Big Ten Tourny Preview
The Big Ten Tournament will get underway this Thursday and as the regular season verified the conference is deep, talented and wide-open; anyone can win.
To avoid any suspense here are the outcomes:
Final Four: Illinois, Iowa, The Ohio State University, Indiana
Championship Game: Illinois v. The Ohio State
Champion: Illinois
The First Round
In the first game on Thursday Penn State squares off against Northwestern. Northwestern is an interesting team with upsets over Wisconsin and Iowa and a near upset over Ohio State. Northwestern wins this easily. Northwestern 62, Penn State 50.
Thursday will also see U of M face Minnesota. U of M has beaten Minnesota twice this year and won easily both times. However, it is hard to beat a team three times in one year. Daniel Horton will take the game over late and U of M squeaks by the Gophers. U of M 63, Minnesota 57
Michigan State will play for the first time on a Thursday since the tournament began. The Spartans face the Boilermakers and should have little difficulty handling Purdue. Purdue does not have the depth or the athleticism to play for forty minutes with the Spartans. MSU 72, Purdue 63
The Second Round
The Ohio State is riding high. The Buckeyes are the only team in the top seven not to lose to a lower tier team in the Big Ten. Northwestern hung with The Ohio State both times they played this year, but the Buckeyes have the Wildcats number. The OSU 65, Northwestern 55.
Bo Ryan got everything out of his Badgers he could this year. As a hated, but underrated coach he will have his team ready to compete. Indiana is playing well, but a team can only run so far on emotion. If Indiana can jump out to an early lead, they will win. But it won’t happen. Wisconsin 68, Indiana 65.
Iowa crushed U of M when the Wolverines traveled to Iowa City in the teams only meeting this season. U of M will want revenge, but won’t get it. Iowa always plays well in the Big Ten Tournament and will edge by Michigan to advance to the semifinals. Iowa 74, U of M 66.
The final game of Friday will face Illinois and Michigan State. Illinois has beat the Spartans the last three times they have faced-off. It will be four on Friday. The Illini have Michigan State’s number, or at least Dee Brown does. Illinois 76, Michigan State 67.
The Semifinals
The Ohio State will face Wisconsin in the rubber match game. Each team protected their home court in the previous two match-ups. Ohio State will have to find an answer for Alando Tucker. Tucker lit up the Buckeyes for 27 points in the last meeting. However, the Badgers don’t have anyone to match Terrance Dials post-play. The Ohio State will get win number 25 with foul shots late in the game. The OSU 74, Wisconsin 69.
Illinois and Iowa also split in the regular season. Illinois is the better team, but Jay Brunner, Adam Haluska and Jeff Horner find ways to win. Horner is a streaky shooter and has trouble keeping up with Dee Brown’s speed. Brunner and James Augustine of Illinois are equal match-ups and cancel each other out. If the Illini can shut down Haluska they will win. Illinois wins a very, very close game. Illinois 66, Iowa 63.
The Finals
The Ohio State only had to see Illinois once and that was at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes blew out the Illini 69-53. Thad Matta’s team was able to slow down Dee Brown and held him to 12 points on 5-13 shooting. The OSU was 13-23 from beyond the arc that game and held Illinois to 37% from the field. Those impressive numbers are easier to produce at home than on a neutral court in a high-stakes game. The Buckeyes, if they win, could be a dark-horse number one seed. But win or lose the OSU should get a two seed and play in Dayton for their first two games.
The Ohio State University will jump out to an early lead with great three point shooting, but Terrance Dials will get in foul trouble. The lack of depth in the front court will allow Augustine to score at ease. Brown will have a big second half and lead the Illini’s comeback. Illinois 77, The OSU 71.
To avoid any suspense here are the outcomes:
Final Four: Illinois, Iowa, The Ohio State University, Indiana
Championship Game: Illinois v. The Ohio State
Champion: Illinois
The First Round
In the first game on Thursday Penn State squares off against Northwestern. Northwestern is an interesting team with upsets over Wisconsin and Iowa and a near upset over Ohio State. Northwestern wins this easily. Northwestern 62, Penn State 50.
Thursday will also see U of M face Minnesota. U of M has beaten Minnesota twice this year and won easily both times. However, it is hard to beat a team three times in one year. Daniel Horton will take the game over late and U of M squeaks by the Gophers. U of M 63, Minnesota 57
Michigan State will play for the first time on a Thursday since the tournament began. The Spartans face the Boilermakers and should have little difficulty handling Purdue. Purdue does not have the depth or the athleticism to play for forty minutes with the Spartans. MSU 72, Purdue 63
The Second Round
The Ohio State is riding high. The Buckeyes are the only team in the top seven not to lose to a lower tier team in the Big Ten. Northwestern hung with The Ohio State both times they played this year, but the Buckeyes have the Wildcats number. The OSU 65, Northwestern 55.
Bo Ryan got everything out of his Badgers he could this year. As a hated, but underrated coach he will have his team ready to compete. Indiana is playing well, but a team can only run so far on emotion. If Indiana can jump out to an early lead, they will win. But it won’t happen. Wisconsin 68, Indiana 65.
Iowa crushed U of M when the Wolverines traveled to Iowa City in the teams only meeting this season. U of M will want revenge, but won’t get it. Iowa always plays well in the Big Ten Tournament and will edge by Michigan to advance to the semifinals. Iowa 74, U of M 66.
The final game of Friday will face Illinois and Michigan State. Illinois has beat the Spartans the last three times they have faced-off. It will be four on Friday. The Illini have Michigan State’s number, or at least Dee Brown does. Illinois 76, Michigan State 67.
The Semifinals
The Ohio State will face Wisconsin in the rubber match game. Each team protected their home court in the previous two match-ups. Ohio State will have to find an answer for Alando Tucker. Tucker lit up the Buckeyes for 27 points in the last meeting. However, the Badgers don’t have anyone to match Terrance Dials post-play. The Ohio State will get win number 25 with foul shots late in the game. The OSU 74, Wisconsin 69.
Illinois and Iowa also split in the regular season. Illinois is the better team, but Jay Brunner, Adam Haluska and Jeff Horner find ways to win. Horner is a streaky shooter and has trouble keeping up with Dee Brown’s speed. Brunner and James Augustine of Illinois are equal match-ups and cancel each other out. If the Illini can shut down Haluska they will win. Illinois wins a very, very close game. Illinois 66, Iowa 63.
The Finals
The Ohio State only had to see Illinois once and that was at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes blew out the Illini 69-53. Thad Matta’s team was able to slow down Dee Brown and held him to 12 points on 5-13 shooting. The OSU was 13-23 from beyond the arc that game and held Illinois to 37% from the field. Those impressive numbers are easier to produce at home than on a neutral court in a high-stakes game. The Buckeyes, if they win, could be a dark-horse number one seed. But win or lose the OSU should get a two seed and play in Dayton for their first two games.
The Ohio State University will jump out to an early lead with great three point shooting, but Terrance Dials will get in foul trouble. The lack of depth in the front court will allow Augustine to score at ease. Brown will have a big second half and lead the Illini’s comeback. Illinois 77, The OSU 71.
posted by az at 2:48 PM
10 Comments:
In the interest of fairness I feel that it should be noted that Andy hates Ohio State basketball and loves Jay Bilas.
I'm sorry that should have read, "looooooooves," with many o's to denote a love so pure it mocks the morning dew.
I give Andy credit for putting The OSU past Wisconsin. I didn't think he would do it.
I like Jay Bilas because he is Osama Bin Laden.
whatever dj. i give the osu a lot of respect. they went on the road and beat michigan state and won the big ten. they dominated at home against u of m and illinois. they didn't lose to a lower tier team. if i were an ohio state fan, i'd rather see them as a two seed in dayton than a one seed somewhere outside of ohio.
yes i do looooooooove jay bilas, which i guess means i like osama (but i don't). he is a hell of a lot better than digger phelps, jackass vitale, fatass majerus and hubert davis.
you loooooooooove the ohio state and hate jay bilas, but bilas is smart and the ohio state is good, but not that good.
I zinged you on my blog. I zinged you good.
yeah i saw. i zinged you back. not as good, but i got a zing or two in their.
your zings are like the osu, world champions. mine are merely underachieved insults, like msu.
well played my friend. i don't know what that means.
Jay Bilas was on the Dan Patrick Show and although he contradicted himself like five times, he made a little more sense. I still think Ohio State should be considered for a number one, but he said they were a strong 2 seed and I'll buy that. Plus, he made fun of Reggie Miller and that's great.
Reggie Miller sucks.
yes he does.
Reggie Miller sucks his sister's eleven foot tall boobies.
oh snap. i like his sister. she's tall.
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