Big Ten basketball Update and Power Rankings

Oh to be hovering around the .500 mark in the Big Ten conference this year. The success or failure to get into the NCAA tournament may hinge on how well Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin will finish the season.

This group of five teams is probably battling for three or four NCAA tournament berths besides Michigan State, Illinois and Purdue. All are either 8-7 or 8-8 in conference play as the last part of the conference season unfolds.

Wisconsin is the team that is streaking as it has won five out of its last six games. Ohio State and Penn State have been sitting around .500. Ohio State has won five of its last eight. Penn State has won only two of its last six. Minnesota is in crash-and-burn mode as it has won twice in its last seven games. Michigan has won four of its last seven.

It’s really hard to know who exactly has the inside edge. If you look at one prognostication, Wisconsin is in the tournament and Minnesota is out. If you look at another Minnesota is in.

The bottom line is how the teams play against each other. For Minnesota, home games at Williams Arena against Wisconsin and Michigan could solidify or cripple its chances. Michigan plays at Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Penn State has the best road with home games against Indiana and Illinois and at Iowa. Ohio State has games at Iowa and Norhtwestern.

As jumbled as it looks, it also may take a win or two in the conference tournament to solidify a bid.

First black Big 10 honor will not happen

Indiana broke new ground when it decided to admit Bill Garrett to the university in 1948. Garrett played for the Hoosiers from 1948-51 and earned All-American honors in 1951.

IU wanted to add his name to the conference’s first black to a gymnasium because his family decided against the ideas.

While Indiana trustees approved the move, the Garrett family apparently decided they did not want Garrett’s name to go with the Ora L. Wildermuth Intramural Center.

Apparently, part of the Garrett’s family problem is because Wildermuth was the IU board president in 1945 and stated that he opposed integration of the school.

Garrett became Mr. Basketball for Indiana in 1947 when he played at Shelbyville. But his life was cut short when he passed away in 1974 at age 45.

Briefly…

When a team is short of talent, it must find able bodies somewhere. IU team manager Mike Santa recently learned he earned a scholarship and will be on scholarhip as a guard for the remainder of the season. Santa is 5-9 wore No. 1 on Feb. 25 against Northwestern. It didn’t matter. The Wildcats ended a 35-game losing streak at Indiana with a 75-53 win on Feb. 25. However, at 1-14 and 6-21, the depleted Hoosiers have set a single-school record in losses….Michigan’s 87 points against Purdue on Feb. 26 were the most in a Big 10 game since 2000.

Power Rankings

1. Michigan St.
2. Illinois
3. Purdue
4. Penn State
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan
7. Minnesota
8. Wisconsin
9. Northwestern
10. Iowa
11. Indiana

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