It only took us 11 years, but the Big Ten has finally broken through in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.  Finally a reprieve from articles and posts about how the Big Ten is so overrated after 6-to-5 losses in the Challenge, despite consistently impressive post-season performances.  Let the ubridled hype commence! 

Alright maybe not, but it still feels good.  I said on Tuesday that the Big Ten would be in good shape if it could enter the final day tied at three games apiece.  I didn’t think that would include a win from Northwestern Tuesday and certainly didn’t think Wisconsin would knock off Duke last night.  It was classic Wisconsin basketball last night with big white guys banking in eight-footers and superb defense winning the night. 

Wisconsin beating Duke was awesome, but Illinois had the game of the night.  The Illini used a 28-4 run in the second half to score their biggest comeback in school history.  Illinois managed to gel as a team in the second half, something that was visibly missing early in the year.  Behind Tisdale, Davis, McCamey, and freshman Brandon Paul, the Illini erased a 23-point deficit in the second half and when Tisdale had the go-ahead bucket with 41 seconds to go, they just had to hold off Clemson for the huge win.  Oddly, Illinois avenged a win from last year’s Challenge where Clemson was the team escaping with an identical 76-74 score. 

About a month remains until the Big Ten season starts and the Illini will have a couple more chances to build a resume before the battle begins in conference play.  That battle is sure to be fierce, but until then we can all bask in the glory of a sweet victory.

• ESPN Ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber’s last column for the WWL.  She was one of the most overlooked, underappreciated, and brilliant voices in sports media.  [ESPN]
• Another vote for the Bears trading for Jay Cutler.  Your move Angelo.  [Sun-Times]
• Chester Frazier a “long shot” to play in the NCAA Tournament.  So you’re telling me there’s a chance…[Tribune]
• Don’t sleep on Alabama State and the guy with the best name ever: Chief Kickingstallionsims.  Play-in opening round game is tonight. [Deadspin]
• Northwestern is a five seed in the NIT.  They’ll get Tulsa in the first round, then could play one seed Auburn in the second.  I have a hard time believing they shouldn’t beat both of those teams actually.  [CSTV]
• What is it with Wisconsin running backs recently?  I know P.J. Hill is on his way to the NFL, but getting picked up for a DUI after leading police on a chase isn’t going to help.  At least it wasn’t on a moped.  [FanHouse]
• Could San Diego be Mark Prior’s last chance?  God help the team that thinks it’s not.  [Zoner Sports]
• Samardzija blasted again as the Cubs lose to the Brewers.  Is it time to decide he is starting out in the pen?  Starting in Iowa?  [Bleed Cubbie Blue]

Day one of the Big Ten Tourney was pretty boring, to put it bluntly.  Minnesota led pretty much the whole way and ended any hopes Northwestern had for their first ever tournament  berth.  Then Michigan jumped out to an early lead and never looked back against Iowa, all but clinching their first tournament appearance in 11 years.  To end the day, Penn State beat Indiana in a game that was virtually unwatchable.  Today promises to be better and if the other conference tournaments have taught us anything, it’s to be ready for the upset.

11:00 am (1) Michigan State vs. (8) Minnesota-

Michigan State swept the series against Minnesota winning easily on the road and blowing the Gophers out 76-47 in the Breslin Center.  Both teams have quite a bit to play for as well.  The Spartans find themselves still alive for a one seed in the NCAA Tournament and with Oklahoma and Pittsburgh losing, they actually have a pretty good chance if they run the table.  Minnesota finds itself scoreboard watching already and might need a win to get in.  Westbrook and the big guys inside will need to lead Minnesota if they’re to have a chance, but Michigan State can rotate a lot of bodies in there with Suton, Roe, Green, and Gray, and the Sparties have the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Travis Walton to match up with Westbrook.  The Gophers pulled off the upset of the conference tourney last year against Indiana, and they’ll need an equally surprising result today.

1:30 (4) Wisconsin vs. (5) Ohio State-

The Badgers hosted the only meeting between these teams and won it by five.  Both teams are near locks for the tournament at this point and are both nine seeds in the latest Bracketology.  That doesn’t mean that we’ll see a relaxed game between two apathetic teams though.  The Badgers seem to make it to the last day of this tournament every year, and Bo Ryan will likely be pissed with anything less this year.  Ohio State hasn’t played its best basketball down the stretch and would like nothing more than to build a little momentum going into the Big Dance by winning today and getting a shot at Michigan State tomorrow.  The key for Wisconsin will be to contain Evan Turner.  The kid can score and is capable of putting the Buckeyes on his back for a win.  Ohio State will need to keep Wisconsin off the glass.  The Badgers are at their best when they hit the offensive boards.  So many easy putbacks and open threes are set up on second chance points for Wisconsin.

Michigan takes on Illinois at 5:30 and Penn State gets Purdue in the late game.  I’ll preview those a little later today.

It’s a little hard to believe, but some of the smaller conference tournaments start this week and teams will be punching their tickets to the Big Dance soon.  Sometimes it’s a little tough to keep track of who’s in and who’s out, so here’s a rundown of how the Big Ten is looking.

In: Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois

The Spartans clinched at least a share of the Big Ten Championship Sunday, beating Illinois.  With a trip to the finals of the conference tournament the Spartans will likely lock up a two seed in the field of 64.  Purdue and Illinois have been impressive all year, hovering in the top 25 for most of the time.  Both suffered big losses this week (at Michigan for Purdue and against MSU for Illinois) that will knock them down a peg or two when it comes to seeding.  If you don’t think the last week and the conference tourney is important for these two, the difference between a 3 seed and a 4 or 5 could mean the difference between playing UNC or Kansas to start the second weekend.

Out: Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern

Northwestern had a chance to sneak into the bubble talk, but a stretch where the Wildcats lost 4 of 5 probably doomed them.  With games at Purdue and Ohio State left, it doesn’t look good.  NU fans should be proud of this group though, they played hard all the time and were actually pretty fun to watch.

On the Bubble: Ohio State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Penn State

Most think the Big Ten ends up with 6 or 7 spots in the tourney, meaning that one or two of these teams will be playing in the NIT.  Ohio State is the safest this bunch I think, with season sweeps against Michigan and Penn State.  They played a respectable out of conference slate and finish out with easier games against Iowa and Northwestern.  Wisconsin is also pretty safe after a big win against Michigan Sunday.  The Badgers played the toughest schedule of the bubble teams, have the best RPI, and are 9-7 in the conference.  Wisconsin plays at Minnesota and finishes with Indiana at home.

Minnesota, Penn State, and Michigan are the interesting ones here.  Penn State saw their touney dreams flash before their eyes on Saturday as they barely escaped with a win at home against Indiana.  The Nittany Lions have 20 wins, but played an embarrassing non-conference schedule including such tournament bound teams as…well, no one.  Lunardi has PSU as one of the last four teams in the tournament right now, but they might need to win out to stay in with the winner of the Michigan-Minnesota game this weekend likely getting a big boost.

Minnesota and Michigan play on Saturday and the winner has a very good chance of making the Big Dance.  Both teams have very impressive non-conference wins; Louisville for Minnesota and Duke and UCLA for Michigan.  I’d say Michigan has to win at Minnesota and their first round game in the Big Ten Tournament to get in, while Minnesota has to split their home games against Wisconsin and Michigan this week and win one tourney game as well.

Big games to watch:

• Ohio State at Iowa, Tue. 8:05 PM (BTN)
• Wisconsin at Minnesota, Wed. 7:30 PM (BTN)
• Illinois at Penn State, Thu. 8:00 PM (ESPN)
• Michigan at Minnesota, Sat. 11:00 AM (ESPN)
• Penn State at Iowa, Sat. 1:05 PM (BTN)
• Purdue at Michigan State, Sun. 11:00 AM (CBS)
• Indiana at Wisconsin, Sun. 6:00 PM (BTN)