Jan. 11, 2010

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FACES of the BIG TEN

Andrew "Bubba" Chisholm, illinois senior guard

Senior guard Andrew "Bubba" Chisholm is in his second year with the Fighting Illini after joining the team in the fall of 2008 following walk-on tryouts. A hometown product and graduate of Champaign Central High School, Chisholm attended Lincoln Land Junior College where he played basketball and earned Academic All-America honors with a 4.0 GPA. At the University of Illinois' Scholar-Athlete Banquet last spring, he was honored for having the highest grade point average among male athletes in the junior class. Chisholm is actively involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He will graduate in May with a degree in finance.

 

BIG TEN. BIG NOTES.

BIG TEN IN THE POLLS: Overall, the Big Ten has featured eight teams in the AP-Top 25 this season, with Michigan State and Purdue consistently appearing inside the top 15 in the media poll. Ranked sixth in this week's standings, Purdue set a new school record for consecutive weeks ranked in the AP Poll. The Boilers' streak began on Feb. 4, 2008, and surpasses the previous school record of 34-straight weeks in the poll, set twice from 1992-94 and 1997-99. Purdue has spent 14 of those 35 weeks ranked in the AP top 10, and 22 weeks in the top 15. Voting in right behind the Boilermakers in this week's media poll is Michigan State at No. 7, while Wisconsin climbed four spots from last week to garner a No. 13 national ranking.

BIG TEN VS. THE AP TOP 25: Only four Division I teams have been able to notch two wins over the AP Top 10 so far this season, with two of them hailing from the Big Ten. Purdue and Wisconsin unite with Syracuse and Texas to comprise the select few to have accomplished this feat. The Boilermakers edged ninth-ranked Tennessee, 73-72, earlier in the season before derailing No. 6 West Virginia from the pack of unbeatens on New Year's Day. Wisconsin became the most recent member to join the fearsome foursome after serving the first taste of defeat to sixth-ranked Duke (Dec. 2) and fourth-rated Purdue (Jan 9). More impressive is the fact that Wisconsin is the only team with four wins over the AP Top-25 this season, propelling the Big Ten to a Division I-leading 15 wins against ranked foes. Illinois (2-0), Purdue (2-1), Michigan State (2-2) and Ohio State (2-3) are also among the 14 teams with two wins against the media's top-25.  A complete breakdown follows:

Most Wins Over AP Top 25
Wisconsin             4-1
Georgetown         3-0
Syracuse               3-0
Duke                     3-1

Win Over AP Top 25 by Conference
Big Ten             15-16    .484
Big East           14-23    .378
ACC                 11-9      .550
Big 12               10-6      .625
SEC                 7-12      .368

HOME SWEET HOME: For all teams going on the road into Big Ten country, consider yourselves warned. Entering the 10th week of the season, six conference squads continue to enjoy unblemished win streaks when playing within the friendly confines of their home courts. Three teams - Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin - have already posted double-digits in the wins column, each sitting at 10-0 when competing in familiar territory this season. Illinois, Michigan State and Purdue comprise the second trio of Big Ten squads to also boast clean home slates, still perfect at 9-0 through nine weeks of competition.

Home Records in 2009-10
Minnesota     10-0
Ohio State     10-0
Wisconsin     10-0
Illinois      9-0
Michigan State     9-0
Purdue     9-0

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE: Wisconsin boasts the third best home record in the nation over the last eight-and-a-half years, owning a 130-10 (.929) ledger from inside the Kohl Center during Bo Ryan's tenure. The Badgers showcased their home-court advantage with a win over fourth-ranked Purdue on Saturday, extending their home winning streak to 15 games, including a perfect 10-0 mark this year. The triumph over the Boilers marked Wisconsin's second win over a top-five opponent in Madison, Wis., this season after UW topped then fifth-ranked Duke in early December.   Under Bo Ryan, the Badgers are 20-7 (.741) at home against ranked foes. Michigan State also ranks among the NCAA's elite in terms of home security with a 121-12 (.910) record at the Breslin Center since 2001-02 - good enough to rank fifth amongst national leaders.  

Best Division I Home Records Since 2001-02
Kansas                             135-8        (.944)
Duke                                 125-9        (.933)
Wisconsin                        130-10     (.929)
Pittsburgh                         140-11      (.927)
Michigan State                 121-12      (.910)
Texas                               124-13      (.905)

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST: The Big Ten saw four student-athletes named finalists for the 2010 Bob Cousy Award to lead all Division I conferences. The ACC, Big East and SEC are tied for second with three players apiece among the remaining 20 in contention for the award.  Talor Battle (Penn State), Manny Harris (Michigan), Trévon Hughes (Wisconsin) and Kalin Lucas (Michigan State) will all be vying for the award, which honors the nation's top point guard. The winner will be announced on Monday, April 5, in Indianapolis, Ind., as part of NCAA Final Four weekend. Harris and Lucas were also selected Midseason Top-30 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, along with Purdue junior Robbie Hummel and Ohio State junior Evan Turner.

SEEING DOUBLE: This year's scoring column is flooded with double-digits as 33 Big Ten student-athletes are averaging double figures entering the 10th week of the 2009-10 campaign. Ten Big Ten teams boast two or more players with double-figures scoring averages, including three different programs (Illinois, Michigan State and Ohio State) touting at least four individuals who are averaging at least 10 points per game.  Of the 35 sharpshooters highlighting this year's scoring leaders, Spartan guard Kalin Lucas is the only Big Ten player to have recorded double figures in every game to date this season.

OH WHAT A NIGHT: The Big Ten saw two of its own achieve personal milestones last week. Purdue junior Robbie Hummel recorded his 1,000th career point during Saturday's contests at Wisconsin, adding 13 tallies to become the 44th player in program history to eclipse the century mark. Later that afternoon, Ohio State's Evan Turner became just the 21st Buckeye to record more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Turner needed just seven boards to reach the career milestone and pulled down eight against Minnesota while finishing with a team-high 19 points in his second game back after missing five weeks due to injury. The 6-7 guard now owns 1,060 career points and 501 career rebounds at Ohio State.

COACHING LEGENDS: Several Big Ten coaches are nearing career milestones at their respective institutions. Michigan State's Tom Izzo needs one win to reach 350 career victories  as the Spartans' skipper. Purdue's Matt Painter is three triumphs shy of earning his 100th in West Lafayette. Wisconsin's Bo Ryan is 97-39 in Big Ten games, needing only three wins to reach 100 and become the 18th mentor to reach the milestone in conference games. Ryan would join Izzo as the only two active coaches with 100 or more Big Ten wins.

Big Ten Men's Basketball

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