Down to the last week of Big Ten regular season action.
The truely impactful games are now limited to a handful:
Both Iowa games,of course and then:
MSU at IU tonite. MSU can clinch the Big Ten by themselves with a win tonite. IU has beaten Ky and OSU in Assembly Hall,so they do play better at home.
MSU is smelling that title,tho,as we saw last week when they outscored Minny 10-0 in the last two minutes to come from behind to win by 4.
Green is willing them to some road wins.
IU only has pride and a better seed on the line,but that crowd will not let them slack off.
Should be a barnburner....IU 77 MSU 75
OSU vs NW on Wed.nite... NW can probably clinch their first ever NCAA bid with a win. They have beaten MSU and Iowa in Evanston.
OSU is leaking oil,losing 3 of 5, and will face a hot shooting NW team,while being very cold shooting themselves of late.
Of course,the X factor is that Sully is a true big man,who probably can help beat that 1-3-1 zone of NW by himself. Key being he can create space by his huge arse,allowing for lobs into the paint,once there,it is a sure bucket. That drives NW out of the 1-3-1 fairly quickly,and then OSU's athletes can take over....OSU 71 NW 62.
The above games set up the other two critical games on the weekend:
OSU at MSU...for a piece of the title. MSU is very tough at home,and playing better,but Matta has a knack of winning Big Ten titles.
OSU in a squeaker...OSU 68 MSU 67.
And finally, the last team on the bubble will determine their own fate,probably with NW coming to Iowa City to face the Hawks.
NW averages 9 made 3 pters/game,which is pretty good considering they are 2nd in the league in 3pt fg %. Obviously, they lead the league in made 3 pters by a large margin. So, can they shoot the Hawks out of a Senior Day win in Carver? Maybe. But, they have to be feeling extreme pressure with the weight of 100 years of NW bb futility coming down on a single game. Shurna will not blink,but some of the others might.
Fran will have studied that 1-3-1 zone meticulously,and probably come to the conclusion that we have no answer. I have been watching other teams attack it,and PSU,Mich,Minny all struggled with it also.
It has really improved,with Markotullio and Cobb back from injury,giving them two more wing guys in the rotation.
Iowa does not have the big guy to lob to,so they simply have to attack with sharper exterior passing. Bryce cannot drive into it,be surrounded and turn it over like last time. Spread the floor as much as possible, make them commit and quickly jump up and pass over it,followed by a couple more quick passes to get an open shot from the arc,or drive it into the paint and disk to Mel or White.
It will be ugly,but this team will find a way to honor Matt on Senior Day with a win....Iowa 61 NW 59.
As for Iowa vs Neb....a gimpy Spencer is limited,like Bryce,and they will net out...so Iowa will find a way to get by the Huskers ...Iowa 74 Neb 68.
Go Hawks!
The truely impactful games are now limited to a handful:
Both Iowa games,of course and then:
MSU at IU tonite. MSU can clinch the Big Ten by themselves with a win tonite. IU has beaten Ky and OSU in Assembly Hall,so they do play better at home.
MSU is smelling that title,tho,as we saw last week when they outscored Minny 10-0 in the last two minutes to come from behind to win by 4.
Green is willing them to some road wins.
IU only has pride and a better seed on the line,but that crowd will not let them slack off.
Should be a barnburner....IU 77 MSU 75
OSU vs NW on Wed.nite... NW can probably clinch their first ever NCAA bid with a win. They have beaten MSU and Iowa in Evanston.
OSU is leaking oil,losing 3 of 5, and will face a hot shooting NW team,while being very cold shooting themselves of late.
Of course,the X factor is that Sully is a true big man,who probably can help beat that 1-3-1 zone of NW by himself. Key being he can create space by his huge arse,allowing for lobs into the paint,once there,it is a sure bucket. That drives NW out of the 1-3-1 fairly quickly,and then OSU's athletes can take over....OSU 71 NW 62.
The above games set up the other two critical games on the weekend:
OSU at MSU...for a piece of the title. MSU is very tough at home,and playing better,but Matta has a knack of winning Big Ten titles.
OSU in a squeaker...OSU 68 MSU 67.
And finally, the last team on the bubble will determine their own fate,probably with NW coming to Iowa City to face the Hawks.
NW averages 9 made 3 pters/game,which is pretty good considering they are 2nd in the league in 3pt fg %. Obviously, they lead the league in made 3 pters by a large margin. So, can they shoot the Hawks out of a Senior Day win in Carver? Maybe. But, they have to be feeling extreme pressure with the weight of 100 years of NW bb futility coming down on a single game. Shurna will not blink,but some of the others might.
Fran will have studied that 1-3-1 zone meticulously,and probably come to the conclusion that we have no answer. I have been watching other teams attack it,and PSU,Mich,Minny all struggled with it also.
It has really improved,with Markotullio and Cobb back from injury,giving them two more wing guys in the rotation.
Iowa does not have the big guy to lob to,so they simply have to attack with sharper exterior passing. Bryce cannot drive into it,be surrounded and turn it over like last time. Spread the floor as much as possible, make them commit and quickly jump up and pass over it,followed by a couple more quick passes to get an open shot from the arc,or drive it into the paint and disk to Mel or White.
It will be ugly,but this team will find a way to honor Matt on Senior Day with a win....Iowa 61 NW 59.
As for Iowa vs Neb....a gimpy Spencer is limited,like Bryce,and they will net out...so Iowa will find a way to get by the Huskers ...Iowa 74 Neb 68.
Go Hawks!
