The Big Ten may only have three ranked teams, but having two out of the top four isn’t bad, considering that both Michigan State and Maryland are national title contenders.
What remains to be seen, though, is just how strong the likes of Indiana, Northwestern, and Iowa can be when things get down and dirty in conference play. What else have we learned or are we hoping to learn?
More Than a Two-Team Race: Sure, both Michigan State and Maryland have looked consistently like the top two teams in the conference, but going into Purdue and coming out with a win isn’t going to be easy for anyone. In fact, I’d predict that it doesn’t happen in conference play. With the Boilermakers’ size underneath, they’ll have the dogs to compete with anyone, but the question is whether or not their guard play can compete with the likes of Melo Trimble and Denzel Valentine.
Tom Crean Can’t Get It Done: I know, it feels a little early to just call this season (and his tenure) a failure, given the fact that they’re still in a position to make the NCAA Tournament and, once there, who knows what will happen. But Crean has a top 15 type of roster that plays without any sort of basketball IQ on the offensive end and can’t get a stop to save their life on the other end. It’s really hard to watch at times, because there’s no reason this team should be this bad. One has to think we’re watching his Swan Song in Bloomington.
The Bottom Is…Bad: The Big Ten may have a lot of strength up top, but the bottom half of this conference is really, really bad. Sure, Ohio State picked up a big time win over Kentucky, but they’ve looked pathetic for the majority of this season. Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers…these are not good basketball teams and it’s going to hurt the Big Ten down the road.
