2010-2011 Season

Big Ten Roundup: February 28th, 2011

Team W L Poss. Off. Eff. Def. Eff. Eff. Margin
Ohio State 14 2 63 1.15 1.02 0.13
Purdue 13 3 64 1.13 1.00 0.13
Wisconsin 12 4 57 1.18 1.05 0.13
Illinois 8 8 64 1.07 1.03 0.04
Penn State 8 8 58 1.09 1.09 0.00
Minnesota 6 10 62 1.04 1.06 -0.02
Michigan 8 9 61 1.06 1.10 -0.04
Michigan State 8 8 63 1.01 1.06 -0.05
Northwestern 6 11 62 1.06 1.15 -0.09
Indiana 3 13 64 1.03 1.13 -0.10
Iowa 3 13 66 0.99 1.11 -0.12

Conference only stats from StatSheet.com

The leagues top three are in a dead heat efficiency wise. Purdue looms just a game behind Ohio State and although Ohio State controls its own destiny, the final week of the regular season could get interesting at the top.

The middle of the standings are where entire seasons lie in the balance. Michigan St., Illinois, Michigan, Penn State, and Minnesota are all in the thick of the bubble conversation and have a number of huge games ahead. Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State all have the ability to play their way into the Big Ten Tournaments 4-5 game and avoid playing on Thursday.  Michigan and Penn State have been quietly climbing into the race while Illinois and Michigan State are attempting to tread water until Selection Sunday. Minnesota continues to fall rapidly, already with 10 conference losses, without point guard Al Nolen. — Dylan Burkhardt

jajuan

Surprise of the week: Purdue getting whatever they wanted against Michigan State and blowing the Spartans out at the Breslin Center. It’s true that Purdue is on an incredible roll and has to be considered one of the three best teams in the conference (along with Ohio State and Wisconsin). It’s also true that Michigan State has had an awful year by their standards. But at the same time, Michigan State has appeared to be improving as the year winds down. After that ugly loss at Iowa, the Spartans’ only two losses were at Wisconsin and at Ohio State, and they’d beaten Penn State, Illinois and Minnesota on the road. So they seemed as ready as possible to welcome Purdue into the Breslin and at least give them a challenge. The end result was the first 20 point home loss for the Spartans since 2003 when Duke won by 22. — Joe Stapleton


Disappointment of the week: Illinois not really putting up much of a fight against Ohio State. It’s been a disappointing few games for the Illini. After losing to Purdue, barely beating Michigan at home and losing to Michigan State, Illinois had to travel to Ohio State and take on the Buckeyes. After such a stretch, it’s understandable that they were tired. They certainly played like it. Ohio State didn’t have much trouble doing whatever they wanted. William Buford had 17 points in the first half and David Lighty had 17 of his own in the second half. Illinois went on a run early in the second half to pull the game to within six points, but after that it was never that close. Ohio State was in control the whole game and ended up winning by double digits. I’m sure Illinois fans would have liked a stronger performance against one of the Big Ten’s best two teams but a split in their final two games – at Purdue and vs. Indiana – would probably be enough to put Illinois on the right side of the bubble. — Joe Stapleton

Unsung hero: Jeff Brooks with 20 points and seven rebounds in Penn State’s win against Northwestern. Whenever you hear about Penn State, the guy you always hear about is Talor Battle. But Brooks has developed into quite a weapon for the Nittany Lions during his senior season. Brooks averages 13 points and seven rebounds for Penn State this year, including a 22-point performance against Iowa at home and a 23-point night at Indiana earlier in the year. He has become the guy the Lions go to when things aren’t working for Battle, and Michigan ought to be very thankful he didn’t play when the Wolverines played Penn State in State College. — Joe Stapleton

Stat line of the week: JaJuan Johnson with 20 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks against Michigan State. Johnson and the Boilermakers really gave Michigan State all they could handle in the Breslin Center on Sunday. After a 16-5 run midway through the first half, Purdue essentially routed the Spartans, who didn’t look ready to play. The 17 rebounds were a career high for Johnson and Purdue is without a doubt playing its best basketball at exactly the right time. The Boilermakers can add this win to a long list of impressive ones to wind down the season, including victories over Wisconsin and Ohio State. — Joe Stapleton

Game of the week: I think this has to go to Michigan-Wisconsin. It was one of the most agonizing losses in recent memory for Michigan fans, but to anyone else it really was a great game. Both teams played pretty well and it was a battle throughout with an extremely tense ending and a last-second, banked-in, 3-pointer. Can’t ask much more out of a game than that. — Joe Stapleton

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