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November 25, 2009
We've Moved
The Big Ten Men's Basketball Blog has moved. The new blog site can be found by clicking here.
Gus Who's Back
August 31, 2009
Gus Johnson, recognized as one of the most exciting and entertaining sportscasters in the industry, will be calling at least 15 games this year on the Big Ten Network, an increase over last season. Two of those contests will be Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament games. Tonight, he will join Jim Jackson in calling the Ohio State-James Madison game at 7 p.m. ET. The tandem will team up for three game broadcasts together throughout the 2009-10 season. Welcome back Gus!
Monday Monday
August 31, 2009
It's another Monday. Another Monday closer to the start of the 2009-10 men's basketball season.
The Buckeyes spent the weekend winning games in Canada, completing two-thirds of their exhibition tour against our northern neighbors. OSU completes the tour today against Western Ontario. Columbus Dispatch's Bob Baptist has been covering the team in Canada and shares his thoughts on the team.
HITTING THE LINKS
From Hardwood to Gridiron: AnnArbor.com's Michael Rothstein writes about a couple of competitive foes as two-sport athletes.
Eight Steps: Ben Cronin's Journey Back
Northern Exposure: P.J. Hill's Game Gets a Makeover
The Sixth Man: OSU's Offutt Provides Spark
Former Northwestern Standout is Crossing the Pond for a Career in Basketball
Penn State Duo Also Taking Game International
Oh Canada
August 28, 2009
On Thursday, Ohio State finished its final day of practice and headed to Canada for a three-game swing. The Buckeyes will play exhibition games today, Saturday and Monday against the University of Windsor (first two games) and Western Ontario University (final game).
Follow the team in Canada--Buckeye Blog.
HITTING THE LINKS
The Buckeyes are roughing it on their trip to Canada
The Road to March begins in November/December
52...
August 25, 2009
That's right basketball fans, only 52 more days until the official start of hoops. Michigan and Illinois have already announced plans for Midnight Madness (see Aug. 21 entry).
Last Saturday, Indiana University announced that it will induct legendary men's basketball coach Bobby Knight into its Athletics Hall of Fame.
ESPN's Andy Katz has an in-depth look at the Big Ten Conference as the 2009-10 season approaches.
Today on Sporting News.com, Mike DeCourcy says watch out for Michigan this season.
Faces of the Big Ten
Get to Know IU Freshman Jordan Hulls
Get to Know Minnesota newcomer Trevor Mbakwe
Get to Know Minnesota Freshman Royce White
TGIF
August 21, 2009
THE ENVELOPE PLEASE
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Athletic Club released its Men's Preseason John R. Wooden Award List. The Big Ten has eight representatives on the list. Michigan's Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims, Michigan State's Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan, Ohio State's Evan Turner, Penn State's Talor Battle, and Purdue's Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore all appear on the 50-man list.
Prior to the official listing, ESPN's Andy Katz put together his own list of potential Player of the Year candidates. This is what Katz had to say about three of the Big Ten standouts...
Robbie Hummel, PUR: "Hummel is the scrappy player who will do anything for a win. He won't have stunning stats but he'll be involved in nearly every big play. If Purdue were to unseat Michigan State for the Big Ten title, then he would have to be considered."
Kalin Lucas, MSU:"The Spartans are now Lucas' team and if he can dominate the ball, he might sprint out ahead of the competition."
Evan Turner, OSU: "Turner could be a bust-out scorer for a Buckeyes' team that is primed for a deep run in March. If Turner can make the Buckeyes stand out even more, then he's got a shot to receive plenty of accolades."
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Dates and times have been set for Illinois and Michigan Midnight Madness events.
HITTING THE LINKS
Check out Michigan's feature story on sophomore Zack Novak
We're Back
August 20, 2009
LOOKING BACK
Storybook Season: Michigan State capped the 2008-09 campaign with a storybook postseason journey, culminating in front of a virtual home crowd of more than 72,000 Spartan hopefuls as the Green and White advanced to the Final Four at Ford Field in Detroit. The Spartans entered the 64-team field seeded second in the Midwest Regional, looking to make their fifth NCAA Final Four appearance in the last 11 years under head coach Tom Izzo. Entering his 15th season in East Lansing, Izzo has piloted each of his recruited four-year seniors to a Final Four, and last season Mr. March did not disappoint. The Spartans punched their coveted ticket to Motown by overthrowing three tournament giants in defending National Champion Kansas, the 2009 overall No. 1 seed Louisville and West Regional top-seeded Connecticut.
In the championship final, MSU came face-to-face with No. 1 North Carolina, the second meeting between the two perennial powers at Ford Field in 2008-09. The Spartans fell to the Tar Heels, 89-72. The Spartans will embark on the road to redemption with the launch of the 2009-10 season on November 1 with plans to make one special stop in Chapel Hill. N.C., on December 1, where they will spar against the Tar Heels for the third time in 12 months in the 11th-annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Taking a Bite out of the Big Apple: For the second-consecutive season the Big Ten Conference captured the National Invitation Tournament Championship crown. Penn State capped the 2008-09 campaign with a record-breaking 27 victories, notching six W's in the month of March, including a riveting 69-63 triumph over Baylor in the NIT Championship game. The Nittany Lions will look to parlay the momentum from their dramatic postseason run into the upcoming season.
WHILE WE WERE AWAY
Red, White and Blue: Led by Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan, a trio of Big Ten hoopsters were selected to represent the United States at the 2009 World University Games in early July. Penn State's Talor Battle, Purdue's Robbie Hummel and Ohio State's Evan Turner joined nine of the nation's top prep sensations in Belgrade, Serbia, where the team collected the bronze medal after defeating Israel 91-80. Battle and Turner were among the four players to score in double digits in the bronze medal game, netting 12 and 10 respectively. Hummel also chipped in five points and three rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
The Red, White and Blue has captured a medal in every World University Games in which a USA Basketball team has competed, amassing an all-time 131-8 World University Games ledger and owns a record 13 gold, three silver and three bronze medals. This summer marked Ryan's third USA Basketball coaching assignment, and his first appointment as a head coach. Previously, Ryan served as an assistant coach at the 1995 USA World University Games where he paced the sidelines along a talented squad that featured future Olympians in Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson and Kerry Kittles. Ryan also assisted for the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival North team, capturing his second gold medal in a USA coaching capacity.
USA Basketball: World University Games
Mining for Gold: Ryan was not the only Big Ten general to sport the USA uniform this summer. Purdue's head coach Matt Painter was selected to assist the 2009 USA Basketball U19 World Championships Team for Men, featuring one conference hoopster in Northwestern's John Shurna, to compete in the FIBA U19 World Championships, held July 2-12 in Auckland, New Zealand. Competing against 16 countries, the USA posted an unblemished 9-0 record en route to a dramatic 88-80 triumph over a tenacious Greek team in the gold-medal game. With the win, the USA ended a devastating 18-year drought, striking gold for the first time since going 8-0 in 1991.
USA Basketball: FIBA U19 World Championships
NBA Draft: While there are more than 3,800 student-athletes who go pro in something other than sports, this past June, Big Ten hoops saw two of its own turn pro in well ... sports. On June 25, Ohio State's B.J. Mullens and Michigan State's Goran Suton gathered in New York's Madison Square Garden for the NBA Draft. Mullens, originally selected 24th overall by the Dallas Mavericks, had his rights traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder shortly after being selected and Suton was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round (50th pick overall). With the selections, the Big Ten extended its streak of having at least one first-round draft pick in 34 consecutive NBA drafts.
ON THE HORIZON
For the past two seasons, underclassmen have reigned supreme as leaders of the Big Ten Conference leaderboard, etching their definitive stamp atop nearly every statistical category. The Big Ten will look to parlay the success of the 2008-09 campaign to the upcoming season, as eight squads look to return at least 75 percent of their offensive production this season. Additionally, five of those teams will restore 90 percent of their total offensive production, including Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State. The Buckeyes return Big Ten scoring leader and first-team All-Big Ten selection Evan Turner. Joining Turner among the insurgence of talented juniors are four other first-team All-Conference honorees and Big Ten scoring leaders in Michigan's Manny Harris, Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas of Michigan State, Penn State's Talor Battle and Purdue's JaJuan Johnson. Overall, the Big Ten returns more than 75 percent of its offensive production from 2008-09, and no team should lose more than half of its total scoring until next year.
Save the Dates: The Big Ten announced the television schedule for the upcoming 2009-10 season. Look here to check out this season's matchups.
HITTING THE LINKS
Dick Vitale: Preseason Top 40
ESPN.com's Pat Forde looks into his hoops crystal ball for 2009-10...
The Fire Still Burns: Having lifted an entire state with a thrilling run to the championship game in Detroit, Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans can savor their memories, but they're determined to create more
Future looks bright for NU hoops: Wildcats look to build off successful season
Battle Tested: After a breakout sophomore season, guard Talor (Bubby) Battle aims to prove that Penn State is a hoops school too
Pair emerges from fatherly shadows: Sophomores Klay Thompson and Ralph Sampson III carve out careers of their own
Kalin Lucas, MSU: Q&A with Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy
Talor Battle, PSU: Q&A with Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy
Getting to Know Illinois' Mike Davis. The Illini forward was featured in Sporting News Today's "My Profile"
ESPN SportsNation chat with Penn State's Ed DeChellis
Welcome to the Big Ten Men's Basketball Blog
August 19, 2009
Welcome to the Big Ten Men's Basketball Blog - your ultimate source for Big Ten men's hoops all year long. Before, during and after the season, we'll bring you news updates, game results, links to features and much more, so be sure to check back often and see what's new with the Big Ten!
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