed a Medal of Honor to be given annually to a student in the graduating class of each university that demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics. In 1982, the Medal of Honor was expanded to include a senior female athlete from each institution.
Click here to read the complete release.
The gang's all back! May 8. Deadline day to withdraw from the NBA Draft. Illinois' Mike Davis and Demetri McCamey will return to Champaign for the 2010-11 season. Penn State's Talor Battle and Purdue's JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore will all return next season. Michigan's Manny Harris has elected to remain in the draft and will not return to Ann Arbor for his senior campaign. Ohio State's Evan Turner will also remain in the NBA draft.
With the return of those five rising seniors, 10 All-Big Ten selections will return to the court next season, including four first-team members. In addition, eight student-athletes who earned honorable mention will return for 2010-11.
What they are saying about the Big Ten for 2010-11...
Check back later next week for complete updated rosters for all 11 teams.
With the return of those five rising seniors, 10 All-Big Ten selections will return to the court next season, including four first-team members. In addition, eight student-athletes who earned honorable mention will return for 2010-11.
What they are saying about the Big Ten for 2010-11...
- ESPN.com's Andy Katz on the return of Johnson and Moore to Purdue
- See you in Houston. FOXSports.com's Jeff Goodman says that with the return of Johnson, Purdue is a Final Four contender.
- CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish writes that with the return of Johnson, Purdue is the Big Ten favorite and preseason top three.
- BigTenNetwork.com's Brent Yarina with early returns for the 2010-11 season.
Check back later next week for complete updated rosters for all 11 teams.
Congratulations to the 20 former Big Ten student-athletes who made the NBA playoffs.
Sixteen former Big Ten players are on 12 of the 16 teams while are head coaches and two are assistant coaches.
Sixteen former Big Ten players are on 12 of the 16 teams while are head coaches and two are assistant coaches.
|
Player |
NBA Team |
Big Ten School |
|
Charlie Bell |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Michigan State |
|
Shannon Brown |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Michigan State |
|
Brian Butch |
Denver Nuggets |
Wisconsin |
|
Daequan Cook |
Miami Heat |
Ohio State |
|
Jamal Crawford |
Atlanta Hawks |
Michigan |
|
Michael Findley |
Boston Celtics |
Wisconsin |
|
Juwan Howard |
Portland Trailblazers |
Michigan |
|
Kosta Koufas |
Utah Jazz |
Ohio State |
|
Brad Miller |
Chicago Bulls |
Purdue |
|
Byron Mullens |
Oklahoma Thunder |
Ohio State |
|
Greg Oden |
Portland Trailblazers |
Ohio State |
|
Joel Przybilla |
Portland Trailblazers |
Minnesota |
|
Michael Redd |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Ohio State |
|
Jason Richardson |
Phoenix Suns |
Michigan State |
|
D.J. White |
Oklahoma Thunder |
Indiana |
|
Deron Williams |
Utah Jazz |
Illinois |
|
Chris Jent |
Cleveland Cavaliers, Asst. Coach |
Ohio State |
|
Jim Cleamons |
Los Angeles Lakers, Asst. Coach |
Ohio State |
|
Scott Skiles |
Milwaukee Bucks, Head Coach |
Michigan State |
|
Mike Woodson |
Atlanta Hawks, Head Coach |
Indiana |
We're less than seven months away from the 2010-11 hoops season and expectations are high for the Big Ten. Preseason polls from CBSSports.com, ESPN.com, FOXSports.com, Sporting News and Sports Illustrated are complete and the Big Ten is well represented.
Michigan State and Purdue each appear as the nation's top team for 2010-11 in at least one poll, while both teams are among the top five on each of the lists. Ohio State is ranked as high as No. 2, according to Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News and also appears among the top five in Jeff Goodman's FOXSports.com poll.
Illinois is listed among the top 25 in four of the five preseason polls, ranking as high as No. 17 according to CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish and Goodman. Wisconsin checks in three of the five lists and gets a nod on Goodman's "Watch List". DeCoury lists Minnesota as No. 23 for the upcoming season.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with at least two top-five teams in each poll and at least three top-10 teams in all five polls.
Click for a consensus listing of the 2010-11 top 10.
A complete breakdown of Big Ten teams among the early preseason polls.
Michigan State and Purdue each appear as the nation's top team for 2010-11 in at least one poll, while both teams are among the top five on each of the lists. Ohio State is ranked as high as No. 2, according to Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News and also appears among the top five in Jeff Goodman's FOXSports.com poll.
Illinois is listed among the top 25 in four of the five preseason polls, ranking as high as No. 17 according to CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish and Goodman. Wisconsin checks in three of the five lists and gets a nod on Goodman's "Watch List". DeCoury lists Minnesota as No. 23 for the upcoming season.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with at least two top-five teams in each poll and at least three top-10 teams in all five polls.
Click for a consensus listing of the 2010-11 top 10.
A complete breakdown of Big Ten teams among the early preseason polls.
|
School |
|||||
|
Michigan State |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
Ohio State |
12 |
5 |
8 |
2 |
8 |
|
Purdue |
1 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
Illinois |
24 |
17 |
17 |
20 |
|
|
Wisconsin |
-- |
Watch list |
23 |
|
15 |
Minnesota | -- | -- | -- | 23 | -- |
MINNESOTA
Junior Paul Carter to transfer
WISCONSIN
Sophomore Ian Markoff withdraws from program
SCOUTING...
Michigan's DeShawn Sims, Minnesota's Lawrence Westbrook and Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes have all been selected to play in the Portsmouth Invitational. The 58th Annual event will be held April 7-10 at the Churchland High School gymnasium in Portsmouth, Va. Each year for 57 years the P.I.T has invited 64 of the best college basketball seniors from across the nation to participate in a four-day, twelve-game tournament in front of representatives from every NBA team.
Junior Paul Carter to transfer
WISCONSIN
Sophomore Ian Markoff withdraws from program
SCOUTING...
Michigan's DeShawn Sims, Minnesota's Lawrence Westbrook and Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes have all been selected to play in the Portsmouth Invitational. The 58th Annual event will be held April 7-10 at the Churchland High School gymnasium in Portsmouth, Va. Each year for 57 years the P.I.T has invited 64 of the best college basketball seniors from across the nation to participate in a four-day, twelve-game tournament in front of representatives from every NBA team.
The Evan Turner awards show continued today in Indianapolis as the Ohio State junior was named the 2010 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and Naismith National Player of the Year.
Turner was named the Associated Press' national Player of the Year on Friday and was presented the Oscar Robertson Trophy from the United States Basketball Writers Association as the organization's national Player of the Year.
Turner was named the Associated Press' national Player of the Year on Friday and was presented the Oscar Robertson Trophy from the United States Basketball Writers Association as the organization's national Player of the Year.
FOUR things you need to know...
1. Today is the 10th anniversary of Michigan State's 2000 NCAA Championship win; the Spartans defeated Florida, 89-76, on April 3, 2000.
Michigan State is 2-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Spartans were the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional champs, winning two games at LOS to advance to the Final Four.
2. Purdue's Chris Kramer and Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes played in yesterday's Reese's All-Star game. The Big Ten duo played for Team Reese's and coached by former Purdue general Gene Keady, current Boilermaker Head Coach Matt Painter and Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber. Hughes scored 12 points, dished out four assists and had six rebounds in 21 minutes. Kramer added four points, grabbed four rebounds and had two assists in 24 minutes of action.
3. Evan Turner collected some major hardware yesterday in Indianapolis, bringing home the U.S. Basketball Writers of America Oscar Robertson Trophy honoring the nation's best player and the Associated Press' Player of the Year. The junior guard also earned First-Team State Farm Division I All-America accolades. Purdue's Robbie Hummel was named to the second team.
4. Coaching legend Gene Keady will receive the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award for more than 50 years of service to college basketball. Keady guided his Purdue teams to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 25 seasons as head coach.
1. Today is the 10th anniversary of Michigan State's 2000 NCAA Championship win; the Spartans defeated Florida, 89-76, on April 3, 2000.
Michigan State is 2-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Spartans were the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional champs, winning two games at LOS to advance to the Final Four.
2. Purdue's Chris Kramer and Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes played in yesterday's Reese's All-Star game. The Big Ten duo played for Team Reese's and coached by former Purdue general Gene Keady, current Boilermaker Head Coach Matt Painter and Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber. Hughes scored 12 points, dished out four assists and had six rebounds in 21 minutes. Kramer added four points, grabbed four rebounds and had two assists in 24 minutes of action.
3. Evan Turner collected some major hardware yesterday in Indianapolis, bringing home the U.S. Basketball Writers of America Oscar Robertson Trophy honoring the nation's best player and the Associated Press' Player of the Year. The junior guard also earned First-Team State Farm Division I All-America accolades. Purdue's Robbie Hummel was named to the second team.
4. Coaching legend Gene Keady will receive the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award for more than 50 years of service to college basketball. Keady guided his Purdue teams to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 25 seasons as head coach.
FINAL FOUR
SATURDAY, APRIL 3
#5 MICHIGAN STATE vs. #5 Butler
6:07 p.m. | Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind.
Michigan State Game Notes | Butler Game Notes
On the 10-year anniversary of the 2000 National Championship game, the Spartans will face hometown Butler in the first-ever meeting of No. 5 seeds in the Final Four. Michigan State is making its nation-leading sixth Final Four appearance in the last 12 years. The Spartans have been tested through their first four NCAA Tournament games, posting a total margin of victory of 13 points.
SATURDAY, APRIL 3
#5 MICHIGAN STATE vs. #5 Butler
6:07 p.m. | Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind.
Michigan State Game Notes | Butler Game Notes
On the 10-year anniversary of the 2000 National Championship game, the Spartans will face hometown Butler in the first-ever meeting of No. 5 seeds in the Final Four. Michigan State is making its nation-leading sixth Final Four appearance in the last 12 years. The Spartans have been tested through their first four NCAA Tournament games, posting a total margin of victory of 13 points.
It's GAME DAY in Indianapolis. The streets are buzzing, despite the rain falling outside.
Click here for the latest Michigan State tournament information
What they are saying...
Tom Izzo is really good...
FAMILY is what it means to be a Spartan
Behind the scenes with head coach Tom Izzo
Click here for the latest Michigan State tournament information
- The Spartans are making their sixth Final Four appearance in the last 12 years.
- Head Coach Tom Izzo is one of only seven coaches to lead his team to the Final Four at least six times. Izzo joins the ranks of such legendary coaches as John Wooden (12), Mike Krzyzewski (11), Dean Smith (11), Roy Williams (7), Adolph Rupp (6) and Denny Crum (6) in number of Final Four appearances.
- The Big Ten is one of only two conferences since 2000 to advance at least five different programs to the Final Four. The Big East leads all conferences with six different schools in the Final Four during this span.
- Since 2000, the Big Ten has sent nine teams to the Final Four to rank second behind only the ACC with 10 teams during the last 11 years.
What they are saying...
Tom Izzo is really good...
FAMILY is what it means to be a Spartan
Behind the scenes with head coach Tom Izzo
Ohio State's Evan Turner was awarded the U. S. Basketball Writer's Association's Oscar Robertson Trophy his morning at the Columbia Club in downtown Indianapolis. The Trophy is awarded to the national Player of the Year as voted on by the 900 members of the USBWA.
Turner was also named the Associated Press National Player of the Year with 54 of the 65 votes. Turner will be presented the award at 11 a.m. ET at the Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.
Turner was also named the Associated Press National Player of the Year with 54 of the 65 votes. Turner will be presented the award at 11 a.m. ET at the Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.
MICHIGAN STATE vs. BUTLER BREAKDOWN: How do Michigan State and Butler match up? Greg Anthony and Seth Davis join Greg Gumbel to talk about this exciting semifinal.
FINAL FOUR BOUND: Korie Lucious stepped in for the injured Kalin Lucas and helped keep Michigan State's momentum alive, driving them to a memorable Midwest Regional title.
Michigan State is readying for its sixth Final Four appearance in the past 12 years on Saturday in Indianapolis. The Spartans are in the first of the two semifinal games, tipping against Butler at approximately 6:07 p.m. ET on CBS.
For some further insight on MSU this weekend, check out the team's updated game notes.
For some further insight on MSU this weekend, check out the team's updated game notes.
As the winter term of the 2009-10 school year comes to a close, the Big Ten recognizes a total of 536 winter sports athletes who have been named to the Academic All-Conference Team. The list of honored student-athletes features 33 men's and 53 women's basketball players, 42 men's and 54 women's gymnasts, 112 men's and 181 women's swimming and diving athletes and 61 wrestlers. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners who are in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
More information and the complete list of honorees can be found by clicking here.
Midwest Regional | Semifinals
#6 Tennessee def. #2 OHIO STATE, 76-73
Ohio State has one of the best players in the country in Evan Turner. Tennessee has what seems like an endless supply of nasty, stingy defenders.
No secret who's going to win that battle.
Brian Williams scored the go-ahead basket on a tip-in with 32 seconds left, and J.P. Prince was relentless on Turner, blocking a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer Friday night to lead Tennessee past Ohio State 76-73 and into the NCAA tournament's round of eight for the first time.
"I was tired," Prince said. "I just said I'll save it all for defense. That's all I did. I know those last two minutes I was going to make them work. I knew nobody wanted it more than I did."
Wayne Chism finished with 22 points - all but four in the second half - and 11 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Volunteers (28-8), who pulled out a back-and-forth tussle in the Midwest Regional semifinals.
Recap | Box Score
#5 MICHIGAN STATE def. #9 Northern Iowa, 59-52
No big shots from Ali Farokhmanesh. No mid-major magic.
Just another trip to the regional finals for Michigan State.
Durrell Summers scored 19 points and Korie Lucious hit a whirling turnaround jumper with about 90 seconds left, helping the fifth-seeded Spartans survive a scare with a 59-52 win over pesky Northern Iowa in the Midwest Regional semifinals Friday night.
Playing without injured star Kalin Lucas, Michigan State (27-8) needed a half to get used to Northern Iowa's grinding style and held the Panthers to 10 free throws and no field goals over the final 10:22 to send the heroes of the Heartland home empty-handed.
Northern Iowa (30-5) knocked off one March monster but couldn't make it two straight, unable to contain the athletic Spartans for an entire game after stunning top-seeded Kansas in the second round.
Recap | Box Score
South Regional | Semifinals
#1 Duke def. #4 PURDUE, 70-57
This is more like it for Coach K and Duke.
The top-seeded Blue Devils returned to the round of eight for the first time since 2004, with Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer helping them pull away in the second half Friday night for a 70-57 win over Purdue in the South Regional semifinals.
Singler scored 24 points and Scheyer added 18, snapping out of a shooting slump just in time.
Duke (32-5) will play third-seeded Baylor in Sunday's regional final after clearing a nagging hurdle that had some wondering if the mighty program was losing its edge.
The Blue Devils had lost in the round of 16 in three of the past five seasons, but now stand one victory from their 11th Final Four appearance under coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Recap | Box Score
#6 Tennessee def. #2 OHIO STATE, 76-73
Ohio State has one of the best players in the country in Evan Turner. Tennessee has what seems like an endless supply of nasty, stingy defenders.
No secret who's going to win that battle.
Brian Williams scored the go-ahead basket on a tip-in with 32 seconds left, and J.P. Prince was relentless on Turner, blocking a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer Friday night to lead Tennessee past Ohio State 76-73 and into the NCAA tournament's round of eight for the first time.
"I was tired," Prince said. "I just said I'll save it all for defense. That's all I did. I know those last two minutes I was going to make them work. I knew nobody wanted it more than I did."
Wayne Chism finished with 22 points - all but four in the second half - and 11 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Volunteers (28-8), who pulled out a back-and-forth tussle in the Midwest Regional semifinals.
Recap | Box Score
#5 MICHIGAN STATE def. #9 Northern Iowa, 59-52
No big shots from Ali Farokhmanesh. No mid-major magic.
Just another trip to the regional finals for Michigan State.
Durrell Summers scored 19 points and Korie Lucious hit a whirling turnaround jumper with about 90 seconds left, helping the fifth-seeded Spartans survive a scare with a 59-52 win over pesky Northern Iowa in the Midwest Regional semifinals Friday night.
Playing without injured star Kalin Lucas, Michigan State (27-8) needed a half to get used to Northern Iowa's grinding style and held the Panthers to 10 free throws and no field goals over the final 10:22 to send the heroes of the Heartland home empty-handed.
Northern Iowa (30-5) knocked off one March monster but couldn't make it two straight, unable to contain the athletic Spartans for an entire game after stunning top-seeded Kansas in the second round.
Recap | Box Score
South Regional | Semifinals
#1 Duke def. #4 PURDUE, 70-57
This is more like it for Coach K and Duke.
The top-seeded Blue Devils returned to the round of eight for the first time since 2004, with Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer helping them pull away in the second half Friday night for a 70-57 win over Purdue in the South Regional semifinals.
Singler scored 24 points and Scheyer added 18, snapping out of a shooting slump just in time.
Duke (32-5) will play third-seeded Baylor in Sunday's regional final after clearing a nagging hurdle that had some wondering if the mighty program was losing its edge.
The Blue Devils had lost in the round of 16 in three of the past five seasons, but now stand one victory from their 11th Final Four appearance under coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Recap | Box Score
FRIDAY, MARCH 26
Midwest Regional | Semifinals
#2 OHIO STATE vs. #6 Tennessee | 7:07 p.m. | St. Louis, Mo.
Ohio State Tournament Central
After winning the 2010 Big Ten Tournament March 14 in Indianapolis, Ohio State enters NCAA the Midwest Regional Semifinal game vs. Tennessee with a 29-7 overall record and a 14-4 regular season mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes finished tied atop the Big Ten with Purdue and Michigan State after the regular season slate. Thad Matta will lead the Buckeyes against No. 6 seed Tennessee (27-8) Friday (7:07 p.m. ET) at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo. Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. The winner of the game between the Buckeyes and the Volunteers will take on the winner of the game between Michigan State (26-8), the No. 5 seed, and Northern Iowa (30-4), the No. 9 seed.
#5 MICHIGAN STATE vs. #9 Northern Iowa | 9:37 p.m. | St. Louis, Mo.
Michigan State Tournament Central
Michigan State is making its third straight trip to the Sweet 16, and its ninth appearance in the last 13 years. The Spartans and Northern Iowa both won their first two games by a combined five points, as each created their own drama along the way. MSU advanced on a Korie Lucious three-point buzzer beater, while UNI knocked off overall No. 1 seed Kansas.
South Regional | Semifinals
#4 PURDUE vs. #1 Duke | 9:57 p.m. | Houston, Texas
Purdue Tournament Central
After its dramatic overtime win over Texas A&M on Sunday, Purdue will make its second-straight Sweet 16 appearance on Friday when it squares off with top-seeded Duke at Reliant Stadium. Purdue and Duke are two of only five teams to reach the Sweet 16 in each of the last two years. A win over the Blue Devils would send Purdue to the fourth Elite Eight in program history, and its first since 2000. Purdue is 6-3 in NCAA Tournament games under head coach Matt Painter. Duke will carry a No. 3 AP ranking into its matchup with the Boilermakers, who have won a school-record four games this season over teams ranked in the top 10 of the media poll when they ball is tipped. Purdue has never defeated a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (0-4). Purdue is 7-1 in neutral-court settings and 15-3 away from Mackey Arena this season, winning seven-straight conference road games to close out the season.
Midwest Regional | Semifinals
#2 OHIO STATE vs. #6 Tennessee | 7:07 p.m. | St. Louis, Mo.
Ohio State Tournament Central
After winning the 2010 Big Ten Tournament March 14 in Indianapolis, Ohio State enters NCAA the Midwest Regional Semifinal game vs. Tennessee with a 29-7 overall record and a 14-4 regular season mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes finished tied atop the Big Ten with Purdue and Michigan State after the regular season slate. Thad Matta will lead the Buckeyes against No. 6 seed Tennessee (27-8) Friday (7:07 p.m. ET) at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo. Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. The winner of the game between the Buckeyes and the Volunteers will take on the winner of the game between Michigan State (26-8), the No. 5 seed, and Northern Iowa (30-4), the No. 9 seed.
#5 MICHIGAN STATE vs. #9 Northern Iowa | 9:37 p.m. | St. Louis, Mo.
Michigan State Tournament Central
Michigan State is making its third straight trip to the Sweet 16, and its ninth appearance in the last 13 years. The Spartans and Northern Iowa both won their first two games by a combined five points, as each created their own drama along the way. MSU advanced on a Korie Lucious three-point buzzer beater, while UNI knocked off overall No. 1 seed Kansas.
South Regional | Semifinals
#4 PURDUE vs. #1 Duke | 9:57 p.m. | Houston, Texas
Purdue Tournament Central
After its dramatic overtime win over Texas A&M on Sunday, Purdue will make its second-straight Sweet 16 appearance on Friday when it squares off with top-seeded Duke at Reliant Stadium. Purdue and Duke are two of only five teams to reach the Sweet 16 in each of the last two years. A win over the Blue Devils would send Purdue to the fourth Elite Eight in program history, and its first since 2000. Purdue is 6-3 in NCAA Tournament games under head coach Matt Painter. Duke will carry a No. 3 AP ranking into its matchup with the Boilermakers, who have won a school-record four games this season over teams ranked in the top 10 of the media poll when they ball is tipped. Purdue has never defeated a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (0-4). Purdue is 7-1 in neutral-court settings and 15-3 away from Mackey Arena this season, winning seven-straight conference road games to close out the season.
Illinois Bracket | Quarterfinals
#3 Dayton def. #1 ILLINOIS, 77-71
Chris Johnson scored 18 points and Dayton used a strong start to beat Illinois 77-71 in an NIT quarterfinal Wednesday night.
Dayton jumped out to a 23-9 lead behind excellent shooting and never let up. The Flyers shot 48.1 percent from the field, including 8 of 18 from three-point range.
Illinois trailed by as many as 16 points before cutting it to four with 18 seconds left.
Johnson was 4-for-11 from the field but 9-of-10 at the foul line.
Demetri McCamey had 13 points and 10 assists for No. 1 seed Illinois (21-15).
Recap | Box Score
#3 Dayton def. #1 ILLINOIS, 77-71
Chris Johnson scored 18 points and Dayton used a strong start to beat Illinois 77-71 in an NIT quarterfinal Wednesday night.
Dayton jumped out to a 23-9 lead behind excellent shooting and never let up. The Flyers shot 48.1 percent from the field, including 8 of 18 from three-point range.
Illinois trailed by as many as 16 points before cutting it to four with 18 seconds left.
Johnson was 4-for-11 from the field but 9-of-10 at the foul line.
Demetri McCamey had 13 points and 10 assists for No. 1 seed Illinois (21-15).
Recap | Box Score
Illinois Bracket | Quarterfinals
#3 Dayton at #1 ILLINOIS | 9 p.m. | ESPN2
Illinois Tournament Central | In-game blog
The Illinois Fighting Illini will resume NIT play tonight at Assembly Hall when they host the third-seeded Dayton Flyers. The game will tip off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The winner of the Illinois-Dayton game moves on to New York City for the NIT Semifinals next Tuesday,
facing the winner of Texas Tech-Mississippi. Illinois and Dayton are meeting for the second time in the NIT. In Dayton's only previous trip to Champaign, the Flyers defeated the Illini in the second round of the 1982 NIT by the score of 61-58.
#3 Dayton at #1 ILLINOIS | 9 p.m. | ESPN2
Illinois Tournament Central | In-game blog
The Illinois Fighting Illini will resume NIT play tonight at Assembly Hall when they host the third-seeded Dayton Flyers. The game will tip off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The winner of the Illinois-Dayton game moves on to New York City for the NIT Semifinals next Tuesday,
facing the winner of Texas Tech-Mississippi. Illinois and Dayton are meeting for the second time in the NIT. In Dayton's only previous trip to Champaign, the Flyers defeated the Illini in the second round of the 1982 NIT by the score of 61-58.
National Invitation Tournament | Second Round
No. 1 ILLINOIS vs. No. 4 Kent State | 7 p.m .CT | ESPNU
ILL Game Notes
Illinois will try to continue its advance to Madison Square Garden when the top-seeded Illini (20-14) return home to take on fourth-seeded Kent State (24-9) on Monday from inside Assembly Hall. Wednesday's opening-round victory at Stony Brook marked the first time Illinois played a road contest in the NIT. The winner of the Illinois-Kent State game advances to the NIT Quarterfinals on Wednesday, facing the winner of the Cincinnati-Dayton matchup. In its fourth all-time appearance in the NIT, Illinois owns an overall 6-3 record, including a 4-2 slate in Champaign and a perfect 1-1 ledger at Madison Square Garden.
No. 1 ILLINOIS vs. No. 4 Kent State | 7 p.m .CT | ESPNU
ILL Game Notes
Illinois will try to continue its advance to Madison Square Garden when the top-seeded Illini (20-14) return home to take on fourth-seeded Kent State (24-9) on Monday from inside Assembly Hall. Wednesday's opening-round victory at Stony Brook marked the first time Illinois played a road contest in the NIT. The winner of the Illinois-Kent State game advances to the NIT Quarterfinals on Wednesday, facing the winner of the Cincinnati-Dayton matchup. In its fourth all-time appearance in the NIT, Illinois owns an overall 6-3 record, including a 4-2 slate in Champaign and a perfect 1-1 ledger at Madison Square Garden.
Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue all punch their tickets to the Sweet Sixteen.
East Regional | Second Round
#12 Cornell def. #4 WISCONSIN, 87-69
A season filled with overcoming outside expectations ran into a Big Red buzzsaw Sunday afternoon in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Despite 23 points from junior Jon Leuer, Wisconsin couldn't match Cornell's 61-percent shooting and fell, 87-69, at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Badgers fell behind quickly, as Cornell raced out to an 11-1 lead just three minutes into the first half, and the Big Red's hot shooting never gave the Badgers a chance to fight their way back into it.
In their final game as Badgers, seniors Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes finished with 18 and 10 points, respectively. The duo finished with 105 career wins, tying Wisconsin's all-time victories record.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Midwest Regional | Second Round
# 5 MICHIGAN STATE def. #4 Maryland, 85-83
Korie Lucious hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to cap a frenetic finish and give injury-depleted Michigan State an 85-83 victory over Maryland on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
After star guard Kalin Lucas went down with a leg injury, the Spartans blew a 16-point lead in the second half. Greivis Vasquez's basket put Maryland ahead 83-82 with 6 seconds left, but Michigan State inbounded immediately and pushed up the floor.
The ball went to Lucious, Lucas' replacement, at the top of the key and he drained a three just in time, setting off a wild celebration as jubilant Spartans players streamed off the bench.
"I had an open look. Time was running down. I just shot it and it went in," Lucious said.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#2 OHIO STATE def. #10 Georgia Tech, 75-66
One bad game for Evan Turner is a rarity. No way he has two in a row.
Turner shook off one of the worst shooting nights of his career by coming within an assist and a rebound of his third triple-double of the season, and second-seeded Ohio State outlasted foul- and turnover-plagued Georgia Tech for a 75-66 victory Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Turner, a leading contender for national player of the year, finished with a game-high 24 points. Jon Diebler added 20 points for the Buckeyes (29-7) and David Lighty had 18.
Ohio State will face sixth-seeded Tennessee on Friday night in St. Louis in a Midwest Regional semifinal.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
South Regional | Second Round
#4 PURDUE def. #5 Texas A&M, 63-61 (OT)
Chris Kramer's drive past one defender and layup over another six inches taller than him with 4.2 seconds remaining in overtime sent fourth-seeded Purdue into the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament with a bruising 63-61 victory over fifth-seeded Texas A&M on Sunday.
Texas A&M's B.J. Holmes got a final, frantic chance to win the game with a rushed three-point try from in front of his bench at the buzzer, but it hit short on the rim to ensure a sixth regional appearance in 12 NCAA tournaments dating to 1994 for Purdue (29-5).
Kramer, Purdue's leader with Robbie Hummel out with a knee injury, led the Boilermakers with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
East Regional | Second Round
#12 Cornell def. #4 WISCONSIN, 87-69
A season filled with overcoming outside expectations ran into a Big Red buzzsaw Sunday afternoon in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Despite 23 points from junior Jon Leuer, Wisconsin couldn't match Cornell's 61-percent shooting and fell, 87-69, at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Badgers fell behind quickly, as Cornell raced out to an 11-1 lead just three minutes into the first half, and the Big Red's hot shooting never gave the Badgers a chance to fight their way back into it.
In their final game as Badgers, seniors Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes finished with 18 and 10 points, respectively. The duo finished with 105 career wins, tying Wisconsin's all-time victories record.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Midwest Regional | Second Round
# 5 MICHIGAN STATE def. #4 Maryland, 85-83
Korie Lucious hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to cap a frenetic finish and give injury-depleted Michigan State an 85-83 victory over Maryland on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
After star guard Kalin Lucas went down with a leg injury, the Spartans blew a 16-point lead in the second half. Greivis Vasquez's basket put Maryland ahead 83-82 with 6 seconds left, but Michigan State inbounded immediately and pushed up the floor.
The ball went to Lucious, Lucas' replacement, at the top of the key and he drained a three just in time, setting off a wild celebration as jubilant Spartans players streamed off the bench.
"I had an open look. Time was running down. I just shot it and it went in," Lucious said.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#2 OHIO STATE def. #10 Georgia Tech, 75-66
One bad game for Evan Turner is a rarity. No way he has two in a row.
Turner shook off one of the worst shooting nights of his career by coming within an assist and a rebound of his third triple-double of the season, and second-seeded Ohio State outlasted foul- and turnover-plagued Georgia Tech for a 75-66 victory Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Turner, a leading contender for national player of the year, finished with a game-high 24 points. Jon Diebler added 20 points for the Buckeyes (29-7) and David Lighty had 18.
Ohio State will face sixth-seeded Tennessee on Friday night in St. Louis in a Midwest Regional semifinal.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
South Regional | Second Round
#4 PURDUE def. #5 Texas A&M, 63-61 (OT)
Chris Kramer's drive past one defender and layup over another six inches taller than him with 4.2 seconds remaining in overtime sent fourth-seeded Purdue into the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament with a bruising 63-61 victory over fifth-seeded Texas A&M on Sunday.
Texas A&M's B.J. Holmes got a final, frantic chance to win the game with a rushed three-point try from in front of his bench at the buzzer, but it hit short on the rim to ensure a sixth regional appearance in 12 NCAA tournaments dating to 1994 for Purdue (29-5).
Kramer, Purdue's leader with Robbie Hummel out with a knee injury, led the Boilermakers with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
East Regional | Second Round
#4 WISCONSIN vs. #12 Cornell | 2:50 p.m. ET | Jacksonville, Fla.
Wisconsin Tournament Central
After scoring a 53-49 win over No. 13 seed Wofford in Friday's first round, the No. 4 seed Wisconsin men's basketball team will face 12th-seeded Cornell in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
Tip time is set for 2:50 p.m. (ET) at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The winner will face the winner of Saturday's matchup between No. 1 seed Kentucky and No. 9 seed Wake Forest in an East Regional semifinal Thursday, March 25 in Syracuse, N.Y.
Midwest Regional | Second Round
# 5 MICHIGAN STATE vs. #4 Maryland | 2:30 p.m. ET | Spokane, Wash.
Michigan State Tournament Central
Michigan State and Maryland meet for the fourth time in the last eight years as the Spartans and Terrapins square off in the second round. The only previous meeting in the NCAA Tournament was a thriller as MSU notched a 60-58 win in the 2003 Sweet 16. The Spartans are in search of their third straight trip to the Sweet 16 and their ninth under Tom Izzo.
#2 OHIO STATE vs. #10 Georgia Tech | 2:20 p.m. ET | Milwaukee, Wis.
Ohio State Tournament Central
Georgia Tech guard Iman Shumpert doesn't need a scouting report on Evan Turner.In fact, Shumpert can probably tell the Yellow Jackets' coaching staff a thing or two about his grade school teammate.A spot in next weekend's Midwest Regional semifinal is the big prize in Sunday's game between 10th-seeded Georgia Tech (23-12) and No. 2 seed Ohio State (28-7). But there are hometown bragging rights on the line, too, with Chicago natives Shumpert and Turner facing each other for the first time since high school. Read More...
South Regional | Second Round
#4 PURDUE vs. #5 Texas A&M | 5:15 p.m. ET | Spokane, Wash.
Purdue Tournament Central
The fourth-seeded and 10th-ranked Purdue men's basketball team will face Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at approximately 5:15 p.m. ET on Sunday, as announced by CBS Sports and the NCAA on Friday night.
Tim Brando and Mike Gminski will once again have the call for CBS' live telecast of the game, while Larry Clisby and Rob Blackman will call the action over the radio waves on the Purdue Sports Network. Pregame coverage will begin on the Purdue Sports Network at 1 p.m. ET.
#4 WISCONSIN vs. #12 Cornell | 2:50 p.m. ET | Jacksonville, Fla.
Wisconsin Tournament Central
After scoring a 53-49 win over No. 13 seed Wofford in Friday's first round, the No. 4 seed Wisconsin men's basketball team will face 12th-seeded Cornell in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
Tip time is set for 2:50 p.m. (ET) at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The winner will face the winner of Saturday's matchup between No. 1 seed Kentucky and No. 9 seed Wake Forest in an East Regional semifinal Thursday, March 25 in Syracuse, N.Y.
Midwest Regional | Second Round
# 5 MICHIGAN STATE vs. #4 Maryland | 2:30 p.m. ET | Spokane, Wash.
Michigan State Tournament Central
Michigan State and Maryland meet for the fourth time in the last eight years as the Spartans and Terrapins square off in the second round. The only previous meeting in the NCAA Tournament was a thriller as MSU notched a 60-58 win in the 2003 Sweet 16. The Spartans are in search of their third straight trip to the Sweet 16 and their ninth under Tom Izzo.
#2 OHIO STATE vs. #10 Georgia Tech | 2:20 p.m. ET | Milwaukee, Wis.
Ohio State Tournament Central
Georgia Tech guard Iman Shumpert doesn't need a scouting report on Evan Turner.In fact, Shumpert can probably tell the Yellow Jackets' coaching staff a thing or two about his grade school teammate.A spot in next weekend's Midwest Regional semifinal is the big prize in Sunday's game between 10th-seeded Georgia Tech (23-12) and No. 2 seed Ohio State (28-7). But there are hometown bragging rights on the line, too, with Chicago natives Shumpert and Turner facing each other for the first time since high school. Read More...
South Regional | Second Round
#4 PURDUE vs. #5 Texas A&M | 5:15 p.m. ET | Spokane, Wash.
Purdue Tournament Central
The fourth-seeded and 10th-ranked Purdue men's basketball team will face Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at approximately 5:15 p.m. ET on Sunday, as announced by CBS Sports and the NCAA on Friday night.
Tim Brando and Mike Gminski will once again have the call for CBS' live telecast of the game, while Larry Clisby and Rob Blackman will call the action over the radio waves on the Purdue Sports Network. Pregame coverage will begin on the Purdue Sports Network at 1 p.m. ET.
East Regional | First Round
#4 WISCONSIN def. #13 Wofford, 53-49
Slow and methodical early, fast and frantic late. No matter the tempo, Wisconsin stayed poised against pesky Wofford.
It's exactly what coach Bo Ryan expected from his team, which has plenty of NCAA tournament experience.
And in the end, the Badgers did exactly what they do best - play defense.
Jon Leuer followed a huge jump shot with an even more critical steal on the other end, and the fourth-seeded Badgers eked out an ugly 53-49 win over the 13th-seeded Terriers in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Midwest Regional | First Round
#5 MICHIGAN STATE def. #12 New Mexico State, 70-67
Thanks to Kalin Lucas' career night, Raymar Morgan's late help, Michigan State is moving on in yet another NCAA tournament.
Lucas scored a career-high 25 points and Morgan emerged from a quiet night by hitting key shots down the stretch as fifth-seeded Michigan State edged No. 12 New Mexico State 70-67 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Morgan broke a late tie with four straight points, then made two free throws with 18.6 seconds remaining with the aid of a rare lane-violation call.
Still, it was an uneven game for the Spartans (25-8), a microcosm of their at-times dazzling, other times dumbfounding season following a loss to North Carolina in last year's national championship game.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#2 OHIO STATE def. #15 UC Santa Barbara, 68-51
After making a late layup, Evan Turner turned to run back down the court, shaking his head.
It was supposed to be another chance for the Ohio State star to stand out on a big stage. Instead, it was one of the worst shooting nights of his career.
As it turns out, that didn't matter at all for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes leaned on the slick shooting of a sick player, Jon Diebler, and defensive domination by Dallas Lauderdale for a 68-51 victory over persistent UC Santa Barbara in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday night.
"I can't picture another game being like this," Turner said. "It's cool. I'm glad my teammates picked us up."
Diebler scored 23 points and Lauderdale blocked a career-high eight shots and grabbed 12 rebounds for the second-seeded Buckeyes (28-7), who won without much offense from their top player.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
West Regional | First Round
#6 Xavier def. #11 MINNESOTA, 65-54
Minnesota saw its season come to an end Friday afternoon, as it dropped a 65-54 decision to 25th-ranked Xavier in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament before a crowd of 17,875 at the Bradley Center.
The #11 seed Gophers (21-14) played to a 26-26 tie at the half, but sixth-seeded Xavier used an 18-9 run early in the second half to turn a 30-29 deficit into a 47-39 lead, which the Musketeers (25-8) increased to as many as 11 points down the stretch.
Minnesota, which was making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance under third-year head coach Tubby Smith, lost in the opening round for the fourth consecutive time since winning its tourney opener in 1990. The Gophers lost to Texas, 76-62, at the 2009 NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
South Regional | First Round
#4 PURDUE def. #13 Siena, 72-64
Forgotten amid all that angst over Purdue's NCAA tournament chances without Robbie Hummel: The Boilermakers still have Keaton Grant.
The senior, who became a starter after the do-it-all Hummel blew out his knee three weeks ago, ignited a decisive, 20-3 run with 11 points to begin the second half. That opened up the inside for teammate JaJuan Johnson's 23 points and rallied fourth-seeded Purdue past No. 13 seed Siena 72-64 on Friday in the first round of the South Regional.
Johnson, the tallest player on either team at 6-foot-10, tied his career high with 15 rebounds.
E'Twaun Moore added 12 points for the Boilermakers (28-5). They were steamed that even President Barack Obama had joined a national chorus predicting the Saints (27-7) would pull a first-round upset in the third consecutive NCAA tournament.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#4 WISCONSIN def. #13 Wofford, 53-49
Slow and methodical early, fast and frantic late. No matter the tempo, Wisconsin stayed poised against pesky Wofford.
It's exactly what coach Bo Ryan expected from his team, which has plenty of NCAA tournament experience.
And in the end, the Badgers did exactly what they do best - play defense.
Jon Leuer followed a huge jump shot with an even more critical steal on the other end, and the fourth-seeded Badgers eked out an ugly 53-49 win over the 13th-seeded Terriers in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Midwest Regional | First Round
#5 MICHIGAN STATE def. #12 New Mexico State, 70-67
Thanks to Kalin Lucas' career night, Raymar Morgan's late help, Michigan State is moving on in yet another NCAA tournament.
Lucas scored a career-high 25 points and Morgan emerged from a quiet night by hitting key shots down the stretch as fifth-seeded Michigan State edged No. 12 New Mexico State 70-67 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Morgan broke a late tie with four straight points, then made two free throws with 18.6 seconds remaining with the aid of a rare lane-violation call.
Still, it was an uneven game for the Spartans (25-8), a microcosm of their at-times dazzling, other times dumbfounding season following a loss to North Carolina in last year's national championship game.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#2 OHIO STATE def. #15 UC Santa Barbara, 68-51
After making a late layup, Evan Turner turned to run back down the court, shaking his head.
It was supposed to be another chance for the Ohio State star to stand out on a big stage. Instead, it was one of the worst shooting nights of his career.
As it turns out, that didn't matter at all for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes leaned on the slick shooting of a sick player, Jon Diebler, and defensive domination by Dallas Lauderdale for a 68-51 victory over persistent UC Santa Barbara in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday night.
"I can't picture another game being like this," Turner said. "It's cool. I'm glad my teammates picked us up."
Diebler scored 23 points and Lauderdale blocked a career-high eight shots and grabbed 12 rebounds for the second-seeded Buckeyes (28-7), who won without much offense from their top player.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
West Regional | First Round
#6 Xavier def. #11 MINNESOTA, 65-54
Minnesota saw its season come to an end Friday afternoon, as it dropped a 65-54 decision to 25th-ranked Xavier in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament before a crowd of 17,875 at the Bradley Center.
The #11 seed Gophers (21-14) played to a 26-26 tie at the half, but sixth-seeded Xavier used an 18-9 run early in the second half to turn a 30-29 deficit into a 47-39 lead, which the Musketeers (25-8) increased to as many as 11 points down the stretch.
Minnesota, which was making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance under third-year head coach Tubby Smith, lost in the opening round for the fourth consecutive time since winning its tourney opener in 1990. The Gophers lost to Texas, 76-62, at the 2009 NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
South Regional | First Round
#4 PURDUE def. #13 Siena, 72-64
Forgotten amid all that angst over Purdue's NCAA tournament chances without Robbie Hummel: The Boilermakers still have Keaton Grant.
The senior, who became a starter after the do-it-all Hummel blew out his knee three weeks ago, ignited a decisive, 20-3 run with 11 points to begin the second half. That opened up the inside for teammate JaJuan Johnson's 23 points and rallied fourth-seeded Purdue past No. 13 seed Siena 72-64 on Friday in the first round of the South Regional.
Johnson, the tallest player on either team at 6-foot-10, tied his career high with 15 rebounds.
E'Twaun Moore added 12 points for the Boilermakers (28-5). They were steamed that even President Barack Obama had joined a national chorus predicting the Saints (27-7) would pull a first-round upset in the third consecutive NCAA tournament.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
FRIDAY, MARCH 19
East Regional | First Round
#13 Wofford vs. #4 WISCONSIN | ~2:50 p.m. | Jacksonville, Fla.
Wisconsin Tournament Central
The Wisconsin men's basketball team earned a No. 4 seed in the East Region and will face 13th-seeded Wofford in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament on Friday at 2 p.m. (CT) at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The winner of that game will face the winner of No. 5 seed Temple vs. 12th-seeded Cornell on Sunday, March 21. Wisconsin is making its 12th-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.
The Badgers are one of just six schools that have an active NCAA tournament streak of at least 12 years. The others are Kansas (21), Duke (15), Michigan State, (13), Gonzaga (12) and Texas (12).
It will be the ninth-consecutive NCAA appearance for the Badgers under head coach Bo Ryan, who is 7-1 in first-round games at Wisconsin. Against Wofford, Ryan seeks his 600th career win.
Midwest Regional | First Round
#12 New Mexico State vs. #5 MICHIGAN STATE | 7:20 p.m.| Spokane, Wash.
Michigan State Tournament Central
Michigan State is making its 13th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament as it opens as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region against No. 12 seed New Mexico State. The Spartans shared the Big Ten regular-season championship with Purdue and Ohio State. The winner of the MSU-NMSU game will play the winner of the No. 4 Maryland-No. 13 Houston contest.
#15 UC Santa Barbara vs. #2 OHIO STATE | ~9:45 p.m. | Milwaukee, Wis.
Ohio State Tournament Central
After winning the 2010 Big Ten Tournament last week in Indianapolis, Ohio State enters NCAA tournament play with a 27-7 overall record and a 14-4 regular season mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes finished tied atop the Big Ten with Purdue and Michigan State after the regular season slate. Thad Matta will lead the Buckeyes against First Round opponent UC Santa Barbara (20-9) Friday (9:45 p.m.) at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. UC Santa Barbara is the No. 15 seed. The winner of the game between the Buckeyes and the Gauchos will take on the winner of the game between Oklahoma State, the No. 7 seed, and Georgia Tech, the No. 10 seed.
West Regional | First Round
#11 MINNESOTA vs. #6 Xavier | 12:25 p.m. | Milwaukee, Wis.
Minnesota Tournament Central
Minnesota is making its 11th overall NCAA Tournament appearance (1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2010), and its second-consecutive trip under third-year head coach Tubby Smith. Minnesota's appearances during 1994, '95, '97 and '99 were vacated due to NCAA violations. Officially, the Gophers are 7-7 in NCAA Tournament games.
Minnesota was awarded a No. 11 seed for the second time. The Gophers' previous appearance as the 11th seed was during 1989, when they knocked off No. 6 seed Kansas State, 86-75, and No. 14 Siena (80-67) to reach the Sweet 16 before falling to second-seeded Duke, 87-70.
South Regional | First Round
#13 Siena vs. #4 PURDUE | 2:30 p.m. | Spokane, Wash.
Purdue Tournament Central
Purdue will kick off the 24th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, and fourth in as many years, on Friday when it tangles with Siena in first-round action in Spokane, Wash. The Boilermakers were awarded a No. 4 seed for the first time in program history, marking their highest since 1998. Purdue will also be playing a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Boilermakers have never faced Siena or played in Spokane. Purdue is 4-3 in NCAA Tournament games under head coach Matt Painter, having advanced to the Sweet 16 a year ago. Purdue also ventured out to the Pacific Northwest for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament in 2009, defeating Northern Iowa and Washington, respectively, in Portland, Ore. The Boilermakers have won their first-round game in each of their last 11 trips to the Big Dance
East Regional | First Round
#13 Wofford vs. #4 WISCONSIN | ~2:50 p.m. | Jacksonville, Fla.
Wisconsin Tournament Central
The Wisconsin men's basketball team earned a No. 4 seed in the East Region and will face 13th-seeded Wofford in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament on Friday at 2 p.m. (CT) at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The winner of that game will face the winner of No. 5 seed Temple vs. 12th-seeded Cornell on Sunday, March 21. Wisconsin is making its 12th-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.
The Badgers are one of just six schools that have an active NCAA tournament streak of at least 12 years. The others are Kansas (21), Duke (15), Michigan State, (13), Gonzaga (12) and Texas (12).
It will be the ninth-consecutive NCAA appearance for the Badgers under head coach Bo Ryan, who is 7-1 in first-round games at Wisconsin. Against Wofford, Ryan seeks his 600th career win.
Midwest Regional | First Round
#12 New Mexico State vs. #5 MICHIGAN STATE | 7:20 p.m.| Spokane, Wash.
Michigan State Tournament Central
Michigan State is making its 13th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament as it opens as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region against No. 12 seed New Mexico State. The Spartans shared the Big Ten regular-season championship with Purdue and Ohio State. The winner of the MSU-NMSU game will play the winner of the No. 4 Maryland-No. 13 Houston contest.
#15 UC Santa Barbara vs. #2 OHIO STATE | ~9:45 p.m. | Milwaukee, Wis.
Ohio State Tournament Central
After winning the 2010 Big Ten Tournament last week in Indianapolis, Ohio State enters NCAA tournament play with a 27-7 overall record and a 14-4 regular season mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes finished tied atop the Big Ten with Purdue and Michigan State after the regular season slate. Thad Matta will lead the Buckeyes against First Round opponent UC Santa Barbara (20-9) Friday (9:45 p.m.) at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. UC Santa Barbara is the No. 15 seed. The winner of the game between the Buckeyes and the Gauchos will take on the winner of the game between Oklahoma State, the No. 7 seed, and Georgia Tech, the No. 10 seed.
West Regional | First Round
#11 MINNESOTA vs. #6 Xavier | 12:25 p.m. | Milwaukee, Wis.
Minnesota Tournament Central
Minnesota is making its 11th overall NCAA Tournament appearance (1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2010), and its second-consecutive trip under third-year head coach Tubby Smith. Minnesota's appearances during 1994, '95, '97 and '99 were vacated due to NCAA violations. Officially, the Gophers are 7-7 in NCAA Tournament games.
Minnesota was awarded a No. 11 seed for the second time. The Gophers' previous appearance as the 11th seed was during 1989, when they knocked off No. 6 seed Kansas State, 86-75, and No. 14 Siena (80-67) to reach the Sweet 16 before falling to second-seeded Duke, 87-70.
South Regional | First Round
#13 Siena vs. #4 PURDUE | 2:30 p.m. | Spokane, Wash.
Purdue Tournament Central
Purdue will kick off the 24th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, and fourth in as many years, on Friday when it tangles with Siena in first-round action in Spokane, Wash. The Boilermakers were awarded a No. 4 seed for the first time in program history, marking their highest since 1998. Purdue will also be playing a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Boilermakers have never faced Siena or played in Spokane. Purdue is 4-3 in NCAA Tournament games under head coach Matt Painter, having advanced to the Sweet 16 a year ago. Purdue also ventured out to the Pacific Northwest for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament in 2009, defeating Northern Iowa and Washington, respectively, in Portland, Ore. The Boilermakers have won their first-round game in each of their last 11 trips to the Big Dance
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17
Illinois Bracket | First Round
#1 ILLINOIS def. #8 Stony Brook, 76-66
Illinois felt the sting of being left out of the NCAA tournament.
Then, the Fighting Illini were forced to hit the road to start the NIT despite being a top seed in their bracket because Cirque du Soleil was playing at Assembly Hall.
Despite all that, Illinois still was able to beat eighth-seeded Stony Brook 76-66 in front of a loud sellout crowd of 4,423 at Stony Brook Arena on Wednesday night.
"We're still disappointed, obviously," Illinois' Mike Davis said. "But Coach has been talking all week about making something happen in the NIT, just move on to next year as far as getting ready for next year. Just win a championship and learn how to win championships because hopefully next year we can make a run."
Davis led Illinois (20-14) with 17 points, and Demetri McCamey just missed a triple-double with 16 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. D.J. Richardson also contributed 16 points and Mike Tisdale added 15 for the Fighting Illini, who had been knocked out in the Big Ten semifinals.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Virginia Tech Bracket | First Round
#2 Rhode Island def. #7 NORTHWESTERN, 76-64
Every time Northwestern made a run, Rhode Island had an answer. A 10-point second-half deficit proved to be too much for the Wildcats to overcome as they saw their season come to an end with a 76-64 loss in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
Michael Thompson scored a game-high 24 points for Northwestern which saw its season draw to a close with a 20-14 record.
"This was very disappointing," said Thompson. "We think we accomplished a lot this season and we wanted to make a strong run in the NIT."
URI (24-9) jumped out to an early eight-point advantage behind eight points by center Will Martell as the Rams surged in front 18-10 eight minutes and 30 seconds into the contest.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Illinois Bracket | First Round
#1 ILLINOIS def. #8 Stony Brook, 76-66
Illinois felt the sting of being left out of the NCAA tournament.
Then, the Fighting Illini were forced to hit the road to start the NIT despite being a top seed in their bracket because Cirque du Soleil was playing at Assembly Hall.
Despite all that, Illinois still was able to beat eighth-seeded Stony Brook 76-66 in front of a loud sellout crowd of 4,423 at Stony Brook Arena on Wednesday night.
"We're still disappointed, obviously," Illinois' Mike Davis said. "But Coach has been talking all week about making something happen in the NIT, just move on to next year as far as getting ready for next year. Just win a championship and learn how to win championships because hopefully next year we can make a run."
Davis led Illinois (20-14) with 17 points, and Demetri McCamey just missed a triple-double with 16 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. D.J. Richardson also contributed 16 points and Mike Tisdale added 15 for the Fighting Illini, who had been knocked out in the Big Ten semifinals.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Virginia Tech Bracket | First Round
#2 Rhode Island def. #7 NORTHWESTERN, 76-64
Every time Northwestern made a run, Rhode Island had an answer. A 10-point second-half deficit proved to be too much for the Wildcats to overcome as they saw their season come to an end with a 76-64 loss in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
Michael Thompson scored a game-high 24 points for Northwestern which saw its season draw to a close with a 20-14 record.
"This was very disappointing," said Thompson. "We think we accomplished a lot this season and we wanted to make a strong run in the NIT."
URI (24-9) jumped out to an early eight-point advantage behind eight points by center Will Martell as the Rams surged in front 18-10 eight minutes and 30 seconds into the contest.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
The postseason tournaments have officially started for Big Ten teams. Northwestern and Illinois kick off NIT action tonight.
- Northwestern vs. Rhode Island, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Illinois vs. Stony Brook, 9:00 p.m. ET
The 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament is in the books and
congratulations to the Ohio State Buckeyes on winning the postseason crown. A heartfelt congratulations also
goes out to the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who displayed great determination and teamwork over the past four days, dismissing Penn State and two of the three Big Ten regular season champions, Michigan State and Purdue.
Here are a few final pictures from this afternoon's celebration:
Here are a few final pictures from this afternoon's celebration:
CBS' Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg talk with Ohio State head coach Thad Matta and
the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player Evan Turner.
Ohio State celebrates its 2010 Big Ten Tournament title.
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany presents the Big Ten Tournament trophy to
Ohio State head coach Thad Matta and the Buckeyes.
Ohio State head coach Thad Matta talks with the Big Ten Network's Rick Pizzo.
Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player Evan Turner cuts down the net.
the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player Evan Turner.
Ohio State celebrates its 2010 Big Ten Tournament title.Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany presents the Big Ten Tournament trophy to Ohio State head coach Thad Matta and the Buckeyes.
Ohio State head coach Thad Matta talks with the Big Ten Network's Rick Pizzo.Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player Evan Turner cuts down the net.
Here is the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team:
Demetri McCamey, Illinois
Devoe Joseph, Minnesota
William Buford, Ohio State
David Lighty, Ohio State
Evan Turner, Ohio State
Most Outstanding Player
Evan Turner, Ohio State
Congratulations to the top-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes on their 90-61 victory over the No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers in Sunday's Big Ten Tournament Championship final.
During halftime of the Big Ten Tournament final, BigTen.org went searching for those passionate Big Ten fans that were still supporting their team despite having lost in the postseason event. Those Penn State fans eluded the camera once again, but here now are representatives from each school:
Illinois sophomore Brent Rhodes of Champaign, Ill., and
Indiana senior Lauren Morris of New Albany, Ind.
Iowa's Paul Loeffer, Class of 1974, of Bakersfield, Calif., and
incoming Michigan freshman Scott Wilson and father Michael Wilson of Boulder, Colo.
Michigan State's Richard Small, Class of 1978, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and
Minnesota's Steve Salmela, Class of 1967 & 1970, of Travelers Rest, S.C.
Northwestern's Will and Bill Marquardt, Class of 1991, of Fishers, Ind., and
Ohio State's Stephanie Kreager of Sunbury, Ohio.
Purdue's Dan Alder of Fishers, Ind., and Wisconsin's Karen Zanter of Eden Prairie, Minn.
Indiana senior Lauren Morris of New Albany, Ind.
Iowa's Paul Loeffer, Class of 1974, of Bakersfield, Calif., andincoming Michigan freshman Scott Wilson and father Michael Wilson of Boulder, Colo.
Michigan State's Richard Small, Class of 1978, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., andMinnesota's Steve Salmela, Class of 1967 & 1970, of Travelers Rest, S.C.
Northwestern's Will and Bill Marquardt, Class of 1991, of Fishers, Ind., andOhio State's Stephanie Kreager of Sunbury, Ohio.
Purdue's Dan Alder of Fishers, Ind., and Wisconsin's Karen Zanter of Eden Prairie, Minn.
One of the highlights of this afternoon's Big Ten Tournament Championship Pregame Pep Rally was when a few kids representing Minnesota and Ohio State took center stage to get the crowd pumped. The group of Buckeyes above belted out the OSU fight song, while Minnesota's youngster led the crowed with the popular "M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A, Go Gophers!" chant.
Although the Minnesota and Ohio State pep bands gave quite the rowdy performances at today's Big Ten Tournament Championship Pregame Pep Rally, the U.S. Army band was rocking for the entire event in their fatigues!
BigTen.org just got back from the Big Ten Tournament Championship Pregame Pep Rally. Several hundred Minnesota and Ohio State fans were taking in the festivities, which included free hot dogs, popcorn and beverages, face painting, artists and both the pep band and cheerleading squads from Minnesota and Ohio State.Below are a few select photos from today's event:
Several hundred fans were in attendance for today's pep rally.
A Minnesota fan gets her face painted with a gold 'M' for today's game.
Ohio State fans get a free fan drawing done at today's pep rally.
All Gopher fans are asking for???
A Minnesota fan gets her face painted with a gold 'M' for today's game.Ohio State fans get a free fan drawing done at today's pep rally.All Gopher fans are asking for???
Minnesota arrived shortly after 2 p.m. local time while the Buckeyes are already on the court getting loose.
Welcome to the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game!
In just a matter of hours we will determine the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, which will end with its Final Four taking place just blocks away from Conseco Fieldhouse at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It's No. 1 Ohio State against No. 6 Minnesota. CBS will air the championship final with tip-off scheduled at 3:30 p.m. ET. Click here to view Gametracker
These two teams have never met in Big Ten Tournament play.
Of the 12 previous postseason tournaments, the No. 1 seed has captured four tournament crowns (1999-MSU, 2005-ILL, 2007-OSU, 2008-WIS) while the No. 6 seed has earned the title once (2001-IOWA).
With a win today, Minnesota could join the 2001 Hawkeyes squad as the lowest seed to have ever won the Big Ten Tournament Championship.
In just a matter of hours we will determine the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, which will end with its Final Four taking place just blocks away from Conseco Fieldhouse at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It's No. 1 Ohio State against No. 6 Minnesota. CBS will air the championship final with tip-off scheduled at 3:30 p.m. ET. Click here to view Gametracker
These two teams have never met in Big Ten Tournament play.
Of the 12 previous postseason tournaments, the No. 1 seed has captured four tournament crowns (1999-MSU, 2005-ILL, 2007-OSU, 2008-WIS) while the No. 6 seed has earned the title once (2001-IOWA).
With a win today, Minnesota could join the 2001 Hawkeyes squad as the lowest seed to have ever won the Big Ten Tournament Championship.
More than 1,300 runners took to the streets outside Conseco Fieldhouse this morning for the second annual Big Ten Hoops Day 5K. Despite chilly temperatures near 40 degrees, runners began and finished the 3.1-mile race outside the main entrance of Conseco Fieldhouse.
Several volunteers were on hand to cheer the participants and the Minnesota pep band was stationed on the course to give the runners some tunes along the way.
The Indiana Sports Corporation, which touts health and wellness in the Indianapolis community as one if its primary objectives, was pleased with today's turnout, which ISC spokesperson John Dedman said was nearly 500 more than last year's total.
Two things seem to make this event one of a kind. The first being that all participants are encouraged to wear clothes from their favorite Big Ten school. How often do you see people running in Purdue football jerseys or Michigan and Ohio State fans crossing the finish line in unison?
Congratulations to No. 6 Minnesota on advancing to the Big Ten Tournament finals following a 69-42 victory over No. 2 seed Purdue.For Tubby Smith and his Golden Gophers, this year's tournament is turning into a Tri-Champ Checklist.
Sunday's Big Ten Tournament Championship will feature the top-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers, with tip-time at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- Beat Big Ten Tri-Champion Michigan State? Check.
- Beat Big Ten Tri-Champion Purdue? Check.
- Beat Big Ten Tri-Champion Ohio State? We'll find out in Sunday's final!
As sixth-seeded Minnesota appears to be running away with our second semifinal, currently holding a 58-33 advantage over Purdue with 6:01 remaining, now would be a perfect time to promote the Big Ten Hoops Day 5K!The city of Indianapolis continues its celebration of Big Ten Basketball on the morning of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament championship game when 1,000 runners descend upon downtown to take part in the Big Ten Hoops Day 5K. The second annual run/walk takes place tomorrow, March 14, and begins at 11 a.m. The entry fee is $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event. The first 1,200 entrants receive an Under Armour long-sleeve event t-shirt.
The 5K starts and finishes in front of Conseco Fieldhouse and weaves through downtown Indianapolis, passing each restaurant participating in the Big Ten Restaurant Pairing program. Runners are encouraged to wear their favorite Big Ten team's colors. The "Most Spirited Fan" will also win a Big Ten Prize Pack.Register today for the Big Ten Hoops Day 5K!
Prior to today's semifinal games, the Big Ten Tournament hosted several young boys and girls from the Indianapolis community, who have been competing in free-throw competitions throughout the school year.
The finals were held on Conseco Fieldhouse's main court.
The finals were held on Conseco Fieldhouse's main court.
Photos courtesy of Peter Bick
If you are looking to present an award to a group of guys who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, look no further than the Conseco Fieldhouse balcony, Section 215, Rows 1 & 2.That is where you will find the Michigan "Maize Rage" student section that has taken advantage of the Big Ten Tournament's special student pricing this year and has brought a little Wolverine flavor to each contest this week.
This year the Big Ten made a student all-session ticket package available for just $50, which as Maize Rage president Nick Mattar points out is, "a great deal."
Mattar said his Maize Rage group began the Big Ten Tournament with 40 members and as of the first half of the Minnesota/Purdue semifinal, the group is still 20 strong.
The Maize Rage was present for Michigan's first-round win over Iowa on Thursday and suffered the heartbreaking loss with all Wolverines on Friday when Ohio State's Evan Turner made an improbable 37-footer at the buzzer for the win.Despite the loss, Mattar said the group stuck around to cheer on in-state rival Michigan State, but after the Spartans were upset by Minnesota Friday night, the Maize Rage is now seeing Maize gold in the Golden Gophers.
"Minnesota is our team now," said Mattar.
So far the extra support is working. Minnesota has stormed out of the gates and have shocked the Boilermakers with a 37-11 advantage at halftime.
Mattar and his group are planning on sticking around as well.
"The Big Ten Tournament website had great lodging deals so we just got a few rooms, crammed four people in each one, and it worked out to $60 per night over four nights."
And although the balcony seats are a little uncommon for the popular student section that is used to hovering the sidelines at Crisler Arena, Mattar knows the seats go with the price.
"The view could be a little better," Mattar said, "but we're only paying five bucks a game."
Semifinal #1 of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament is in the books and top-seeded Ohio State has escaped with an 88-81 double-overtime win over No. 6 Illinois.
The 169 combined points are the third-most in Big Ten Tournament history and mark the highest scoring game in the tournament since 2002.
Ironically, it was Illinois and Ohio State who combined to set the BTT record of 182 points back in the 2002 tournament semifinals when the Buckeyes defeated the Illini, 94-88 -- a win that was later vacated by Ohio State due to NCAA sanctions.
Illinois has also been involved in each of the Big Ten Tournament's top three scoring contests as listed below:
The 169 combined points are the third-most in Big Ten Tournament history and mark the highest scoring game in the tournament since 2002.
Ironically, it was Illinois and Ohio State who combined to set the BTT record of 182 points back in the 2002 tournament semifinals when the Buckeyes defeated the Illini, 94-88 -- a win that was later vacated by Ohio State due to NCAA sanctions.
Illinois has also been involved in each of the Big Ten Tournament's top three scoring contests as listed below:
182 - 2002 BTT Semifinals: No. 2 Ohio State def. No. 3 Illinois, 94-88
178 - 2000 BTT Semifinals: No. 4 Illinois def. No. 9 Penn State, 94-84
169 - 2010 BTT Semifinals: No. 1 Ohio State def. No. 6 Illinois, 88-81 (2OT)
Welcome to the first double-overtime game in Big Ten Tournament history.Illinois 75, Ohio State 75.
Who wants it more?
We are set for overtime in today's first semifinal matchup as No. 1 Ohio State and No. 6 Illinois are tied at 66 at the end of regulation.
Counting last night's overtime upset with Minnesota defeating Michigan State, this marks the second straight OT matchup in Big Ten Tournament play and the first time the conference tournament has seen two extra sessions in the same year.
Counting last night's overtime upset with Minnesota defeating Michigan State, this marks the second straight OT matchup in Big Ten Tournament play and the first time the conference tournament has seen two extra sessions in the same year.
With 7:13 remaining in the second half, Ohio State has regained control of this game with a 20-0 run and holds a 59-50 advantage over Illinois.However, the Fighting Illini are owning the concessions stands right now.
During both the Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament, Levy Restaurants -- the official food supplier of Conseco Fieldhosue -- has dedicated special burgers and baked potatoes for each school. And in the sport of competition, they are keeping track of how many items are sold, including head-to-head battles during each game.
Right now the Fighting Illini Cheddar Burger is out-selling the BLT Buckeye Burger 64-51 on the week and an impressive 28-15 in today's semifinal.
Over at Big Ten Spuds, the Illini's Salsa & Shredded Cheddar Cheese has been the chosen favorite over the Buckeyes' Chopped Bacon and Shredded Lettuce.
Will the concessions advantage translate to success on the court for the Illini???
In addition to the life-size "Big Ten Icons" bobblehead statues that are located on the Conseco Fieldhouse concourse, the Big Ten Network has also enlisted the assistance of 11 different bobbleheads to promote its new fall series, Big Ten Icons.
Below is a glance at the other Big Ten bobbleheads... the human version!
From left: Illinois basketball's Kendall Gill, Indiana basketball's Quinn Buckner, Iowa basketball's B.J. Armstrong, Michigan basketball's Glen Rice, Michigan State basketball's Steve Smith, Minnesota basketball's Kevin McHale, Northwestern baseball's Joe Girardi, Ohio State basketball's Jim Jackson and Penn State football's Ki-Jana Carter. Not pictured: Purdue basketball's Glenn Robinson and Wisconsin basketball's Michael Finley.
Below is a glance at the other Big Ten bobbleheads... the human version!
From left: Illinois basketball's Kendall Gill, Indiana basketball's Quinn Buckner, Iowa basketball's B.J. Armstrong, Michigan basketball's Glen Rice, Michigan State basketball's Steve Smith, Minnesota basketball's Kevin McHale, Northwestern baseball's Joe Girardi, Ohio State basketball's Jim Jackson and Penn State football's Ki-Jana Carter. Not pictured: Purdue basketball's Glenn Robinson and Wisconsin basketball's Michael Finley.
In recognition of the its new "Big Ten Icons" show that is planned for this fall, the Big Ten Network has displayed 11 life-size bobbleheads representing each of the conference schools on the Conseco Fieldhouse concourse this week.
Here is a look at each school's iconic bobblehead...
For more information on "Big Ten Icons," click here.
Here is a look at each school's iconic bobblehead...
Illinois football great Red Grange and Indiana basketball legend Steve Alford
Football stars Chuck Long of Iowa and Charles Woodson of Michigan
Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves and Minnesota baseball great Dave Winfield
Northwestern linebacker Pat Fitzgerald and Ohio State Olympian Jesse Owens
Penn State Heisman winner John Cappelletti and Purdue QB Drew Brees
1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne of Wisconsin
Football stars Chuck Long of Iowa and Charles Woodson of MichiganMichigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves and Minnesota baseball great Dave WinfieldNorthwestern linebacker Pat Fitzgerald and Ohio State Olympian Jesse OwensPenn State Heisman winner John Cappelletti and Purdue QB Drew Brees1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne of WisconsinFor more information on "Big Ten Icons," click here.
We are set for semifinal action at the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament.Here is a look at the Big Ten Tournament history between today's opponents:
Game 8: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Illinois (1:40 p.m. ET, CBS)
Illinois leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Ohio State, 2-1
1999, S, No. 11 Illinois def. No. 2 Ohio State, 79-77Gametracker
2002, S, No. 2 Ohio State def. No. 3 Illinois, 94-88
2003, F, No. 2 Illinois def. No. 8 Ohio State, 72-59
Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 6 Minnesota (Approx. 4 p.m. ET, CBS)
Minnesota and Purdue are tied in Big Ten Tournament meetings, 1-1.
2001, 1st, No. 8 Purdue def. No. 9 Minnesota, 91-77Gametracker
2004, 1st, No. 10 Minnesota def. No. 6 Purdue, 63-52
Wait til the midnight hour...The great Wilson Pickett made those famous words popular back in 1965. Forty-five years later, the Big Ten nearly had to wait until the midnight hour to conclude an unbelievable quarterfinal round of the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament.
And that's okay for Motown-lover Tubby Smith (shown above in a postgame interview with the Big Ten Network). Tonight, his Golden Gophers took down another Motown favorite.
In tonight's final matchup, No. 6 seed Minnesota upset third-seeded Michigan State in overtime, 72-67. Devoe Joseph (pictured in background) led the Gophers with a team-high 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Gophers' victory put an exclamation point on what many feel is the greatest day in Big Ten Tournament history.
The day began with Michigan's Manny Harris making "the shot" with seconds left to put the Wolverines in contention to beat top-seeded Ohio State. But then it was Evan Turner, the Big Ten Player of the Year, who made "the dagger shot" from 37 feet out at the buzzer to keep the Buckeyes alive.
Throw in a 4-point Illinois victory over Wisconsin, an 8-point Purdue win over a determined Northwestern ballclub and an overtime upset in the nightcap and what do you have in the end???
Friday marked the first time in Big Ten Tournament history where all four quarterfinal games were determined by a single-digit margin of victory. In addition, the 18 points marked the lowest combined margin of victory in Big Ten Tournament history, besting the previous record of 24 set in the inaugural event back in 1998.
What an unbelievable night.
It's officially Semifinal Saturday. No. 1 Buckeyes and No. 5 Illini, No. 2 Boilers and No. 6 Gophers. Action begins Saturday at 1:40 p.m. on CBS.
Well... after an absolutely devastating loss to rival Ohio State today, you have to give these two guys credit for sticking around and supporting in-state rival Michigan State tonight.Requesting anonymity, likely because of the sudden jump across party lines and the repercussions they could face back home, these two friends busted out the electrical tape tonight and transformed their Michigan shirts into Michigan State gear.
Sort of...
"We really are cheering for them tonight," said one of the men. "We would like to see them win."
How about that for some good down home Big Ten sportsmanship???
BigTen.org's SuperFan Search has located quite the Golden Gopher in the crowd!Jim Olson, 25, is leading a team of eight Gopher fans that left Thursday morning at 4 a.m. from Bloomington, Minn., and traveled to the Circle City to cheer on the Maroon and Gold.
So far so good. His Gophers hold a 28-26 advantage over Michigan State at halftime of tonight's quarterfinal game.
Olson's company, which is comprised of his girlfriend, Tina Hanson, and her family, were all decked out in Minnesota gear, but it was Olson's striped overalls and headgear that caught the eye of SuperFan Search. Olson admitted that the overalls belong to a buddy of his, who is known to wear them at all the Gopher hockey games.
Not only is Olson a fashion icon, he is also an accomplished photographer.
Leave it to a wholesome Midwesterner to politely offer up his memory card to BigTen.org to give another angle of Evan Turner's game-winning 37-foot 3-pointer earlier today that lifted the Buckeyes past Michigan, 69-68. How about this timing???
Olson has been here all day and hopes to stay through the weekend to cheer on his Gophers to a Big Ten Tournament title. Well done, sir. Well done.
Sam May of Ft. Wayne, Ind., was hoping to take his son Todd and grandsons Dalton (7) and Chase (8), all of Fishers, Ind., to Conseco Fieldhouse tonight with the hopes of cheering on Indiana.But despite the Hoosiers' first-round loss to Northwestern on Thursday, the May family still showed up to watch IU's rival Purdue defeat Northwestern.
Shown in the SuperFan Search picture to the right is Dalton and Chase in their Hoosier gear along with their Big Ten Tournament souvenir basketballs.
Northwestern sure gave Purdue all it could handle in our third quarterfinal game of the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, but the Boilermakers held on for a 69-61 victory and advance to Saturday's semifinal round. Purdue will meet the winner of tonight's final game between No. 3 seed Michigan State and No. 6 Minnesota.
Earlier today another BigTen.org SuperFan Search turned up a Drew Brees fan impersonating a Drew Brees bobblehead impersonating legendary Boilermaker quarterback Drew Brees.
Earlier today during the break between Sessions Two and Three, Big Ten Conference staff members, along with representatives from the Indiana Sports Corporation, Pacers Sports & Entertainment and the Big Ten Network, joined together in the upper levels of Conseco Fieldhouse to recognize two conference staffers who are retiring this year.Rich Falk, the Big Ten's Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officiating, and Associate Commissioner for Governance Carol Iwaoka, were each honored by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany for their two decades of service at the conference office.
From left: Ohio State Senior Woman Administrator Miechelle Willis, Ohio State diver Chelsea Davis, Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership's Jerry Semler and Phil Borst, Northwestern football player Mark Ison, Northwestern Associate Athletic Director Brad Hurlbut, and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany. The second presentation during halftime of the Northwestern/Purdue quarterfinal game honored a former Big Ten Commissioner, a Northwestern football standout, and an accomplished Ohio State diver.
The Wildcats' Mark Ison and Buckeyes' Chelsea Davis were honored as the recipients of the 2010 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award presented by the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership. The award is an annual scholarship recognizing one male and one female Big Ten senior student-athlete pursuing a postgraduate degree for achievements in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and leadership. It is given out in conjunction with the Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments.
In recognition of the Big Ten's leadership in fully integrating athletics into the academic mission of its member institutions, the Indianapolis Community Partnership initiated the Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award in 2008 to complement the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments in Indianapolis. Each Big Ten institution was asked to nominate one male and one female student-athlete for 2010, with a $5,000 scholarship awarded to each winner.
The Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award is named for the former Big Ten Conference commissioner who served from 1971-89. While leading the Big Ten, Duke spent much of his time working to improve academic standards and graduation rates for student-athletes.
Just like we saw during the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament, halftime of the Northwestern/Purdue game consisted of two great presentations, the first of which was the swearing into service of 18 young men into the U.S. Army.While the on-court action near the end of the first half was bringing both Northwestern and Purdue fans to their feet, every spectator in attendance stood in appreciation when these young men were recognized for their enlistment decision.
During the first half of the Northwestern/Purdue contest, BigTen.org was in the midst of another SuperFan Search when it came across a father and son tandem ready to root on their Michigan State Spartans.Jim Luce and his 11-year-old son Kyle traveled from Brighton, Mich., today to help the third-seeded Spartans against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Inside the halls of Conseco Fieldhouse, some of the best school-specific Big Ten Tournament apparel can be found!
While Michigan and Ohio State were busy making thrilling shots in today's first quarterfinal contest, several current and former Big Ten students had a shot at impressing prospective employers at the third annual Big Ten Conference Career Expo. 
The event took place throughout the day at Indianapolis' historic Union Station. Included among the numerous employers that participated in the Career Expo were the Big Ten Conference, Indiana Sports Corporation, Eli Lilly, ExactTarget, General Motors, Marriott Place/White Lodging, Simon Property Group, U.S. Army, NCAA, and Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
The majority of the these companies were offering internships and full-time jobs, which could be found by the participants at the Cyber Cafe. While there, participants were also able to update and print their resumes to tailor their materials to the businesses that they were interested in meeting.
Following an impressive Illinois' victory over Wisconsin, 58-54, Session Two of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament officially came to a close. During the break between Sessions Two and Three, fans were asked to leave Conseco Fieldhouse to allow staffers the opportunity to prepare for tonight's two quarterfinal games.
Needless to say, when they were let back in, "they" were almost all Purdue Boilermaker fans. And almost all of them were dressed in black.
Where is that ACDC "Back in Black" anthem when you need it???
Needless to say, when they were let back in, "they" were almost all Purdue Boilermaker fans. And almost all of them were dressed in black.
Where is that ACDC "Back in Black" anthem when you need it???
The first session of games is now complete after Illinois held off a furious Wisconsin rally to advance to a Saturday semifinal date with Ohio State.
The evening session leads off with No. 2 seed Purdue facing No. 7 Northwestern at 6:30 p.m. ET live on the Big Ten Network.
The evening session leads off with No. 2 seed Purdue facing No. 7 Northwestern at 6:30 p.m. ET live on the Big Ten Network.
Wow. Outstanding effort.
Wow! What an amazing start to Friday's quarterfinal action.Big Ten Player of the Year Evan Turner proved he was worthy of his title, hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Ohio State over upset-minded Michigan, 69-68.
What an unbelievable effort Michigan left out on the court. Manny Harris simply took over the game with a game-high 26 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Harris scored the last two of his 26 points on what was thought to be the "dagger shot" with 3 seconds remaining.
But then it was simply Evan Turner time.... Wow.
One can only imagine the elation behind Door #1 and the disappointment behind Door #2 right now.
Amazing game!
The quarterfinal round got off to a rousing start when Ohio State's Evan Turner halted an upset bid by Michigan with a three point shot from long distance at the buzzer.
Next up is No. 4 seed Wisconsin and No. 5 seed Illinois. Let's see if they can match the energy of the finish of that last game!
Here are the links to live stats for Friday's games as well as approximate start times and the networks that will televise the games:
- Ohio State vs. Michigan, 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN: Gametracker
- Wisconsin vs. Illinois, approx. 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN:Gametracker
- Purdue vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m. ET, BTN: Gametracker
- Michigan State vs. Minnesota, approx. 9:00 p.m. ET, BTN: Gametracker
Four games are on the slate for Friday's Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal action.
Similar to Thursday's games, each of today's contests have interesting storylines.
Of the four games, two feature opponents that have only met once before in the 13-year history of the event, while one contest features a pair of teams that have never faced one another in Big Ten Tournament play.
In today's second game between No. 4 seed Wisconsin and No. 5 Illinois, the 2010 meeting marks the first time where neither team has competed as the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in their six postseason meetings.
Here is a inside look at each of the four quarterfinal matchups, which begin at noon on ESPN.
Game 4: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Michigan (Noon, ESPN2)
Ohio State leads the Big Ten Tournament series vs. Michigan, 1-0
Wisconsin leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Illinois, 3-2
This marks the first time Purdue and Northwestern have competed in Big Ten Tournament play since the event's inception in 1998.
Game 7: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Minnesota (Approx. 9 p.m., Big Ten Network)
Michigan State leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Minnesota, 1-0
Similar to Thursday's games, each of today's contests have interesting storylines.
Of the four games, two feature opponents that have only met once before in the 13-year history of the event, while one contest features a pair of teams that have never faced one another in Big Ten Tournament play.
In today's second game between No. 4 seed Wisconsin and No. 5 Illinois, the 2010 meeting marks the first time where neither team has competed as the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in their six postseason meetings.
Here is a inside look at each of the four quarterfinal matchups, which begin at noon on ESPN.
Game 4: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Michigan (Noon, ESPN2)
Ohio State leads the Big Ten Tournament series vs. Michigan, 1-0
2007, Q, No. 1 Ohio State def. No. 8 Michigan, 72-62Game 5: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Illinois (Approx. 2:30 p.m. ESPN)
Wisconsin leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Illinois, 3-2
1998, Q, No. 2 Illinois def. No. 10 Wisconsin, 66-61Game 6: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 7 Northwestern (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)
2004, F, No. 2 Wisconsin def. No. 1 Illinois, 70-53
2005, F, No. 1 Illinois def. No. 3 Wisconsin, 54-43
2007, S, No. 2 Wisconsin def. No. 6 Illinois, 53-41
2008, F, No. 1 Wisconsin def. No. 10 Illinois, 61-48
This marks the first time Purdue and Northwestern have competed in Big Ten Tournament play since the event's inception in 1998.
Game 7: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Minnesota (Approx. 9 p.m., Big Ten Network)
Michigan State leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Minnesota, 1-0
2009, Q, No. 1 Michigan State def. No. 8 Minnesota, 64-56
Day One of the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament is in the books. Congratulations to Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota on advancing to quarterfinal action.Action begins Friday with the top-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes taking on rival and the No. 8 seed Michigan Wolverines at noon on ESPN.
As we are bringing a close to first-round action here at the Big Ten Tournament, others are preparing for a big day tomorrow -- one that many hope will produce a great employment opportunity.
The Big Ten Conference Career Expo pairs the talents of Big Ten students and alumni with the staffing needs of elite and industry-leading employers. The Career Expo takes place tomorrow, March 12, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Union Station. Registration is free for current Big Ten students and alumni and both full-time jobs and internships will be available.
There will be two breakout sessions during the event, each featuring panelists from top companies in highlighted fields. The first session, running from 10-11:30 a.m., is entitled Careers in Life Sciences. The second session runs from 12:30-2 p.m. and is called Careers in Broadcasting, Media, Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing.
To register and see a list of participating employers, visit www.bigtencareerexpo.com.
The Big Ten Conference Career Expo pairs the talents of Big Ten students and alumni with the staffing needs of elite and industry-leading employers. The Career Expo takes place tomorrow, March 12, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Union Station. Registration is free for current Big Ten students and alumni and both full-time jobs and internships will be available.
There will be two breakout sessions during the event, each featuring panelists from top companies in highlighted fields. The first session, running from 10-11:30 a.m., is entitled Careers in Life Sciences. The second session runs from 12:30-2 p.m. and is called Careers in Broadcasting, Media, Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing.To register and see a list of participating employers, visit www.bigtencareerexpo.com.
During the first half of tonight's final first-round matchup between Minnesota and Penn State, BigTen.org hit the Conseco Fieldhouse concourse to check out the Big Ten Network ICONS Fan Zone.
Fans have the opportunity to shoot some hoops and toss the 'ol pigskin at the Fan Zone, which is flanked by real "bobbleheads" representing Big Ten legends. In this picture, Northwestern baseball legend Joe Girardi and Michigan hoops star Glen Rice are looking on.
More on the real-life and life-size bobbleheads later. They are a sight to see!
Fans have the opportunity to shoot some hoops and toss the 'ol pigskin at the Fan Zone, which is flanked by real "bobbleheads" representing Big Ten legends. In this picture, Northwestern baseball legend Joe Girardi and Michigan hoops star Glen Rice are looking on.More on the real-life and life-size bobbleheads later. They are a sight to see!
Northwestern became the second team to advance with the benefit of its 73-58 win over Indiana on Thursday. The Wildcats will face the No. 2 seed Purdue tomorrow night.
The final first round game is coming up on the Big Ten Network at 7:30 ET and will feature No. 6 Minnesota and No. 11 Penn State.
The final first round game is coming up on the Big Ten Network at 7:30 ET and will feature No. 6 Minnesota and No. 11 Penn State.
Pardon the reference to the classic Five Man Electrical Band/Tesla "smash hit" Signs, but the title holds true in Indianapolis this week as the popular Big Ten University street signs adorn most of the city blocks centered around Conseco Fieldhouse.
It has become quite popular for fans to tour the downtown in search of their particular school's sign or make the journey to find all 11 schools.
BigTen.org has found all 11 throughout the town and can be found below:
It has become quite popular for fans to tour the downtown in search of their particular school's sign or make the journey to find all 11 schools.
BigTen.org has found all 11 throughout the town and can be found below:
Nearing the end of the Indiana/Northwestern game, BigTen.org spotted a certain Hoosier fan that carries a bit of weight here in the state of Indiana.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R) is in attendance with colleagues tonight.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the Cream and Crimson are on their way to being defeated tonight. Inside a minute to play, Northwestern holds a 71-56 advantage.
Had Indiana won this evening, the Hoosiers would have faced Purdue in Friday's quarterfinal matchup.
Perhaps the loss saves the Governor from worrying about which hat to wear on Friday.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R) is in attendance with colleagues tonight.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the Cream and Crimson are on their way to being defeated tonight. Inside a minute to play, Northwestern holds a 71-56 advantage.
Had Indiana won this evening, the Hoosiers would have faced Purdue in Friday's quarterfinal matchup.
Perhaps the loss saves the Governor from worrying about which hat to wear on Friday.
Michigan defeated Iowa, 59-52, to win the first game of the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament and advance to a meeting with top seed Ohio State tomorrow afternoon.
Next up is No. 7 Northwestern vs. No. 10 Indiana.
Next up is No. 7 Northwestern vs. No. 10 Indiana.
Welcome to the 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament!
The gates are open at Conseco Fieldhouse and we are nearing tip-off of the tournament's opening game.
Each of today's three contests have intriguing storylines.
Michigan owns a 3-0 advantage over Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament and the 2010 contest marks the third straight season the two teams have battled each other in the first round.
Indiana and Northwestern have never met in Big Ten Tournament play, but this will mark the second straight game the two teams have faced one another. In the teams' final regular season games, Indiana outlasted Northwestern in Bloomington with an 88-80 overtime win.
In the nightcap, Minnesota and Penn State will meet for the second time in Big Ten Tournament history, the first of which came eight years ago when the two teams were the exact same seeds they are in the 2010 event.
Here is a quick look inside the three contests today:
Game 1: No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Iowa - 2:30 p.m. ET
Michigan leads the Big Ten Tournament series vs. Iowa, 3-0
This will be the first meeting between Northwestern and Indiana since the Big Ten Tournament's inception in 1998.
Game 3: No. 6 Minnesota vs. No. 11 Penn State - Approx. 7:20 p.m. ET
Minnesota leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Penn State, 1-0
The gates are open at Conseco Fieldhouse and we are nearing tip-off of the tournament's opening game.
Each of today's three contests have intriguing storylines.
Michigan owns a 3-0 advantage over Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament and the 2010 contest marks the third straight season the two teams have battled each other in the first round.
Indiana and Northwestern have never met in Big Ten Tournament play, but this will mark the second straight game the two teams have faced one another. In the teams' final regular season games, Indiana outlasted Northwestern in Bloomington with an 88-80 overtime win.
In the nightcap, Minnesota and Penn State will meet for the second time in Big Ten Tournament history, the first of which came eight years ago when the two teams were the exact same seeds they are in the 2010 event.
Here is a quick look inside the three contests today:
Game 1: No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Iowa - 2:30 p.m. ET
Michigan leads the Big Ten Tournament series vs. Iowa, 3-0
2004, Q, No. 5 Michigan def. No. 4 Iowa, 79-70Game 2: No. 7 Northwestern vs. No. 10 Indiana - Approx. 4:55 p.m. ET
2008, 1st, No. 9 Michigan def. No. 8 Iowa, 55-47
2009, 1st, No. 7 Michigan def. No. 10 Iowa, 73-45
This will be the first meeting between Northwestern and Indiana since the Big Ten Tournament's inception in 1998.
Game 3: No. 6 Minnesota vs. No. 11 Penn State - Approx. 7:20 p.m. ET
Minnesota leads Big Ten Tournament series vs. Penn State, 1-0
2002, 1st, No. 6 Minnesota def. No. 11 Penn State, 84-60
Below are the televising networks and live stats links for each of the first round games:
- Michigan vs. Iowa, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2: Gametracker
- Northwestern vs. Indiana, approx. 5:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2:Gametracker
- Minnesota vs. Penn State, 7:30 p.m. ET, BTN: Gametracker
With both the Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments here in Indianapolis, the Big Ten Conference, the Big Ten Network, and the Indiana Sports Corporation have a unique opportunity to tie-in the postseason competition with several other events in Indianapolis.Last week at the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament, spectators at Saturday's semifinals were encouraged to donate money into "Big Ten Thinks Pink" buckets to help find a cure for cancer.
This week, Big Ten fans can participate in the Big Ten Conference Career Expo on Friday and in the Big Ten Hoops Day 5K on Sunday morning.
BigTen.org will have more on those two events throughout the week.
The 2010 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament is set to get begin on Thursday with No. 8 Michigan (14-16, 7-11) taking on No. 9 Iowa (10-21, 4-14) at
2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The second game of the tournament will feature No. 7 Northwestern (19-12, 7-11) against No. 10 Indiana (10-20, 4-14) on ESPN2.
The final game on Thursday will include No. 6 Minnesota (18-12, 9-9) and No. 11 Penn State (11-19, 3-15), with the Big Ten Network providing live coverage.
Make sure you are in attendance for the 13th annual event.
Tickets are available through the Conseco Fieldhouse box office and Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.
All-session tickets are available for $220 (sideline balcony) and $165 (corner and end zone balcony). Single-session prices are as follows:
Session 1 (Thurs., 3/11): $30-$40
Session 2 (Fri., 3/12): $40-$55
Session 3 (Fri., 3/12): $40-$55
Session 4 (Sat., 3/13): $45-$60
Session 5 (Sun., 3/14): $45-$60
The second game of the tournament will feature No. 7 Northwestern (19-12, 7-11) against No. 10 Indiana (10-20, 4-14) on ESPN2.
The final game on Thursday will include No. 6 Minnesota (18-12, 9-9) and No. 11 Penn State (11-19, 3-15), with the Big Ten Network providing live coverage.
Make sure you are in attendance for the 13th annual event.
Tickets are available through the Conseco Fieldhouse box office and Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.
All-session tickets are available for $220 (sideline balcony) and $165 (corner and end zone balcony). Single-session prices are as follows:
Session 1 (Thurs., 3/11): $30-$40
Session 2 (Fri., 3/12): $40-$55
Session 3 (Fri., 3/12): $40-$55
Session 4 (Sat., 3/13): $45-$60
Session 5 (Sun., 3/14): $45-$60
It's a beautiful Wednesday in Indianapolis so BigTen.org opted for lunch outside Conseco Fieldhouse today!
BigTen.org enjoyed some BBQ and the infamous stuffed breadsticks at Kilroy's, located one block west of Conseco Fieldhouse, site of this week's Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament.
Each year 11 establishments are paired with the 11 conference schools to create a home away from home for fans.
Kilroy's, a Hoosier tradition, will be home to Indiana University fans this week.
The Big Ten University Restaurant Pairings locations are the place to be before, during and after your favorite team's tournament games.
All pairings are located just blocks from Conseco Fieldhouse.
The host establishments with their Big Ten university partner are listed below.
Illinois - The Ram (140 S. Illinois; 317.955.9900)
Indiana - Kilroy's Bar & Grill (201 S. Meridian St.; 317.638.9464)
Iowa - Claddagh Irish Pub (234 S. Meridian St.; 317.822.6274)
Michigan - O'Reilly's Irish Bar and Restaurant (36 S. Pennsylvania; 317.974.0674)
Michigan State - Slippery Noodle (372 S. Meridian St.; 317.631.6974)
Minnesota - Alcatraz Brewing Co. (49 W. Maryland St.; Circle Centre Mall; 317.488.1230)
Northwestern - Buffalo Wings & Rings (111 W. Maryland St.; 317.822.8400)
Ohio State - Champps (49 W. Maryland St.; Circle Centre Mall; 317.951.0033)
Penn State - Harry & Izzy's (153 S. Illinois; 317.635.9594)
Purdue - Scotty's Brewhouse (1 Virginia Ave.; 317.571.0808)
Wisconsin - Buffalo Wild Wings (7 E. Washington; 317.951.9464)
BigTen.org enjoyed some BBQ and the infamous stuffed breadsticks at Kilroy's, located one block west of Conseco Fieldhouse, site of this week's Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament.
Each year 11 establishments are paired with the 11 conference schools to create a home away from home for fans.
Kilroy's, a Hoosier tradition, will be home to Indiana University fans this week.
The Big Ten University Restaurant Pairings locations are the place to be before, during and after your favorite team's tournament games.
All pairings are located just blocks from Conseco Fieldhouse.
The host establishments with their Big Ten university partner are listed below.
Illinois - The Ram (140 S. Illinois; 317.955.9900)
Indiana - Kilroy's Bar & Grill (201 S. Meridian St.; 317.638.9464)
Iowa - Claddagh Irish Pub (234 S. Meridian St.; 317.822.6274)
Michigan - O'Reilly's Irish Bar and Restaurant (36 S. Pennsylvania; 317.974.0674)
Michigan State - Slippery Noodle (372 S. Meridian St.; 317.631.6974)
Minnesota - Alcatraz Brewing Co. (49 W. Maryland St.; Circle Centre Mall; 317.488.1230)
Northwestern - Buffalo Wings & Rings (111 W. Maryland St.; 317.822.8400)
Ohio State - Champps (49 W. Maryland St.; Circle Centre Mall; 317.951.0033)
Penn State - Harry & Izzy's (153 S. Illinois; 317.635.9594)
Purdue - Scotty's Brewhouse (1 Virginia Ave.; 317.571.0808)
Wisconsin - Buffalo Wild Wings (7 E. Washington; 317.951.9464)
Some Big Ten Basketball fans might think that preparing for the Men's Basketball Tournament this week is simple.
I mean, the Women's Basketball Tournament took place just days ago in the same building, right? It's essentially the same setup, right?
While that is the case, the Indiana Pacers returned home to Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday for one home game in between lengthy road trips.
That meant the Conseco Fieldhouse staff was forced to remove all Big Ten signage from the building and put everything back in place for the Pacers' setup. Following a 107-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night, that very same staff removed the Pacers' setup and returned Conseco Fieldhouse back to its Big Ten flavor.
The floor, the banners, press row... everything.
And you thought this building was just sitting empty and all set up since Sunday's Women's Tournament final....
I mean, the Women's Basketball Tournament took place just days ago in the same building, right? It's essentially the same setup, right?
While that is the case, the Indiana Pacers returned home to Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday for one home game in between lengthy road trips.
That meant the Conseco Fieldhouse staff was forced to remove all Big Ten signage from the building and put everything back in place for the Pacers' setup. Following a 107-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night, that very same staff removed the Pacers' setup and returned Conseco Fieldhouse back to its Big Ten flavor.
The floor, the banners, press row... everything.
And you thought this building was just sitting empty and all set up since Sunday's Women's Tournament final....
What a great way to start off Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament week. Check out this awesome highlight package from the Big Ten Network. It gets those juices flowin'!
The Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament has come and gone, which means now the focus is on the men.The official Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament bracket has been released and like the women, the Ohio State Buckeyes have claimed the No. 1 seed. Here's the question though... Will the Ohio State men find the same success in Indianapolis???
Click here to view the bracket release and be sure to stay tuned to BigTen.org this week for the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Blog!
INDIANA at #7/6 PURDUE | 6:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
IU Game Notes | PUR Game Notes
Purdue will entertain archrival Indiana on Wednesday in what is also Senior Night at Mackey Arena. A win over IU on Wednesday will give Purdue its first two-game regular-season sweep of the Hoosiers since 1996-97 and also make the Class of 2010 the winningest in program history.
After Ohio State clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title on Tuesday, the Boilermakers will be vying for a piece of the crown along with Michigan State. Purdue is among the five conference teams to have clinched a bye into the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Both teams are coming off losses, with Iowa dropping a 73-57 contest at Iowa while the Boilers suffered a 53-44 decision to Michigan State on Sunday.
Series History: Purdue leads, 109-84
IOWA at #15/17 WISCONSIN | 8:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
IOWA Game Notes | UW Game Notes
Wisconsin will look to close out its home slate when it plays host to Iowa from inside the Kohl Center on Wednesday night for the team's only regular-season meeting. Tipoff is schedules for 8:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
The Badgers have already clinched a first-round bye in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament, but will by vying for a No. 3 seed in the postseason event. UW's senior duo of Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes will take its final curtain call at the Kohl Center as the Badger faithful honor their veteran leaders on senior night. With a win, the Badgers would tie the all-time series against the Hawkeyes at 75-all.
Iowa is coming off a 73-57 victorty over Indiana in its final home game of the regular season on Sunday. The Hawkeyes led start-to-finish as sophomore Matt Gatens poured in a game and career-high 25 points to lead his squad in the win.
Series History: Iowa leads, 76-75
Chicago State at NORTHWESTERN | 8 p.m. | BigTenNetwork.com
NU Game Notes | Chicago State Game Notes
Northwestern plays its final home game of the 2009-10 regular season Wednesday as it takes on nonconference foe Chicago State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Welsh-Ryan Arena. BigTenNetwork.com is video streaming the contest.
Jeremy Nash and Matt Steger will be honored in pregame ceremonies on Senior Night. The duo enters the contest one win shy of tying the 2005 class for the school record for most career wins (57). NU has already established a mark for most victories in consecutive campaigns with 35 and a win Wednesday would establish a new single-season record (19).
Series History: Northwestern leads, 8-0
PENN STATE def. NORTHWESTERN, 79-60
Talor Battle had 16 points and six assists and hot-shooting Penn State easily exploited Northwestern's defense in a 79-60 win on Sunday.
Jeff Brooks added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Nittany Lions (11-17, 3-13 Big Ten), who shot 57 percent to secure its fourth straight win over the Wildcats.
Michael Thompson had 21 points for Northwestern (18-11, 7-10). Their already faint hopes for a bid to the NCAA tournament were all but extinguished after a second loss this season to the conference's last-place team.
Only three-point shooting went Northwestern's way during an otherwise terrible afternoon. They opened 7 of 11 from long range to stay within 27-24 with 7:45 in the first half.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#14/14 MICHIGAN STATE def. #3/3 PURDUE, 53-44
One game into Purdue's season without Robbie Hummel, things already have changed significantly for the worse.
The junior forward tore the ACL in his right knee earlier in the week and will miss the rest of the season. Without its No. 2 scorer and rebounder, third-ranked Purdue produced its lowest point total of the season in a 53-44 loss to No. 14 Michigan State on Sunday.
The loss snapped the Boilermakers' 10-game winning streak, and came while their other two stars -- E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson -- combined to go 7 for 27 from the field.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
IOWA def. INDIANA, 73-57
Matt Gatens scored a career-high 25 points and Iowa beat reeling Indiana 73-57 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Aaron Fuller added 17 points for the Hawkeyes (10-19, 4-12 Big Ten), who never trailed in closing out their home schedule with a .500 record.
Iowa jumped out to an early 17-4 lead and was in control most of the rest of the way. The Hoosiers (9-19, 3-13) briefly cut the deficit to five early in the second half before a cold-shooting stretch doomed them to their 10th straight loss.
Verdell Jones III had 22 points for Indiana, which committed 20 turnovers and was outscored in the paint 26-18.
The Hawkeyes and Hoosiers, both in the midst of major rebuilding projects, came in having lost 16 of their last 17 games combined. The only win over that stretch was when Iowa beat Northwestern 78-65 on Feb. 10.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Talor Battle had 16 points and six assists and hot-shooting Penn State easily exploited Northwestern's defense in a 79-60 win on Sunday.
Jeff Brooks added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Nittany Lions (11-17, 3-13 Big Ten), who shot 57 percent to secure its fourth straight win over the Wildcats.
Michael Thompson had 21 points for Northwestern (18-11, 7-10). Their already faint hopes for a bid to the NCAA tournament were all but extinguished after a second loss this season to the conference's last-place team.
Only three-point shooting went Northwestern's way during an otherwise terrible afternoon. They opened 7 of 11 from long range to stay within 27-24 with 7:45 in the first half.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#14/14 MICHIGAN STATE def. #3/3 PURDUE, 53-44
One game into Purdue's season without Robbie Hummel, things already have changed significantly for the worse.
The junior forward tore the ACL in his right knee earlier in the week and will miss the rest of the season. Without its No. 2 scorer and rebounder, third-ranked Purdue produced its lowest point total of the season in a 53-44 loss to No. 14 Michigan State on Sunday.
The loss snapped the Boilermakers' 10-game winning streak, and came while their other two stars -- E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson -- combined to go 7 for 27 from the field.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
IOWA def. INDIANA, 73-57
Matt Gatens scored a career-high 25 points and Iowa beat reeling Indiana 73-57 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Aaron Fuller added 17 points for the Hawkeyes (10-19, 4-12 Big Ten), who never trailed in closing out their home schedule with a .500 record.
Iowa jumped out to an early 17-4 lead and was in control most of the rest of the way. The Hoosiers (9-19, 3-13) briefly cut the deficit to five early in the second half before a cold-shooting stretch doomed them to their 10th straight loss.
Verdell Jones III had 22 points for Indiana, which committed 20 turnovers and was outscored in the paint 26-18.
The Hawkeyes and Hoosiers, both in the midst of major rebuilding projects, came in having lost 16 of their last 17 games combined. The only win over that stretch was when Iowa beat Northwestern 78-65 on Feb. 10.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
NORTHWESTERN at PENN STATE | Noon | Big Ten Network
NU Game Notes | PSU Game Notes
NU (18-10, 7-9 Big Ten) established a school record for regular-season victories in a convincing 74-57 home victory over Iowa Thursday night. An early 23-5 run gave Northwestern a 31-11 lead and they never looked back. John Shurna made 7 of 8 first-half field goal attempts en route to scoring 18 of his game-high 29 points before the break. The Wildcats led by as many as 25 in the contest and shot a season-best 58.3 percent from the field.
Penn State (10-17, 2-13 Big Ten) is coming off a 75-67 home loss to ninth-ranked Ohio State Wednesday. Talor Battle led the Nittany Lions with 22 points. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for PSU.Battle ranks second in the Big Ten with an average of 19.1 points per game and leads the team with 5.5 rebounds per contest. David Jackson contributes 9.7 points and 4.6 boards per game.
Series History: Penn State leads, 23-12
#14/14 MICHIGAN STATE at #3/3 PURDUE | 4 p.m. | CBS Sports
MSU Game Notes | PUR Game Notes
With a one-game lead in the win column, the Purdue Boilermakers look to remain atop the Big Ten leaderboard when they host Michigan State. The Spartans enter the game looking to avenge an earlier loss to the Boilers this season and to move into title contention.
A win over the Spartans would make this year's Purdue squad the first in program history to defeat six ranked teams in a season. Purdue is 11-3 on the year against teams currently ranked in the top 100 of the NCAA RPI. The Boilermakers have won five-straight home games heading into Sunday's action. Purdue opponents are shooting just 39.1 percent from the floor in the Boiler's last eight games, and just 39.5 percent from the field at Mackey Arena this season. A Spartan victory would put MSU back into a tie for first place entering the final week of the regular season. Michigan State has been successful on the road this season, winning seven games on an opponent's home court, including six in conference play, ranking the Spartans tied with Purdue and Ohio State for most in the conference.
Series History: Purdue leads, 63-44
INDIANA at IOWA | 6 p.m. | Big Ten Network
IND Game Notes | IOWA Game Notes
The Iowa Hawkeyes (9-19, 3-12) return to Iowa City for its final home game of the season Sunday when they welcome the Indiana Hoosiers (9-18, 3-12). Iowa and Indiana are tied for ninth in the Big Ten standings and both are looking to snap losing skids. The Hoosiers enter the game losers of their last nine, while the Hawkeyes have lost three straight.
Series History: Indiana leads, 94-70
#9/9 OHIO STATE def. MICHIGAN, 66-55
After helping No. 9 Ohio State to a 66-55 win over Michigan on Saturday, Evan Turner had some words of inspiration for his rooting interest in Sunday's huge Big Ten showdown.
"Try hard," Turner said to the Michigan State Spartans. "There are no losers."
Turner had 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and William Buford had 24 points as the Buckeyes (23-7, 13-4) took care of their business.
Now if the Spartans can just hold up their end of the bargain with a win at first-place Purdue, Ohio State could clinch a share of the conference title on Tuesday night at home in its final regular-season game against Illinois.
Ohio State coach Thad Matta declined to offer any further encouragement to the Spartans.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
MINNESOTA def. ILLINOIS, 62-60
Devoe Joseph scored 16 points and Minnesota helped its NCAA tournament chances while dealing a blow to Illinois' hopes with a 62-60 road victory on Saturday.
The Golden Gophers (17-11, 8-8 Big Ten) led by 19 with 7:11 to play and looked to be cruising to the victory, but the Illini (18-11, 10-6) rallied to cut the deficit to one in the final 80 seconds.
D.J. Richardson's shot to tie the game at the buzzer was short.
Each team had just two points 6:20 into the game. Minnesota led 24-14 at halftime. At one point, Illinois endured a 4:45 scoring drought while the Gophers scored seven points.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
After helping No. 9 Ohio State to a 66-55 win over Michigan on Saturday, Evan Turner had some words of inspiration for his rooting interest in Sunday's huge Big Ten showdown.
"Try hard," Turner said to the Michigan State Spartans. "There are no losers."
Turner had 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and William Buford had 24 points as the Buckeyes (23-7, 13-4) took care of their business.
Now if the Spartans can just hold up their end of the bargain with a win at first-place Purdue, Ohio State could clinch a share of the conference title on Tuesday night at home in its final regular-season game against Illinois.
Ohio State coach Thad Matta declined to offer any further encouragement to the Spartans.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
MINNESOTA def. ILLINOIS, 62-60
Devoe Joseph scored 16 points and Minnesota helped its NCAA tournament chances while dealing a blow to Illinois' hopes with a 62-60 road victory on Saturday.
The Golden Gophers (17-11, 8-8 Big Ten) led by 19 with 7:11 to play and looked to be cruising to the victory, but the Illini (18-11, 10-6) rallied to cut the deficit to one in the final 80 seconds.
D.J. Richardson's shot to tie the game at the buzzer was short.
Each team had just two points 6:20 into the game. Minnesota led 24-14 at halftime. At one point, Illinois endured a 4:45 scoring drought while the Gophers scored seven points.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
MICHIGAN at #9/9 OHIO STATE | Noon ET | ESPN
U-M Game Notes | OSU Game Notes
Ohio State will have redemption on its mind when it welcomes Michigan to Value City Arena for a Big Ten re-match on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes, 74-64, at Crisler Arena early in the season, marking just the second U-M win over OSU in the last 11 meetings between the two rivals. This time however, Evan Turner is back and will look to lead the Buckeyes to victory as Ohio State aims to continue its climb up the Big Ten leaderboard.
Tipoff is slated for Noon ET on ESPN. Dave O'Brien will call the action alongside Steve Lavin.
Series History: Ohio State leads, 85-71
MINNESOTA at ILLINOIS | 4 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
MINN Game Notes | ILL Game Notes
Minnesota goes on the road to meet Illinois in Champaign on Saturday afternoon. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network with Tom Hamilton and Jim Jackson on the call.
With a win over the Gophers, Illinois would clinch a top-five seed and first-round bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. Illinois would also secure its 11th Big Ten win, the fifth time in Bruce Weber's seven seasons that the Illini would reach at least 11 wins in conference play.
Series History: Illinois leads 114-61
NORTHWESTERN def. IOWA, 74-57
John Shurna scored 18 of his 29 points in the first half to lead Northwestern to an easy 74-57 victory over Iowa on Thursday night.
After suffering a 78-65 loss at Iowa on Feb. 10, Northwestern (18-10, 7-9 Big Ten) took a big lead in the opening minutes with a number of easy backdoor layups, then Shurna followed with a barrage of 3-pointers.
Shurna, who entered the night fourth in scoring in the Big Ten, gave the Wildcats a 23-9 lead with back-to-back 3s and Luka Mirkovic extended the lead to 31-11 on a rebound basket.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#17/19 WISCONSIN def. INDIANA, 78-46
It took Wisconsin guard Trevon Hughes 12 minutes to get going Thursday night against Indiana.
Once he did, the Badgers (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) turned a close game into a blowout.
Hughes scored 17 points and Wisconsin rolled to a 78-46 victory over the Hoosiers, who kept it close early, but the Big Ten's best defense was too much for them in their ninth straight loss.
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said Hughes sparked the Badgers (21-7, 11-5 Big Ten) when they needed it. But he did it, Ryan said, by playing within himself and the team's offense.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
John Shurna scored 18 of his 29 points in the first half to lead Northwestern to an easy 74-57 victory over Iowa on Thursday night.
After suffering a 78-65 loss at Iowa on Feb. 10, Northwestern (18-10, 7-9 Big Ten) took a big lead in the opening minutes with a number of easy backdoor layups, then Shurna followed with a barrage of 3-pointers.
Shurna, who entered the night fourth in scoring in the Big Ten, gave the Wildcats a 23-9 lead with back-to-back 3s and Luka Mirkovic extended the lead to 31-11 on a rebound basket.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#17/19 WISCONSIN def. INDIANA, 78-46
It took Wisconsin guard Trevon Hughes 12 minutes to get going Thursday night against Indiana.
Once he did, the Badgers (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) turned a close game into a blowout.
Hughes scored 17 points and Wisconsin rolled to a 78-46 victory over the Hoosiers, who kept it close early, but the Big Ten's best defense was too much for them in their ninth straight loss.
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said Hughes sparked the Badgers (21-7, 11-5 Big Ten) when they needed it. But he did it, Ryan said, by playing within himself and the team's offense.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
IOWA at NORTHWESTERN | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
IOWA Game Notes | NU Game Notes
Northwestern plays its final Big Ten home game of the season Thursday as it welcomes Iowa to Welsh-Ryan Arena. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. with ESPN providing live television coverage. It is the second straight season that the Wildcats have hosted the Hawkeyes in their conference home finale.
In the first meeting between the two teams, Iowa jumped out to a 10-2 lead and never trailed in defeating Northwestern 78-65 Feb. 10 in Iowa City.
Series History: Iowa leads, 108-52
#17/19 WISCONSIN at INDIANA | 9 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
WIS GAME NOTES | IND Game Notes
Indiana is in its 110th season of college basketball and welcomes No. 19 Wisconsin on Thursday night. This is the second meeting meeting between the two teams this year, with the Badgers earning an 83-55 victory in Madison on February 13. IU is coming off an 81-58 loss at Minnesota. Wisconsin defeated Northwestern, 70-63, on Sunday afternoon.
Series History: Indiana Leads, 94-62
#9/9 OHIO STATE def. PENN STATE, 75-67
Cold-shooting starts don't faze Evan Turner.
The Ohio State star can rebound and find teammates for shots when his own shot isn't falling. And, then, when his team is in a bind, Turner comes through in the clutch.
It happened again Wednesday night in the ninth-ranked Buckeyes' 75-67 win over Penn State. Turner overcame shooting 1 for 7 in the first half, and scored eight straight points for the Buckeyes after the Nittany Lions had cut a 17-point lead to two with 5:15 left.
By the time Turner's mini-run was done, it was 67-59 with two minutes left.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#3/3 PURDUE def. MINNESOTA, 59-58
Robbie Hummel glumly watched Purdue play without him in the second half, his palm barely keeping his chin up with crutches beside him on the bench.Keaton Grant and the rest of the Boilermakers gave their hurting star a finish to smile about, their No. 3 national ranking a bit shaky but first place in the Big Ten still in hand. Grant's jumper with 7.7 seconds left lifted Purdue past Minnesota 59-58 on Wednesday night, helping the Boilermakers survive Hummel's first-half knee injury and a scoreless stretch of more than 10 minutes that bridged the intermission.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Cold-shooting starts don't faze Evan Turner.
The Ohio State star can rebound and find teammates for shots when his own shot isn't falling. And, then, when his team is in a bind, Turner comes through in the clutch.
It happened again Wednesday night in the ninth-ranked Buckeyes' 75-67 win over Penn State. Turner overcame shooting 1 for 7 in the first half, and scored eight straight points for the Buckeyes after the Nittany Lions had cut a 17-point lead to two with 5:15 left.
By the time Turner's mini-run was done, it was 67-59 with two minutes left.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#3/3 PURDUE def. MINNESOTA, 59-58
Robbie Hummel glumly watched Purdue play without him in the second half, his palm barely keeping his chin up with crutches beside him on the bench.Keaton Grant and the rest of the Boilermakers gave their hurting star a finish to smile about, their No. 3 national ranking a bit shaky but first place in the Big Ten still in hand. Grant's jumper with 7.7 seconds left lifted Purdue past Minnesota 59-58 on Wednesday night, helping the Boilermakers survive Hummel's first-half knee injury and a scoreless stretch of more than 10 minutes that bridged the intermission.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
The Big Ten Conference saw three of its own named among the 30 midseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Wednesday, including Michigan State's Kalin Lucas, Purdue's Robbie Hummel and Ohio State's Evan Turner.
One of the most prestigious awards in college basketball, the Naismith Trophy is presented annually to the national player of the year. Finalists for the trophy will be announced on CBS during first-round action of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, and the award will be bestowed upon its winner at the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis.
Mark your calendars for March 22, to begin casting your votes for the player of your choice. Fans will be eligible to cast their votes until 11:50 p.m. ET on April 3.
Penn State and Minnesota will return to Super Wednesdays for the second consecutive week as each team plays host to a pair of top-10 foes in No. 9 Ohio State and No. 3 Purdue, respectively. The Nittany Lions (2-12) will clash with the Buckeyes (11-4) in the early game, followed by a re-match between the Boilermakers (11-3) and the Gophers (7-7), both slated to be televised on the Big Ten Network.
OSU moved into a tie for second place in the conference standings with a win over Michigan State last week and currently sits a half-game behind the Boilermakers, who are riding on a nine-game winning streak in conference play. With a win in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Purdue would earn its second double-figure Big Ten win streak in the last three campaigns, having won 11 consecutive during 2008. But first, the Boilermakers will have to get by a Gopher squad that has posted two straight wins for the first time since December 2009. Penn State will also look to continue its winning ways after earning its first pair of conference victories last week.
#9/9 OHIO STATE at PENN STATE | 6:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
OSU Game Notes | PSU Game Notes
Series History: Ohio State leads, 26-13
#3/3 PURDUE at MINNESTOA | 8:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
PUR Game Notes | MINN Game Notes
Series History: Purdue leads , 94-78
ILLINOIS def. MICHIGAN, 51-44
Demetri McCamey scored 14 points and Mike Davis added 13 points and 12 rebounds as Illinois beat Michigan 51-44 Tuesday night.
The Fighting Illini (18-10, 10-5 Big Ten) were coming off a 2-2 stretch in which they had played four straight Top 20 teams, and had an easier time with the struggling Wolverines.
Michigan (13-14, 6-9) got 15 points from Manny Harris, but still fell back below .500 a season after ending an 11-year NCAA tournament drought.
Illinois led 26-18 at the half, holding Michigan to 20 percent shooting, but went into an offensive slump of its own at the start of the second half. The Fighting Illini missed their first nine shots of the half, allowing Michigan to take a 27-26 lead with 15 minutes to play.
Illinois, though, responded with a 15-6 run and held on to win.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Demetri McCamey scored 14 points and Mike Davis added 13 points and 12 rebounds as Illinois beat Michigan 51-44 Tuesday night.
The Fighting Illini (18-10, 10-5 Big Ten) were coming off a 2-2 stretch in which they had played four straight Top 20 teams, and had an easier time with the struggling Wolverines.
Michigan (13-14, 6-9) got 15 points from Manny Harris, but still fell back below .500 a season after ending an 11-year NCAA tournament drought.
Illinois led 26-18 at the half, holding Michigan to 20 percent shooting, but went into an offensive slump of its own at the start of the second half. The Fighting Illini missed their first nine shots of the half, allowing Michigan to take a 27-26 lead with 15 minutes to play.
Illinois, though, responded with a 15-6 run and held on to win.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
ILLINOIS at MICHIGAN | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
ILL Game Notes | U-M Game Notes
Conference play continues to heat up this week as Big Ten teams prepare to head down the final stretch of February. The week begins when Illinois (9-5) travels to Ann Arbor to tangle with Michigan (6-8) in Tuesday's lone conference matchup. The game will be televised as part of ESPN's Super Tuesday doubleheader with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Brent Musburger will call the action alongside Steve Lavin as color analyst.
Both Illinois and Michigan will look to bounce back after suffering hard-fought losses last week in conference action. Tuesday's contest will mark the first meeting since the two teams clashed at last year's Big Ten Tournament, with the Illini proving victorious in a 60-50 decision.
Illinois leads the overall series, 83-71, but the Wolverines own a 47-28 advantage in Ann Arbor.
Series Record: Illinois leads 83-71
#9/12 OHIO STATE def. #11/11 MICHIGAN STATE, 74-67
Evan Turner scored 20 points and Ohio State (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 AP) earned a 74-67 win over No. 11 Michigan State on Sunday.
William Buford had 17 points for the Buckeyes (21-7, 11-4 Big Ten), who pulled into a second-place tie with Michigan State in the conference.
Both teams trail Purdue by a half-game in the conference standings.
Durrell Summers scored 16 points for Michigan State (21-7, 11-4), which trailed by 14 points early in the second half. Summers scored seven straight points, including a dunk and a three-pointer, to give Michigan State a 62-61 lead with 4:05 remaining.
Buford hit two free throws to put the Buckeyes back on top 63-62. Turner's jumper gave Ohio State a 65-62 lead with 2:55 left.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#14/16 WISCONSIN def. NORTHWESTERN, 70-63
Jon Leuer's blocked shot with 11 seconds remaining helped No. 14 Wisconsin escape with a 70-63 victory over Northwestern on Sunday.
With Wisconsin leading by three, Leuer went high in the air to block a layup attempt by Northwestern's Michael Thompson -- making up for some shaky free throw shooting down the stretch in his second game back from a broken wrist.
Jason Bohannon scored 17 points to lead the Badgers (20-7, 10-5 Big Ten), who were coming off a loss at Minnesota and had lost two of their last three games coming into Sunday.
John Shurna scored 26 for the Wildcats (17-10, 6-9), who narrowly missed a chance at an impressive road win and have lost three of their last four.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Evan Turner scored 20 points and Ohio State (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 AP) earned a 74-67 win over No. 11 Michigan State on Sunday.
William Buford had 17 points for the Buckeyes (21-7, 11-4 Big Ten), who pulled into a second-place tie with Michigan State in the conference.
Both teams trail Purdue by a half-game in the conference standings.
Durrell Summers scored 16 points for Michigan State (21-7, 11-4), which trailed by 14 points early in the second half. Summers scored seven straight points, including a dunk and a three-pointer, to give Michigan State a 62-61 lead with 4:05 remaining.
Buford hit two free throws to put the Buckeyes back on top 63-62. Turner's jumper gave Ohio State a 65-62 lead with 2:55 left.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#14/16 WISCONSIN def. NORTHWESTERN, 70-63
Jon Leuer's blocked shot with 11 seconds remaining helped No. 14 Wisconsin escape with a 70-63 victory over Northwestern on Sunday.
With Wisconsin leading by three, Leuer went high in the air to block a layup attempt by Northwestern's Michael Thompson -- making up for some shaky free throw shooting down the stretch in his second game back from a broken wrist.
Jason Bohannon scored 17 points to lead the Badgers (20-7, 10-5 Big Ten), who were coming off a loss at Minnesota and had lost two of their last three games coming into Sunday.
John Shurna scored 26 for the Wildcats (17-10, 6-9), who narrowly missed a chance at an impressive road win and have lost three of their last four.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
#9/12 OHIO STATE at #11/11 MICHIGAN STATE | Noon | CBS Sports
OSU Game Notes | MSU Game Notes
Michigan State and Ohio State meet for the first and only time this season Sunday afternoon. The Spartans are tied with Purdue for first place in the Big Ten at 11-3 while the Buckeyes are one game back at 10-4. The two teams provide a contrast as OSU has four players averaging more than 32 minutes, while MSU has seven players at more than 21 minutes but no one above 31 mpg.
The Spartans (21-6, 11-3) are coming off a 72-58 win over Indiana on Tuesday.Draymond Green paced MSU during the outing, posting 14 points, while Kalin Lucas added 13 in the victory. Michigan State is led by four players averaging double figures in scoring. Lucas paces the group, averaging 15.7 per game. Raymar Morgan and Durrell Summers each add 10.3 points per outing and Green 10.1.
Ohio State (20-7, 10-4) fell to Purdue Wednesday night at home. Evan Turner scored 29 points in the 60-57 loss. Turner, who leads Ohio State in scoring, rebounding and assists, has recorded two triple-doubles this season; Turner leads the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding overall, and ranks second in assists. Jon Diebler has made 223 career three-pointers, and ranks second in the Big Ten in three-point field-goal percentage (.436) and leads in three-pointers per game (2.93). Dallas Lauderdale leads the Big Ten in blocked shots (2.42 bpg).
Series History: Michigan State leads, 63-51
NORTHWESTERN at #14/16 WISCONSIN | 2 p.m. | Big Ten Network
NU Game Notes | WIS Game Notes
NU (17-9, 6-8 Big Ten) is coming off an 81-70 home loss to Penn State on Wednesday. John Shurna and Michael Thompson led four Wildcats in double figures with 17 points apiece. Thompson became the 29th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points in the contest.
A victory over Wisconsin would be Northwestern's third over a ranked opponent this season, tying a school record held by the 1993-94 and 2008-09 squads. Earlier this season, the Wildcats defeated No. 23 Notre Dame 72-58 Nov. 27 and No. 6 Purdue 72-64 Jan. 16.
Sunday's contest features the top two players in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio. Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor is first at 3.36, while Thompson ranks second at 2.57.
Wisconsin (19-7, 9-5) is coming off a 68-52 loss at Minnesota Thursday evening. Trevon Hughes led the Badgers with 19 points, while Jason Bohannon added 18. Hughes leads Wisconsin with an average of 15.5 points per game. Jon Leuer, who returned to the lineup against Minnesota Thursday after missing nine games due to injury, contributes 14.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Series History: Wisconsin leads 108-61
OSU Game Notes | MSU Game Notes
Michigan State and Ohio State meet for the first and only time this season Sunday afternoon. The Spartans are tied with Purdue for first place in the Big Ten at 11-3 while the Buckeyes are one game back at 10-4. The two teams provide a contrast as OSU has four players averaging more than 32 minutes, while MSU has seven players at more than 21 minutes but no one above 31 mpg.
The Spartans (21-6, 11-3) are coming off a 72-58 win over Indiana on Tuesday.Draymond Green paced MSU during the outing, posting 14 points, while Kalin Lucas added 13 in the victory. Michigan State is led by four players averaging double figures in scoring. Lucas paces the group, averaging 15.7 per game. Raymar Morgan and Durrell Summers each add 10.3 points per outing and Green 10.1.
Ohio State (20-7, 10-4) fell to Purdue Wednesday night at home. Evan Turner scored 29 points in the 60-57 loss. Turner, who leads Ohio State in scoring, rebounding and assists, has recorded two triple-doubles this season; Turner leads the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding overall, and ranks second in assists. Jon Diebler has made 223 career three-pointers, and ranks second in the Big Ten in three-point field-goal percentage (.436) and leads in three-pointers per game (2.93). Dallas Lauderdale leads the Big Ten in blocked shots (2.42 bpg).
Series History: Michigan State leads, 63-51
NORTHWESTERN at #14/16 WISCONSIN | 2 p.m. | Big Ten Network
NU Game Notes | WIS Game Notes
NU (17-9, 6-8 Big Ten) is coming off an 81-70 home loss to Penn State on Wednesday. John Shurna and Michael Thompson led four Wildcats in double figures with 17 points apiece. Thompson became the 29th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points in the contest.
A victory over Wisconsin would be Northwestern's third over a ranked opponent this season, tying a school record held by the 1993-94 and 2008-09 squads. Earlier this season, the Wildcats defeated No. 23 Notre Dame 72-58 Nov. 27 and No. 6 Purdue 72-64 Jan. 16.
Sunday's contest features the top two players in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio. Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor is first at 3.36, while Thompson ranks second at 2.57.
Wisconsin (19-7, 9-5) is coming off a 68-52 loss at Minnesota Thursday evening. Trevon Hughes led the Badgers with 19 points, while Jason Bohannon added 18. Hughes leads Wisconsin with an average of 15.5 points per game. Jon Leuer, who returned to the lineup against Minnesota Thursday after missing nine games due to injury, contributes 14.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Series History: Wisconsin leads 108-61
#4/4 PURDUE def. ILLINOIS, 75-65
Robbie Hummel had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 4 Purdue finished strong to beat Illinois 75-65 on Saturday for its ninth straight win.
E'Twaun Moore added 18 points and Keaton Grant scored 13 of his season-high 15 points in the second half for the Boilermakers (23-3, 11-3 Big Ten). The win moved Purdue into a tie with No. 11 Michigan State for the conference lead.
Demetri McCamey of Illinois scored six points, and his 16 assists tied for the fourth-most in Big Ten history. Mike Davis had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks and Brandon Paul added 13 points for the Fighting Illini (17-10, 9-5).
Purdue closed the game on a 14-5 run to sweep the season series. The Boilermakers outscored the Fighting Illini 24-3 from the free-throw line.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
PENN STATE def. MICHIGAN, 55-51
Talor Battle scored 14 points and Andrew Jones added 10 Saturday to lead Penn State to a 55-51 upset victory over Michigan.
The Nittany Lions (10-16, 2-12 Big Ten) broke open a close game with a 7-0 run six minutes into the second half and held the lead the remainder of the way. Penn State, which had lost 12 straight Big Ten games before winning Wednesday at Northwestern, has won two consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 19-21.
Manny Harris had 20 points and DeShawn Sims 10 for the Wolverines (13-13, 6-8). The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Michigan, which has not won three straight games since the start of the season.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
MINNESOTA def. INDIANA, 81-58
Lawrence Westbrook bounced back from a bad game with 20 points, including four three-pointers, to lead Minnesota to an 81-58 victory over Indiana on Saturday night.
Damian Johnson was again the all-around spark for the Gophers (16-10, 7-7 Big Ten) with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. They have their first two-game winning streak in conference play since beating bottom-dwellers Penn State and Iowa to start the slate.
Building from an emotional win over No. 14 Wisconsin here two nights ago, the Gophers -- shooting for sixth place and a chance to sneak into the NCAA tournament -- led from start to finish.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
Robbie Hummel had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 4 Purdue finished strong to beat Illinois 75-65 on Saturday for its ninth straight win.
E'Twaun Moore added 18 points and Keaton Grant scored 13 of his season-high 15 points in the second half for the Boilermakers (23-3, 11-3 Big Ten). The win moved Purdue into a tie with No. 11 Michigan State for the conference lead.
Demetri McCamey of Illinois scored six points, and his 16 assists tied for the fourth-most in Big Ten history. Mike Davis had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks and Brandon Paul added 13 points for the Fighting Illini (17-10, 9-5).
Purdue closed the game on a 14-5 run to sweep the season series. The Boilermakers outscored the Fighting Illini 24-3 from the free-throw line.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
PENN STATE def. MICHIGAN, 55-51
Talor Battle scored 14 points and Andrew Jones added 10 Saturday to lead Penn State to a 55-51 upset victory over Michigan.
The Nittany Lions (10-16, 2-12 Big Ten) broke open a close game with a 7-0 run six minutes into the second half and held the lead the remainder of the way. Penn State, which had lost 12 straight Big Ten games before winning Wednesday at Northwestern, has won two consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 19-21.
Manny Harris had 20 points and DeShawn Sims 10 for the Wolverines (13-13, 6-8). The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Michigan, which has not won three straight games since the start of the season.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
MINNESOTA def. INDIANA, 81-58
Lawrence Westbrook bounced back from a bad game with 20 points, including four three-pointers, to lead Minnesota to an 81-58 victory over Indiana on Saturday night.
Damian Johnson was again the all-around spark for the Gophers (16-10, 7-7 Big Ten) with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. They have their first two-game winning streak in conference play since beating bottom-dwellers Penn State and Iowa to start the slate.
Building from an emotional win over No. 14 Wisconsin here two nights ago, the Gophers -- shooting for sixth place and a chance to sneak into the NCAA tournament -- led from start to finish.
Recap | Box Score | Highlights
ILLINOIS at #4/4 PURDUE | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN
ILL Game Notes | PUR Game Notes
The fourth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers will vie for their ninth straight conference win when it plays host to Illinois Thursday afternoon at Mackey Arena. ESPN will provide live coverage of the event, with tipoff schedules for 4 p.m. ET. Dave O'Brien will call the action alongside Steve Lavin. With a win, the Boilers would tie Michigan State atop the Big Ten Standings with only four games left in regular season play.
Saturday's contest will mark Illinois' fourth consecutive matchup against AP Top-15 opponents for It marks just the third time in school history, and first since 1992, that Illinois plays at least four consecutive games vs. top-15 rated foes.
Both teams are coming off hard-fought battles against Ohio State. On Sunday, Illinois suffered a 72-53 loss to the Buckeyes while Purdue willed itself to a 60-57 victory over OSU on Wednesday.
Series History: Purdue leads, 90-84
PENN STATE at MICHIGAN | 6 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
PSU Game Notes | U-M Game Notes
The Penn State Nittany Lions will be on the prowl for their second conference win of the season when it pays a visit to Ann Arbor for a 6 p.m. ET matchup against Michigan on Saturday. The Nittany Lions registered 81 points en route to their first Big Ten victory at Northwestern earlier in the week.
The Wolverines look to extend their conference win streak to three straight games, most recently earning an 80-78 overtime triumph at Iowa. Michigan's Motor City Duo in DeShawn Sims and Manny Harris posted doubles-doubles to lead the Maize and Blue.
Series History: Michigan leads, 23-10
INDIANA at MINNEOTA | 8 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
IND Game Notes | MINN Game Notes
Minnesota will look to parlay its stellar win over No. 14/16 ranked Wisconsin when it welcomes Indiana to Williams Arena for the late game in Saturday's doubleheader on the Big Ten Network. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. ET with Wayne Larrivee and Shon Morris on the call.
The contest will mark the second meeting between the two teams this season, with the last outing resulting in a 81-78 victory in favor of the Hoosiers. The Gophers will have redemption on the mind as they look to improve to .500 before heading down the final stretch in the conference season.
Series History: Indiana leads 87-59
#14/16 WISCONSIN at MINNESOTA | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN
UW Game Notes | MINN Game Notes
The Wisconsin Badgers will be in the hunt for their 20th win of the season when they travel to face Minnesota for a Thursday night matchup on ESPN. The two teams will collide for their first and only contest of the regular season slate, with tipoff scheduled for 9 p.m. ET from inside Williams Arena.
The Big Ten leader in scoring defense, the Badgers (19-6, 9-4) enter tonight's game fresh off a 28-point victory over Indiana on Saturday. Bo Ryan's squad will test its defensive prowess against a bevy of Gopher sharpshooters that compile the highest-scoring team in the conference.
Minnesota (14-10, 5-7) suffered back-to-back losses last week, falling to Michigan in Minneapolis last Thursday, and dropping an overtime decision at Northwestern on Sunday.
Series History: Minnesota leads, 99-88
UW Game Notes | MINN Game Notes
The Wisconsin Badgers will be in the hunt for their 20th win of the season when they travel to face Minnesota for a Thursday night matchup on ESPN. The two teams will collide for their first and only contest of the regular season slate, with tipoff scheduled for 9 p.m. ET from inside Williams Arena.
The Big Ten leader in scoring defense, the Badgers (19-6, 9-4) enter tonight's game fresh off a 28-point victory over Indiana on Saturday. Bo Ryan's squad will test its defensive prowess against a bevy of Gopher sharpshooters that compile the highest-scoring team in the conference.
Minnesota (14-10, 5-7) suffered back-to-back losses last week, falling to Michigan in Minneapolis last Thursday, and dropping an overtime decision at Northwestern on Sunday.
Series History: Minnesota leads, 99-88
#4/4 PURDUE at #9/12 OHIO STATE | 6:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
PUR Game Notes | OSU Game Notes
Battle of the Titans. Heavyweight bout. What it all means: A share of first place for Ohio State and an opportunity to stay one game behind first-place Michigan State for Purdue. Tonight's match up between Ohio State and Purdue also pits No. 4/4 against No. 9/12. The Boilers are looking to avenge an earlier loss to the Buckeyes in Mackey Arena a month ago. The surging Buckeyes are eying first place. Purdue enters the contest winners of three games over AP top 10 foes, and riding a seven-game win streak. During their last outing, the Boilermakers defeated Iowa, 63-40, and improved to 21-3 and 9-3 in conference play.
Ohio State enters the contest fresh off a win at Illinois, taking down the Fighting Illini, 72-53. The Buckeyes are on a six-game win streak and are 20-6 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten action. Both teams offer up a talented lot of players, as the Buckeyes are led by national player of the year contender Evan Turner, who is averaging 19.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Purdue is led by E'Twaun Moore and Robbie Hummel, averaging 17.3 and 16.1 points per game, respectively. JaJuan Johnson rounds out the offensive attack, posting 14.9 points per contest.
Series History: Ohio State leads, 50-27
PENN STATE at NORTHWESTERN | 8:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
PSU Game Notes | NU Game Notes
Northwestern is coming off an emotional 77-74 overtime victory at home over Minnesota on Sunday. The Wildcats rallied back from down 13 points with eight minutes remaining to force the extra session and eventually earn the win. John Shurna scored a game-high 22 points, while Drew Crawford added 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Penn State has dropped six of its Big Ten games by six points or less and is looking for its third straight win over the Wildcats. The Nittany Lions have held a lead with under five minutes remaining in five of the losses. Penn State is coming off a 65-54 home loss to Michigan State Saturday despite getting 30 points from Talor Battle. The junior guard leads the Big Ten with an average of 19.5 points per game and has scored at least 30 points four times.
Series History: Penn State leads, 22-12
