Behind the Mic

Can Anybody Figure Out This Race?

Posted by: Brian Barnhart

Monday, February 2, 2009 9:58 AM

Consider these twists and turns of the first half of the Big Ten race:

1) League leader Michigan State has won 5 road games in conference play already...but their 2 Big Ten losses have come at home to Northwestern and Penn State.  The Wildcats had not won in East Lansing since Ronald Reagan was President (1984)...and the Nittany Lions had NEVER won there (0-16 before Sunday)

2) Northwestern wins at MSU but then has to hold off winlees Indiana at home to keep the Hoosiers from getting their first win in conference

3)Penn State has to rally from a double-digit deficit at home against Iowa ...who is fighting to stay ahead of the Hoosiers at the bottom of the standings

4)Wisconsin starts 3-0 in the Big Ten....and hasnt won since...losing 6 straight going into Thursday's game against the Illini.   The Badgers with 6 straight LOSSES?...is that even possible?

5) Purdue starts 0-2 and was playing terrible at Northwestern before pulling that game out of the fire at the very end.  They now are just a 1/2 game out of first place...and playing as well as anybody in the league with 6 straight wins.

6) Ohio State pummels Michigan twice...but has to fight off Indiana in Bloomington to win a shootout.

7) Minnesota rallies from a huge deficit to win at Wisconsin....has to rally from behind to win at struggling Iowa and Indiana...but loses 2 home games to Michigan State and Purdue.   They then hold the best shooting team in the Big Ten (Illinois) to 29 percent shooting at Williams Arena.

One thing that is clear in the midst of all this craziness....There is as strong a group of coaches in the Big Ten as there has been top to bottom in the league in a long time.  And they all bring different styles and approaches to the table.

Look ahead at the Illini schedule for February.....At Wisconsin...Purdue...at Northwestern...at Indiana... Penn State...at Ohio State....Minnesota....Michigan State..

The first leg of that journey is at the Kohl Center Thursday night at 8 pm.  Talk to you then.. 

 

 

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