Weekend B1G Hoops: Open Thread

Update (1/9): Lines added for Saturday games since they've come available.  Sunday games will be updated that morning.

No real marquee matchups, but a couple of games that could help shake out where a few teams stand.

No. 3 Maryland Terrapins @ Wisconsin Badgers

Where:  ESPN

When:  Saturday, January 9th, 1:00pm ET

Who:

Wisconsin (9-7)   60
Kenpom	51	StewPoll	97	Massey Composite	71

Maryland (14-1)   63
Kenpom	14	StewPoll	14	Massey Composite	15

Line:  Maryland -4.  Line opened at -2.5 and promptly moved to -4 in a few hours.

Wisconsin covered the spread, but let Melo do this to end the game:

Northwestern Wildcats @ Minnesota Golden Gophers

Where:  BTN

When:  Saturday, January 9th, 2:30pm ET

Who:

Minnesota (6-9)   52
Kenpom	162	StewPoll	189	Massey Composite	164

Northwestern (13-3)   77
Kenpom	50	StewPoll	50	Massey Composite	48

Line: Northwestern -2.5  this seems fairly low for this game, perhaps Vegas thinks jNW is not as good as they appear.

Thoughts: Great bounce back game for Northwestern, who badly needed to end their 2 game losing skid.

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Where: ESPNU

When:  Saturday, January 9th, 5pm ET

Who:

Nebraska (8-8)
Kenpom	156	StewPoll	166	Massey Composite	139

Rutgers (6-10)
Kenpom	249	StewPoll	226	Massey Composite	233

Line:  Nebraska -4.  Nebraska, if you do not cover this spread, you also need to re-evaluate your program.

Thoughts:  Rutgers is bad.  Really, really bad.  Let's discuss there viability as a Division 1 program and if there is any conference they could win.

No. 5 Michigan State Spartans @ Penn State Nittany Lions

Where:  BTN

When:  Wednesday, January 10, 12pm ET

Who:

MSU (15-1)
Kenpom	7	StewPoll	7	Massey Composite	5

Penn State (10-6)
Kenpom	133	StewPoll	119	Massey Composite	116

Line:  n/a

Thoughts:  Denzel Valentine is coming back this game.  MSU doesn't even need that and it's still a blowout.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Indiana Hoosiers

Where:  CBS

When:  Sunday, January 10th, 1:30pm ET

Who:

Ohio State (11-5)
Kenpom	54	StewPoll	43	Massey Composite	54

Indiana (13-3)
Kenpom	25	StewPoll	35	Massey Composite	33

Line:  n/a

Thoughts:  Can Ohio State keep up the turn around? Force turnovers and force Indiana to guard to keep winning.  These turnovers are going to catch up to the Hoosiers in conference play.

No. 20 Purdue Boilermakers @ Illinois Fighting Illini

Where: BTN

When:  Sunday, January 10th, 6pm ET

Who:

Purdue (14-2)
Kenpom	6	StewPoll	12	Massey Composite	10

Illinois (8-8)
Kenpom	117	StewPoll	131	Massey Composite	111

Line:  n/a

Thoughts:  Purdue is going to get Illinois into foul trouble and it's going to end the game for them.  8 scholarship players against a team that likes to bang inside? It could be a long night for the Illini'.

Go ahead and use this for the weekend basketball open thread and general hoops discussion.  Great, great discussions to be had.  The poll can get everyone started!