B1G Hoops Recap: Buckeyes Slide, Sparty and Badgers Separate From Pack

By Mike Young on January 13, 2014 at 11:15 am
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Only time Aaron White missed something

We at Eleven Warriors had to dig to find a second-half Buckeye possession in the Iowa game that didn't result in a turnover.  

This week will not go down in Ohio State basketball lore, but it does provide real adversity for the first time all year. As it turns out, the three game stretch that featured American, Wyoming and North Florida does not measure up to this past week and the upcoming game at Minnesota. 

Michigan State – despite an injured Adreian Payne – and Wisconsin keep rolling along in the second best conference, according to RPI rankings. At the opposite end of the Big Ten, Northwestern climbed out of the cellar, while Nebraska – despite their head coach innovating the in-game interview by taking it to Twitter – and Penn State remain winless.  

On to the standings.  

1. Michigan state (15-1, 4-0)

Last week: 72-68 OT win vs Ohio State, 87-75 OT win vs Minnesota
This week: at Northwestern, at Illinois  

The face Tom Izzo makes when MSU is up 7, heading into half.

It was almost a disastrous week for the Spartans.

Up 17 at home against Ohio State, Michigan State quickly let the Buckeyes back into the game, suddenly forgetting how to handle the basketball and play transition defense. If not for an incredible defensive effort by Keith Appling to prevent a Shannon Scott lay-in at the end of regulation, Sparty's looking at their second home loss of the year.

They seemed to lack energy in their next home contest against Minnesota, allowing 41 points in the first half. Michigan State rallied back quickly, only to blow late lead which sent them into another overtime contest. Appling rescued MSU, again, hitting 15 of his 16 free throw attempts and leading his team with 24 points. 

2. Wisconsin (16-0, 3-0) 

Last week: 95-70 win vs Illinois 
This week: at Indiana, vs Michigan  

The Badgers are now one of the four undefeated teams left in the 2013-14 college basketball season. 

Even more impressive than their school record start is that Wisconsin has won games by scoring in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 100s. Winning games isn't unusal for Bo Ryan, but winning games that way is. 

Illinois was their only game this past week and they routed the Illini from the outset. Ignited by a 20-0 first half run, the Badgers won 95-70 and shot over 56 percent from the field. They're a non-sarcastic offensive juggernaut this season, with, perhaps, the most balanced offense in the country. Four players are averaging in double figures, while freshman Nigel Hayes – only scoring 6.8 points per game – has put together double digit performances four out of his last five games. 

2. Michigan (11-4, 3-0)

Last week: 71-70 win at Nebraska
This week: vs Penn State, at Wisconsin

The Wolverines haven't been overly impressive to start conference play, but they just keep finding ways to win. 

Michigan snuck out of Nebraska with another close victory after the Huskers failed to convert a point-blank tip-in at the buzzer. During the game, another freshman of theirs emerged and a senior re-established his importance to the team. Freshman Derrick Walton Jr. hit the game winning lay-up, while senior Jordan Morgan – stepping up for the injured Mitch McGary – bludgeoned the Nebraska defense around the basket all night. 

The standings show they're tied atop the conference in the loss-column, but a win at Wisconsin would truly cement their place amongst this group. 

4. iowa (14-3, 3-1) 

A day at the spa gives Aaron White the confidence he needs.

Last week: 93-67 win vs Northwestern, 84-74 win at Ohio State
This week: vs Minnesota 

After letting one slip away at Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes eventually got the win they needed to establish themselves at the top of the Big Ten. 

Their scoring barrage may only be matched by Wisconsin. According to Kenpom.com, only Creighton and Duke have more efficient offenses, with Wisconsin slightly trailing. Iowa just dropped 84 on, possibly, the best defensive team in the country and, in the process, became the first school to score more than 70 points in regulation against the Buckeyes.

Devyn Marble leads the way, scoring from anywhere on the floor, while the high-flying Aaron White drops buckets in transition as well as anyone in the conference. They combined for 41 points in Columbus, capitalizing on a number of Ohio State mistakes. Overall, Iowa scored 27 points off turnovers and 15 fast break points. 

5. OHIO STATE (15-2, 2-2)

Last week: 72-68 OT loss at Michigan State, 84-74 loss vs Iowa
This week: at Minnesota

Perhaps the Buckeyes can learn from the previous season. 

After losing at Michigan in overtime, last year, Ohio State returned home, only to lose by 13 to Indiana. That was part of a stretch in which they lost three out of four games. An experienced bunch will be under similar pressure to turn it around, but they'll have to do it on the road. OSU's next two games come in Minnesota and Nebraska. They're unranked teams, but "The Barn" and the new Pinnacle Bank Arena will be rowdy. 

The Buckeyes have been sloppy on offense in their two losses, turning the ball over a combined 38 times. LaQuinton Ross, in particular, found some holes in the Iowa zone during the first 20 minutes, but the constant turnovers by him and Aaron Craft rendered him ineffective during the second half.

The senior point guard blames the mistakes on a lack of communication and cohesiveness. 

"We are at our best when we are connected," Craft said. "When we are talking you are able to see that in our offense. In the past two games, we have not been connected and it is very easy to see."

5. ILLINOIS (14-4, 2-2)

Last week: 95-70 loss at Wisconsin, 49-43 loss at Northwestern
This week: vs Purdue, vs Michigan State

Illinois has certainly regressed since their surprising start to the season and vault into the top 25. 

Just like Ohio State, they've lost their past two Big Ten games. Unlike the Buckeyes, the Illini's last loss was far more embarrassing. Not only did Illinois lose to Northwestern, they only put up 43 points – that's after scoring 15 in the first half. The team's leading scorer on the season, Rayvonte Rice, was especially disappointing, considering he only hit two of his 11 shots. Overall, the Wildcats held the Illini to a 28 percent shooting performance. 

At least they will return to Champaign, Wednesday, to face Purdue. 

5. MInnesota (13-4, 2-2)

Last week: 68-65 win at Penn State, 87-75 loss at Michigan State
This week: vs Ohio State, at Iowa

The Gophers almost had a winless week, much like the Buckeyes and Illini, but a second half rally at Penn State salvaged it.  

Minnesota took their first lead of the second half with 1:43 remaining, thanks to a Deandre Mathieu tip-in. He was nearly the hero in East Lansing, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the second half and tying the game on a lay-up with 1.7 seconds left. They lost all momentum in overtime, as the Spartans held the Gophers to only four points.

This week doesn't get any easier, with the Buckeyes coming to avenge the 1972 brawl at "The Barn" and a Sunday matchup at Iowa.  

8. Indiana (11-5, 1-2)

Last week: 79-76 win at Penn State
This week: vs Wisconsin, vs Northwestern 

Indiana finds themselves in the lower half of the conference standings after a narrow victory over perennial conference laughingstock, Penn State. 

The game was a close battle down the stretch, but Austin Etherington drilled a corner three to put the Hoosiers up by one with 1:22 left. It became a battle of free throws from there, with Indiana pulling it off. After the game, Etherington revealed what he's been taught in his three years at IU.

In addition to being confused by Syracuse's 2-3 zone in last year's tournament, Tom Crean hates the "corner three." The aforementioned shot just won a game for his team, and has helped turned Ray Allen into a hall-of-fame player. 

"Coach always preaches no corner threes ... but, you know, I felt good and I felt like it was the right shot."

- Austin Etherington, after the game to Inside The Hall

8. Purdue (11-5, 1-2)

Last week: 70-64 win vs Nebraska
This week: at Illinois, vs Penn State

The Boilermakers hope they're on the right track, after dropping consecutive conference games to open the Big Ten slate. 

Sophomore center A.J. Hammons has been inconsistent, but proved to be a reliable scorer in their win over Nebraska, Sunday. He scored 18 points and hit a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch in their first win of the calendar year. 

10. NORTHWESTERN (8-9, 1-3)

Last week: 93-67 loss at Iowa, 49-43 win vs Illinois
This week: vs Michigan State, at Indiana

Remember when traveling to Evanston meant sitting through an agonizingly close, yet boring game, because Northwestern played a four-corners offense and barely cracked the 40-point mark? 

Well, apparently, those days are back. It took less than a year for everyone to remember how brutal the Bill Carmody coached Wildcats were. Though not his intentions, new head coach Chris Collins had a throwback game against Illinois, a 49-43 win. Regardless of how aesthetically displeasing it was, the win was his first in the Big Ten. Senior Drew Crawford was the leading scorer, with 13 points.

11. penn state (9-8, 0-4)

Last week: 68-65 loss vs Minnesota, 79-76 loss vs Indiana
This week: at Michigan, at Purdue 

Penn State looked better than they did the previous week, but still ended up with two losses.

They faltered down the stretch in both games, which includes blowing a six-point lead late against Minnesota. Head coach Pat Chambers seems to have found, at least, one reason why his team fails to win close contests: 

11. Nebraska (8-8, 0-4)

Last week: 71-70 loss vs Michigan, 70-64 loss at Purdue
This week: Off 

Another school that can't quite find enough clutch baskets in close games is Nebraska. 

In their one-point loss to Michigan, Terran Petteway – who carried the Huskers in the second half – short-armed a lay-up with under five-seconds left. His drive to the lane opened up a rebound opportunity for Leslee Smith, but he missed a wide-open tip-in, which would've won the game. 

It was a rough week for Nebraska, overall, as it also went 0-5 at the Golden Globes. 

That didn't stop head coach Tim Miles from having fun. During the game against the Wolverines, he took part in a "twinterview:" 

[Aaron White photo via @graciecb22]

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