Official Big Ten Basketball Thread 08 09

[Bubba]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/notebo...taround/bigten

Baby Boilers no more

By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com

Robbie Hummel's seemingly charmed life took a nasty detour back in May, thanks to a tomato at the Los Angeles Airport.

Traveling back to Purdue after visiting a teammate in Los Angeles, Hummel and fellow Boilermakers forward Chad Sutor stopped for a quick bite before their flight. After eating tomatoes, Hummel and Sutor immediately beelined for the bathroom. Sutor was spared, but Hummel became the latest victim of the salmonella outbreak.

The Purdue star dwindled to 189 pounds, the lightest he'd been since high school. Then, two days after he recovered, he had to have his tonsils removed.

We didn't achieve any of our goals. We still didn't win the Big Ten, we still didn't advance any further than we did the year before at the NCAA tournament. Hopefully, that can drive us.

--Matt Painter
"I snored so bad and couldn't breathe," Hummel said. "The doctor said my tonsils were the biggest he'd ever seen."

All in all, not the best stretch for one of the Big Ten's top players, but Hummel maintains perspective.

"It's a lot better to have that in May than March," he said.

March is on the minds of everybody at Purdue after the team's surprising 2007-08 season. With a rotation consisting mainly of freshmen and sophomores, the so-called Baby Boilers finished second in the Big Ten, twice beat league champ Wisconsin and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

All five starters return this season, and Purdue is a preseason top 10 pick. Barring a media brain cramp, the Boilermakers will be picked to win their first Big Ten championship since 1996, the end of a three-year title run that began with dominant forward Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson.

"Everybody's excited around here, wondering how far we're going to go," junior guard Chris Kramer said. "People have talked about when Big Dog was here, going through that."

Kramer was 5 years old during Robinson's final season at Purdue, but the Huntington, Ind., native recalls the Big Dog era.

"I just remember being in awe of just how good he really was," Kramer said. "He's probably one of the greatest college players ever. I don't think we have one player on our team just like Big Dog, but cumulatively, our team could be just as good as those teams he played on."

Looking at the current roster, it's hard to argue.

Hummel was arguably the league's most versatile player last season, ranking among the top 20 in scoring (11.4 ppg), rebounds (6.1 rpg) and steals (1.3 spg). He rejoins Kramer, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, top scorer E'Twaun Moore (12.9 ppg), emerging big man JaJuan Johnson and underrated guard Keaton Grant.

Coach Matt Painter recognizes who's coming back, but he doesn't overvalue what the team accomplished last season.

"We didn't achieve any of our goals," Painter said. "We still didn't win the Big Ten, we still didn't advance any further than we did the year before at the NCAA tournament. Hopefully, that can drive us."

During the offseason Painter made strength training a priority for his young team, which finished ninth in the Big Ten in average rebounding margin last season. Painter saw players struggle to contain the dribble or minimize post scoring, particularly in the NCAA tournament loss to Xavier.

"We got almost bullied a little bit because we weren't physically as strong as them," Hummel said. "They had been in the weight room for four years."

Hummel's miserable May set him back, but he's at full strength and has seen teammates increase their weight-room commitment.

Physical maturity remains a challenge and Painter doesn't see "that problem being totally solved." But when it comes to handling the lofty expectations for the coming season, the Boilermakers measure up.

"Our guys are going to be fine with that," Painter said. "They're going to be grounded. Hopefully, we'll be a little bit stronger last year, a little bit better than last year."

Adam Rittenberg covers the Big Ten for ESPN.com. He can be reached at espnritt@gmail.com.

Five things to watch in '08-09

By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com

• Gloom in Bloomington
Could Indiana lose 20 games? It has never happened in Bloomington before, but the longtime Big Ten powerhouse enters the season with more uncertainty than ever. Only one scholarship player -- little-used forward Kyle Taber -- returns after the Kelvin Sampson fallout, which leaves new coach Tom Crean in a tight spot. The Hoosiers would have been rebuilding no matter what after losing Big Ten Player of the Year D.J. White and league Rookie of the Year Eric Gordon. But with the transfers and dismissals of key players like Armon Bassett, Jordan Crawford and Jamarcus Ellis, the cupboard is strikingly bare. Crean brought in some decent talent and will continue to do so, but he has virtually no experience to work with in his first season.

B.J. Mullens

Kelly Kline

Ohio State will place its NCAA tournament hopes on the big shoulders of highly-touted 7-footer B.J. Mullens.
• Rotating big men
Two years after bringing Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook to Columbus, Ohio State coach Thad Matta reached recruiting nirvana again. The Buckeyes' incoming class, headlined by center B.J. Mullens, puts them back in the Big Ten's upper echelon. The 7-foot Mullens is projected to be a top five pick in next year's NBA draft and gives Ohio State a dominant post presence. Shooting guard William Buford will get plenty of court time, and junior college transfers Jeremie Simmons and Nikola Kecman can contribute immediately. If Matta integrates the newcomers like he did Oden, Conley and Cook in 2006-07, Ohio State will do some major damage.

• Compete with the ACC?
The ACC/Big Ten Challenge has become decidedly one-sided the last two years, with ACC teams winning 16 of 22 matchups. Could this year be different? Projected Big Ten favorite Purdue hosts Duke, while Michigan State essentially hosts North Carolina at Ford Field in Detroit. Wins in those two contests plus road victories by both Wisconsin and Ohio State, against Virginia Tech and Miami (Fla.), could make the event competitive again. To win for the first time, the Big Ten likely needs home victories from Minnesota (vs. Virginia), Illinois (vs. Clemson) and Northwestern (vs. Florida State).

• Second time around
The results last season were atypical for John Beilein, Todd Lickliter and Tubby Smith, but all three coaches should see improvement in their second seasons. Michigan players have grown accustomed to Beilen's complex system, and Manny Harris is an emerging star. Smith brought in a strong recruiting class and returns several solid guards in Al Nolen, Blake Hoffarber and Lawrence Westbrook. Lickliter still has a tough task ahead of him, but the arrival of West Virginia transfer Devan Bawinkel and several talented freshmen could breed success in Iowa City.

• On the hot seat?
Penn State coach Ed DeChellis and his Northwestern counterpart Bill Carmody enter a critical year. DeChellis hasn't had a winning record in five seasons at Penn State, and his 19-63 mark in Big Ten games illustrates the urgency for an upgrade. Carmody is at a school where nobody has ever won, but he enters his ninth season and has produced just three Big Ten victories since 2005-06. DeChellis puts his faith in senior forward Jamelle Cornley, while Carmody might have bought himself some time with a strong recruiting class. But if neither team shows improvement, both coaches could be gone.

If I were commish …

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan has publicly endorsed playing 20 games. I concur. It sounds crazy, but the Southern Conference moved to 20 games and no seemed to mind. Davidson even went 20-0 last season.

Too often the Big Ten finds itself without being able to get the top teams to play twice. The scheduling imbalance leads to a regular-season champion that can be debated. The Big Ten prides itself on its tradition and marrying itself with the Pac-10. The Pac-10, albeit with one less member, still has a true round-robin schedule with 18 league games. The Big Ten plays 18 now so why not just add two more to make it a perfect 20. Big Ten teams don't need a slew of high-profile nonconference games to get into the Dance. Just a couple will suffice with a true round-robin schedule.

2007-08 Big Ten standings
Overall record Big Ten record
Wisconsin* 31-5 16-2
Purdue* 25-9 15-3
Indiana* 25-8 14-4
Michigan State* 27-9 12-6
Ohio State^ 24-13 10-8
Minnesota^ 20-14 8-10
Penn State 15-16 7-11
Iowa 13-19 6-12
Illinois 16-19 5-13
Michigan 10-22 5-13
Northwestern 8-22 1-17
*NCAA tournament
^NIT berth

2008-09 team capsules
Big Ten
IllinoisIllinois
After missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999 and setting a school record with 19 losses, Illinois and coach Bruce Weber can't afford an extended downturn. There's hope for a struggling offense with the arrival of Kentucky transfer Alex Legion (he will be eligible in December). Even without sharpshooter Jamar Smith, who was dismissed from the team after his probation was revoked, the Illini's backcourt should be strong with Legion, leading returning scorer Trent Meacham and blossoming sophomore Demetri McCamey. Questions abound up front, and Weber needs more from Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and Bill Cole, all of whom added weight this summer.

IndianaIndiana
Eleven players are gone from a 25-win team, and all five starting spots will be open during preseason practice. Late signees Nick Williams and Malik Story should be in the mix for ample playing time as first-year coach Tom Crean tries to find production wherever he can get it. Junior college transfers Tijan Jobe and Devon Dumes bring some experience to the roster, but Crean will rely heavily on incoming freshmen Matt Roth and Verdell Jones III.

IowaIowa
Todd Lickliter's teams always defend well, but his search for offense continues to be a challenge. Guard Tony Freeman, last season's top scorer, transferred to Southern Illinois, and backcourt mate Justin Johnson graduated. The Hawkeyes need an immediate scoring spark from transfer Devan Bawinkel and continued development from 3-point threat Jake Kelly. How forward Jarryd Cole returns from ACL surgery will be vital as Iowa tries to fortify a frontcourt that lost Seth Gorney and Kurt Looby.

MichiganMichigan
The Wolverines have a budding star in Manny Harris, the Big Ten's leading returning scorer (16.1 ppg). But besides Harris, who will step up? Forward DeShawn Sims could emerge as one of the league's top big men, but he needs help in the frontcourt after Ekpe Udoh transferred to Baylor and recruit Robin Benzing, a 6-10 forward from Germany, didn't meet eligibility requirements. Zack Gibson and Anthony Wright got decent playing time last season and must contribute more this season.

Michigan StateMichigan State
Drew Neitzel's leadership will be missed, but the Spartans return loads of talent and will push Purdue for the league title. Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Raymar Morgan anchors the league's best frontcourt, which includes senior center Goran Suton and senior forward Marquise Gray. Dynamic sophomore Kalin Lucas and senior Travis Walton give coach Tom Izzo two capable options at point guard. Heralded incoming recruit Delvon Roe (No. 15 in the ESPNU 150) joins the frontcourt mix, though there are some lingering questions after he underwent micro fracture surgery on his right knee.

MinnesotaMinnesota
The Golden Gophers could be the chic pick to be the league's surprise team in Tubby Smith's second season. Smith brought in a strong recruiting class headlined by guard Devoe Joseph and center Ralph Sampson III, whose frontcourt presence becomes vital after the losses of Dan Coleman and Spencer Tollackson. Minnesota lost its top three scorers from last season and will look for more heroics from guard Blake Hoffarber and continued development from Lawrence Westbrook. Hoffarber and Westbrook form a solid backcourt with point guard Al Nolen and senior Jamal Abu-Shamala, who spent the summer playing for the Jordan national team (that's the country, not the future Hall of Famer).

NorthwesternNorthwestern
Despite only three Big Ten victories since 2005-06, Northwestern has high hopes after landing the best recruiting class in program history. With four players at 6-8 or taller, the group transforms a perennially undersized roster. Bill Carmody finally landed a true center in 7-footer Kyle Rowley and needs immediate production from forward John Shurna and center/forward Luka Mirkovic. Star forward Kevin Coble will be available from the onset after missing the first nine games last season to be with his ailing mother. Sophomore point guard Michael Thompson forms a solid backcourt with senior Craig Moore.

Ohio StateOhio State
Freshman center B.J. Mullens gives the Buckeyes a dominant post presence after the loss of Kosta Koufos, and William Buford could push for a starting job. Thad Matta's challenge will be integrating six new players with a group of returnees headlined by wings David Lighty and Evan Turner. Replacing Jamar Butler's leadership is paramount for Ohio State, which could turn to incoming freshmen Anthony Crater and Jeremie Simmons to run the point. Jon Diebler struggled with his shot as a freshman, but could be a factor from 3-point range.

Penn StatePenn State
Ed DeChellis needs a breakthrough this season and will turn to senior forward Jamelle Cornley, who took a greater leadership role this summer and should be at full strength following arthroscopic knee surgery in March. Cornley and exciting sophomore Talor Battle form a strong inside-outside tandem, while senior guard Danny Morrissey provides a viable 3-point shooting threat. But defense always has been Penn State's bugaboo and must improve for DeChellis to stay off the hot seat.

PurduePurdue
All five starters return, and the Boilermakers are likely to be preseason Big Ten favorites. Rebounding is one of the team's few weaknesses, and coach Matt Painter needs continued growth from sophomore forward JaJuan Johnson, senior forward Nemanja Calasan and several others after Scott Martin transferred to Notre Dame. Guard Keaton Grant underwent surgery but should be ready after the team's trip to Australia in August, and Painter expects contributions from newcomers Lewis Jackson, Ryne Smith and John Hart.

WisconsinWisconsin
The personnel rarely matters for Bo Ryan, who always finds a way to win, but Ryan is glad to have Marcus Landry and defensive specialist Joe Krabbenhoft anchoring the frontcourt. Michael Flowers and Brian Butch will be missed, but guard Trevon Hughes is ready to lead the team after a strong junior season. Jason Bohannon takes on a larger role after earning Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2007-08, and sophomore Jon Leuer could help fill the frontcourt void left by Butch.

--Adam Rittenberg, ESPN.com
Big Ten's best
ESPN's Doug Gottlieb counts down the Big Ten's best:

1. Purdue: The Baby Boilers have matured into full-blown stars as E'Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel and Chris Kramer look to add more offense to their already impressive résumé.

2. Michigan State: Raymar Morgan and incoming freshman Delvon Roe give Kalin Lucas plenty of ammo atop a conference lacking weapons in the middle and at the bottom.

3. Wisconsin: Yes, I know Brian Butch, Michael Flowers and Greg Stiemsma are gone, but Bo Ryan brings back his best player (Trevon Hughes), best shooter (Jason Bohannon), best big man (Joe Krabbenhoft) and best defender (Marcus Landry) and brings in a talented frosh Jared Berggren (a big, strong center). Wisconsin will always have a say in the Big Ten title with Bo at the helm.

4. Ohio State: Another year, another star freshman center. B.J. Mullens is an animal inside, and combine his talents with David Lighty (yes, he is still there and only a junior) and incoming star William Buford, and only the play of up-and-down freshman talent Anthony Crater is in question.

5. Minnesota: Tubby Smith really likes Al Nolen's athleticism and upside, but will the point guard reach some of that potential in Year 2? Add in Devoe Joseph from Canada, Colton Iverson (a 6-10 center) from South Dakota and Ralph Sampson III (a 6-11 center) from Duluth, Ga., and Minnesota is a year a way from dancing.

6. Illinois: Chester Frazier and Trent Meacham hope that Demetri McCamey can play all season long the way he did down the stretch. Jamar Smith being booted from the team takes Illinois out of the NCAA hunt.

7. Michigan: Manny Harris, Anthony Wright and DeShawn Sims all return, but sophomore Kelvin Grady's maturation will determine how big a jump there is between Year 1 and Year 2 under John Beilein in Ann Arbor. Also look for Arizona transfer Laval Lucas-Perry.

8. Northwestern: Bill Carmody crew was competitive late last season, and everybody essentially returns, including leading scorer Kevin Coble.

9. Iowa: Talent-wise there is no logical reason Iowa should be ninth and not 10th, but the Hawkeyes defend their tails off at home and coach Todd Lickliter believes recruiting winners in high school will translate to winners in college. Somehow, Iowa will be respectable.

10. Penn State: Jamelle Cornley is undersized, and Penn State is undermanned.

11. Indiana: Kelvin Sampson's scorched earth will take a year to clear out and make Indiana respectable. It'll take two years to make the Hoosiers competitive.
Top returning scorers
Player PPG
Manny Harris, Michigan, Sophomore 16.1
Raymar Morgan, Michigan State, Junior 14.0
Craig Moore, Northwestern, Senior 13.4
E'Twaun Moore, Purdue, Sophomore 12.9
DeShawn Sims, Michigan, Junior 12.3
Top returning rebounders
Player RPG
Goran Suton, Michigan State, Senior 8.2
Joe Krabbenhoft, Wisconsin, Senior 6.5
Raymar Morgan, Michigan State, Junior 6.1
Robbie Hummel, Purdue, Sophomore 6.1
Jamelle Cornely, Penn State, Senior 6.0
Top returning assist leaders
Player APG
Travis Walton, Michigan State, Senior 4.3
Michael Thompson, Northwestern, Soph. 4.3
Kalin Lucas, Michigan State, Sophomore 3.8
Chester Frazier, Illinois, Senior 3.6
Al Nolen, Minnesota, Sophomore 3.5

[jonjd]

This discussion begins and will end with the Purdue Boilermakers.

I'll be back in November.

[Edman85]

This feels good. Still need a rebounder of some sort.

[tys-spikes84]

UofM should dominate big 10 play this year.

[Tressel]

can't wait for another year of watching a big man come in for 1 year and then bolt

[monkeynuts]

It will be interesting to see how the Big Ten/ACC Challenge works out. There does seem to be a chance that the Big Ten could finally pull it out this year...that'll be fun. Other than that, Go Green obviously...but I'd also love to see Purdue to have a great year...Hummel is one hell of a player.

[Sparks4Ever]

Michigan's backcourt should be respectable, but their frontcourt could be horrendous. The key to them having a decent season is probably the development of Ben Cronin into an intimidating front court defender. The kid is listed at 7'1" 265 pounds, so he has the size to be a force, but asking so much of him his freshman season is certainly a bit of a stretch. Zach Gibson also needs to be a more than just a turnstile on defense this season.

Anyway, overall prognosis for Michigan's b-ball team this year: not good.

[DennisDubay]

Originally Posted by Tressel=God

can't wait for another year of watching a big man come in for 1 year and then bolt

Amen. That's why I stopped following college basketball.

Side note: When does Comcast start running the Big 10 Network, anyone know?

[Shelton]

Originally Posted by DennisDubay

Amen. That's why I stopped following college basketball.

Side note: When does Comcast start running the Big 10 Network, anyone know?

Friday, August 15th.

[DennisDubay]

Originally Posted by Shelton

Friday, August 15th.

Thanks Shelton.

[SpartanValor]

Originally Posted by Shelton

Friday, August 15th.

It kills me every time I read this. I never thought I'd yearn for the day in which I once again had comcast...but Time Warner can burn in hell, for all I care.

[lionstigersand...]

Originally Posted by Sparks4Ever

...The key to them having a decent season is probably the development of Ben Cronin into an intimidating front court defender...

Ouch.

[lionstigersand...]

Michigan State released it's '08-'09 schedule. Nice slate...

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

11/05/08 vs. Northern Michigan (Exhib.) # East Lansing, Mich. TBA
11/10/08 vs. Lake Superior State (Exhib.) # East Lansing, Mich. TBA
11/16/08 vs. Idaho East Lansing, Mich. TBA
11/19/08 at IPFW Fort Wayne, Ind. TBA
Old Spice Classic
11/27/08 vs. Maryland Orlando, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET
11/28/08 Gonzaga/Oklahoma State Orlando, Fla. TBA
11/30/08 Siena/Tennessee/Wichita State/Georgetown Orlando, Fla. TBA

12/03/08 vs. North Carolina Detroit, Mich. 9:00 p.m. ET
12/07/08 vs. Bradley East Lansing, Mich. TBA
12/13/08 vs. Alcorn State East Lansing, Mich. TBA
12/17/08 vs. The Citadel East Lansing, Mich. TBA
12/20/08 vs. Texas Houston, Texas TBA
12/27/08 vs. Oakland Auburn Hills, Mich. TBA
12/31/08 at Minnesota * Minneapolis, Minn. 6:00 p.m. ET
01/03/09 at Northwestern * Evanston, Ill. 7:00 p.m. ET
01/06/09 vs. Ohio State * East Lansing, Mich. 7:00 p.m. ET
01/10/09 vs. Kansas East Lansing, Mich. TBA
01/14/09 at Penn State * State College, Pa. 6:30 p.m. ET
01/17/09 vs. Illinois * East Lansing, Mich. 4:00 p.m. ET
01/21/09 vs. Northwestern * East Lansing, Mich. 6:30 p.m. ET
01/25/09 at Ohio State * Columbus, Ohio 3:45 p.m. ET
01/29/09 at Iowa * Iowa City, Iowa 7:00 p.m. ET
02/01/09 vs. Penn State * East Lansing, Mich. 12:00 p.m. ET
02/04/09 vs. Minnesota * East Lansing, Mich. 8:30 p.m. ET
02/07/09 vs. Indiana * East Lansing, Mich. 4:00 p.m. ET
02/10/09 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich. 7:00 p.m. ET
02/17/09 at Purdue * West Lafayette, Ind. 7:00 p.m. ET
02/22/09 vs. Wisconsin * East Lansing, Mich. TBA
02/25/09 vs. Iowa * East Lansing, Mich. 8:30 p.m. ET
02/28/09 at Illinois * Champaign, Ill. TBA
03/01/09 at Illinois * Champaign, Ill. TBA
03/03/09 at Indiana * Bloomington, Ind. TBA
03/04/09 at Indiana * Bloomington, Ind. TBA
03/05/09 at Indiana * Bloomington, Ind. TBA
03/07/09 vs. Purdue * East Lansing, Mich. TBA
03/08/09 vs. Purdue * East Lansing, Mich. TBA

[Timberwolf]

Gophers Basketball is going to be fun to watch this year.

[SpartanValor]

I'm starting to get the basketball itch. Hearing great things about Delvon Roe, and our schedule is sick. The final four being in Detroit is just like icing on the cake. I think we finally have the depth again to make another FF run (to keep Izzo's streak intact, of taking every recruiting class to the final four). I'm freaking pumped. And this picture made me smile:

[Buddha]

College basketball is terrible. The tournament is fun, the rest of the time it's painful to watch. Especially the referees.

[lionstigersand...]

Originally Posted by SpartanValor

I'm starting to get the basketball itch. Hearing great things about Delvon Roe, and our schedule is sick. The final four being in Detroit is just like icing on the cake. I think we finally have the depth again to make another FF run (to keep Izzo's streak intact, of taking every recruiting class to the final four). I'm freaking pumped. And this picture made me smile:

What's so funny about a little public exposure for one of Michigan's championship intramural tea...Those guys are gonna what?!?!

[Edman85]

Feels good to actually be a favorite...

[lionstigersand...]

Originally Posted by Buddha

College basketball is terrible. The tournament is fun, the rest of the time it's painful to watch. Especially the referees.

I couldn't disagree more with the overall sentiment. Also think you should restrict the refereeing qualification to the B10 - which has been atrocious at times, and wholly dissimilar from what one will typically see in other conferences. Which makes little-to-no sense, since referees are free agents so to speak. I swear the difference I've seen has been night and day in some Hightower reffed games in the B10 and the ACC. That's a problem, and Jim Delany and company need to reexamine it.

[SpartanValor]

Originally Posted by Buddha

College basketball is terrible.

I think you forgot a very key noun in this sentence.

Originally Posted by lionstigersand...

What's so funny about a little public exposure for one of Michigan's championship intramural tea...Those guys are gonna what?!?!

They are slightly more, well, aryan than your typical D1 basketball program. But thats ok. You can tell that #0 (whoever that may be) is clearly a badass.

[SpartanValor]

Originally Posted by Edman85

Feels good to actually be a favorite...

Purdue is stacked. I hear Hummel really vamped up his game this offseason (not that he needed to), and dominated the offseason european tourney.

For MSU, I'm glad we only play Wisky once, and its in EL this year. (Izzo vowed revenge at the campout...fwiw...). I see we end the season with Purdue at Breslin. Could be a fun game, hopefully with big time implications.

The rough spot: Maryland, Gonzaga, Tenn/G-town, UNC all in a span of 7 days. Holy shiznit.

[Buddha]

Originally Posted by lionstigersand...

I couldn't disagree more with the overall sentiment. Also think you should restrict the refereeing qualification to the B10 - which has been atrocious at times, and wholly dissimilar from what one will typically see in other conferences. Which makes little-to-no sense, since referees are free agents so to speak. I swear the difference I've seen has been night and day in some Hightower reffed games in the B10 and the ACC. That's a problem, and Jim Delany and company need to reexamine it.

The play in the NBA is so much better than college that it makes college basketball unwatchable. It's like watching a high school game.

College basketball has much more emotion, and that's what makes it interesting. But the actual game play? The game play is terrible. They've been gutted of their talent. It's been that way since the mid 90s when all the best players starting going pro rather than going to college.

And I've never seen college basketball refs that were that good.

Besides, college basketball has Dick Vitale, who makes it unwatchable all by himself.

[SpartanValor]

MSU, as well as (I believe) Purdue, Indiana and Wisconsin, will have their Midnight Madness practice televised live on the BTN on Friday night. I assume they'll jump from practice to practice, as something interesting happens.

These were always fun to go to, hopefully Izzo has something interesting up his sleeve.

[SpartanValor]

My bad, add Minnesota to the list of teams that the BTN will televise.

I'm looking forward to the season, I think MSU has a great team this year.

[Sparks4Ever]

Originally Posted by SpartanValor

I think you forgot a very key noun in this sentence.



They are slightly more, well, aryan than your typical D1 basketball program. But thats ok. You can tell that #0 (whoever that may be) is clearly a badass.

0 is Northwest Indiana player of the year, Zach Novak. Duh!

[A2 Buffalonian]

Already got my tickets for the UNC/State game at Ford Field. I can't wait! I may be a little out numbered...haha.

[SpartanValor]

spartansweblog.com:

Morris Peterson’s #42 will be retired this year–maybe at the Kansas game.
Suton added 10 pounds, body fat down from 12% to 9%
The theme for Midnight Madness will be the 30th anniversary of the 1979 championship game. And the football team will make an appearance.

[Buddha]

what's college basketball? I thought they stopped playing that in 1993?

[SpartanValor]

Originally Posted by Buddha

what's college basketball? I thought they stopped playing that in 1993?

I don't know, but it looks like M's basketball team is pumped up. Although this quote was confusing....apparently Kelvin Grady is not a fan of the office:

"In March, I don't plan on watching the TV"

He must have been out partying with his brother when he dropped this line:

I don't feel like we get as much respect as we deserve.

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/bask...eadership.html




Does anyone else find it strange that the BTN's coverage of Midnight Madness ends at.......11:30?

[SpartanValor]

MSU gets most of their tv time on the BTN starting at 11pm EST. For those interested.

Wisconsin is on right now. There is like no one there. Are all big ten schools like that? MSU tends to fill up Breslin.

[sbcaptain2]

I know this is supposed to be a Big Ten thread, but I feel like if I started a Big East thread I might end up being the only one posting in it. Here are my observations from UConn's First Night (aka Midnight Madness) festivities:

-After the Women's team was introduced, senior point guard Renee Montgomery said that they are going to win the national championship this year. No one on the men's team was quite that bold, but Calhoun said they have high expectations.

-Women's scrimmage: Maya Moore dominated. She is one heck of a player. Renee Montgomery hit a three and Tina Charles scored a couple times from the post.

-Two ball shootout: This contest paired a men's player and a women's player. They got three points for a three, two points for a free throw, and one point for a layup and they had 45 seconds to get as high of a score as possible. The team of Craig Austrie and Maya Moore dominated. Both of them knocked down threes like crazy. Craig was good, but Maya was the reason for this pair's dominance. In the final round, she didn't miss a single shot and all of them were from three-point land.

-Women's slam dunk contest: For the first time in UConn history, a women's dunk contest was part of the First Night festivities. Maya Moore and Tina Charles were the participants. They didn't do anything terribly fancy, but just the fact that these girls were able to throw it down brought the crowd to its feet. Maya won. Realize that Maya is only six feet tall (Tina is 6'4''). The fact that she can dunk is a testament to her phenomenal athletic ability. She was a first team All-American last year as a freshman and could end up being the best player in women's college basketball this year.

-Men's slam dunk contest: Jerome Dyson, Gavin Edwards, and Kemba Walker were the participants. Gavin's best dunk was a two-handed 360. Kemba's was a two-handed reverse jam. Jerome won. He had two spectacular dunks. On his first dunk, he threw it up to himself and tomahawked it with his right hand. On his last dunk, AJ Price threw the ball off the side of the backboard, Jerome jumped, caught the ball, and threw it down in one fluid motion. I was disappointed that Hasheem didn't compete in the contest. Last year he was the runner up to Stanley Robinson. He was a judge instead.

-Men's scrimmage: Freshman point guard Kemba Walker really stood out. He scored twice, but what really stood out was his speed with the basketball in his hands and his playmaking ability. He made some dazzling passes that made my jaw drop. AJ Price looks healthy. He did not favor his knee at all and he looked to be at full speed. Freshman shooting guard Scottie Haralson's shot was off the mark. He attempted three 3s and none of them were close to going in (in fact, he was lucky to even hit the rim). I've heard a lot of great things about his outside shooting, so he was probably just nervous. Jeff Adrien, who shot 60% from the charity stripe last season, stepped up to the line and knocked down both free throws he attempted.

[SpartanValor]

I must say, the BTN's coverage sucked. Its called *Midnight* madness for a reason....don't end the coverage at 11:30, just because you feel a need to show FNT for some delusional reason. You have the chance to show live coverage of an event, instead of the constantly replayed shows, and you pre-empt it for one of those pre-taped programs. Hmm...

I'm probably severly biased, but I thought MSU's was the best (of course). Breslin actually looked full on tv, and the intro's were more interesting than just players dancing to disco music. Of course, in the middle of Izzo's montage (of which he's probably the only coach in the big ten to actually participate in midnight madness, rather than just walk out onto the court) gets cut in the middle of it so they can start their wonderful friday night tailgate show on time. Painful.

[lionstigersand...]

I thought we had an MSU Hoops thread, but I couldn't find it. Nevertheless, it sounds like 2010 Top 100 player Russell Byrd is about to announce this Friday, and most indications seem pretty favorable for the good green guys.

[SpartanValor]

Russell Byrd announces his school of interest at 3:30pm this afternoon. Its down to Kentucky, MSU, and Michigan. It will be either MSU or Kentucky. After attending MSU's midnight madness last Friday, he announced that he was ready to make his decision.

He's a 6-5 SG, with a heck of a shooting stroke from the sounds of it. Sure would be nice to land this kid.

http://michiganstate.scout.com/a.z?s...=1&nid=3257338

http://michiganstate.rivals.com/vide...her&vidid=5015

[SpartanValor]

Originally Posted by lionstigersand...

I thought we had an MSU Hoops thread, but I couldn't find it. Nevertheless, it sounds like 2010 Top 100 player Russell Byrd is about to announce this Friday, and most indications seem pretty favorable for the good green guys.

Wow, your post says it was made on Wednesday night, but I never saw it. Crazy. I too couldn't find the MSU hoops thread.

[SpartanValor]

Byrd to MSU.

http://michiganstate.rivals.com/barr...tid=&mid=&rid=

Thats a hell of a class, with Byrd joining Keith Appling. Izzo is incredible at what he does.

I guess Byrd is actually 6-7, not 6-5. Thats a huge SG.

[SpartanValor]

The USA Today/ESPN poll has come out, and MSU is #7, the highest ranked Big Ten team. Purdue is #10, Wisconsin at #21.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3672342

I have a feeling its going to be a very good year for MSU sports...

[Sparks4Ever]

Originally Posted by SpartanValor

Byrd to MSU.

http://michiganstate.rivals.com/barr...tid=&mid=&rid=

Thats a hell of a class, with Byrd joining Keith Appling. Izzo is incredible at what he does.

I guess Byrd is actually 6-7, not 6-5. Thats a huge SG.

Two shooting guards in the lower half of the top 100 is an uninspiring class for Izzo. As a Michigan fan, I'd love to have those guys, but MSU's an elite b-ball school, and those are pretty ordinary gets for Izzo, especially compared to his 2007 and 2008 class.

[lionstigersand...]

Originally Posted by Sparks4Ever

Two shooting guards in the lower half of the top 100 is an uninspiring class for Izzo. As a Michigan fan, I'd love to have those guys, but MSU's an elite b-ball school, and those are pretty ordinary gets for Izzo, especially compared to his 2007 and 2008 class.

All I know is that they've all been Izzo Plan A guys...I think Byrd is being brought in to service a very specific need (the three), the fact that he's a pretty good all-around athlete to go with it was gravy. Appling was a top 50 until the latest rankings shuffle I believe. MSU views him as more of a combo guard, who very well may see his fair of time at the point in the future.

I think Scout had Appling at 42 and Byrd at 69 for what that's worth. When all is said and done I imagine Appling will be a top 50 player (RSCI) and Byrd will be around 75. What'll really be interesting is seeing what MSU does with its last slot. Zeigler? Martin? Sykes? A big? Between: Zeigler, Appling and Sykes - the three are gonna be damn near interchangable in the indexed rankings - and I think MSU may well love to have any 2 of the three (and I've think they've got a pretty good shot if they want another wing in that class).

[SpartanValor]

Originally Posted by Sparks4Ever

Two shooting guards in the lower half of the top 100 is an uninspiring class for Izzo. As a Michigan fan, I'd love to have those guys, but MSU's an elite b-ball school, and those are pretty ordinary gets for Izzo, especially compared to his 2007 and 2008 class.

Its very possible that I don't know what I'm talking about...but two things:

1). I tend to give Izzo the benefit of the doubt in issues related to recruiting. With basketball, and rosters/scholarships so much less than football, I see him pretty much recruiting by position for each class. Its like he specifically picks out a particular player he wants, and goes with it. (I think big men are big in his 2009 class). Anyway, I have faith.

2). Everyone seem to want Byrd. MSU, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio State. A top 20 player at his position (Appling #12). I don't know that I'd call him ordinary.