Helluva conference schedule on now: The Michigan schools experienced a weekend swoon, with the chance to get right against the dregs of the conference on Tuesday. One did, one didn’t, and now wisconsin is apparently in the conference title race. Three ranked teams fighting for better than a 5-seed went on the road to formidable, hostile arenas, and both came out ahead. Ohio State and Penn State also played a game of basketball, we think. A LOT HAPPENED!
And now, we move onto my appeal: Stop bitching about the refs.
Like, Big Ten referees are bad. No one denies this! Everybody knows! Do home teams get more calls? Probably! I’m sure someone has even done research to prove this point! But guess what? No one still cares.
I say this not in reaction just to the Maryland fans or Nebraska fans incessantly bitching about the Bruno Fernando kerfuffle. I say this not just to people whining about the usual Tom Izzo stomping around nonsense. I say this not just to Gopher fans whining that the Minnesota-wisconsin game was called beyond loosely or that Brad Davison has quickly become Cold Grayson Allen. I say this not just to the Iowa fans with a massive fucking complex that no one will give poor Iowa a call.
Jesus, just shut up. We have zoomed so far away from actually appreciating basketball and our maddening coaches and shitty shooters and dead home-court atmospheres and the likeable and hateable and controversial figures and it feels, at points, like all we fucking do is worry about how the game is being refereed.
In that vein, I’ll comment Richard Pitino for his public comments, saying—in effect—that the Gophers lost because they shot like actual dogshit—1/13 from deep, for instance. He did not take the bait splattered about by the Twin Cities media like stool in Sid Hartman’s trousers. We all ought to learn from his example, and I can’t believe I’m saying that.
Tuesday
#7 Michigan Wolverines 77, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 65
MNW: I tuned in to approximately four minutes of this, and it was exactly what you thought it would be, only Rutgers shot surprisingly well from deep (41.4%) upon further reflection. Eugene Omoruyi is back for the Knights, and that could bode well down the stretch; meanwhile, Ignas Brazdeikis and Zavier Simpson continue to do the usual things for Michigan. You learned nothing; move on.
Illinois Fighting Illini 79, #9 Michigan State Spartans 74
Thump: Ayo Dosunmu is definitely gone, Brad Underwood’s probably going to stay, which i guess won’t be the worst as long as Orlando Antigua stays.
Anyways, as I have said repeatedly, Giorgi Bezhanishvili is just the best. [Ed. note; He played very well—particularly some great positioning and touch around the basket. But that’s not what we’re doing here.] Here is him trying to convince the ref it’s Illinois ball after halftime:
lmao pic.twitter.com/aKustt7NyH
— Big Ten Geek (@bigtengeek) February 6, 2019
Thump: Jesus, we might not have the most losses in Illini history if this shit keeps up. 20 losses seemed like a lock.
Anyways, thoughts and prayers to the Illini fans who might have had to suffer a 20-loss season for once in their miserable existence. Can you imagine the horror?
Wednesday
#24 Maryland Terrapins 60, Nebraska Cornhuskers 45
Well, this happened...
BigRedTwice: There’s not a lot to say about that game except that Nebraska is absolutely crap right now. They shot 22% from the field. That’s... below what a lot of middle school teams shoot. Their D was fine and their rebounding was ok. They only turned the ball over five times. But none of that matters when you’re that putrid shooting the ball. And right now, Nebraska simply can’t get a thing to fall. It’s pretty frustrating to watch, and, I’d imagine, pretty frustrating to be a part of for the players.
Congrats to Maryland on a big win and fighting through the adversity of a couple of potential non-calls on Nebraska. You’ve really got to battle to win when your opponent shoots 22%, and Maryland did that. Hard-fought victory for the Terps.
#19 wisconsin badgers 56, Minnesota Golden Gophers 51
beezer07: I only saw the first half of the Wisconsin-Minnesota game, but from what I can tell, the second half was a lot like the first. Tons of physical play, almost no fouls called (3 total called at the 10-seconds left part of the first half) and nobody on any team can shoot. Fortunately, somebody was legally required to win and that somebody was Wisconsin.
Good to get a season split with Minnesota, and the win keeps Wisconsin in the conference title race as they get ready to play @UM and home against MSU.
Thursday
Ohio State Buckeyes 74, Penn State Nittany Lions 70
There’s a wrestling meet between these two tonight. Watch that instead; Penn State has no idea to win a basketball game against non-complete dogshit teams.
#20 Iowa Hawkeyes 77, Indiana Hoosiers 72
Stewmonkey13: A win in assembly hall. Goddamn.
Luka Garza only played a handful of minutes because of foul trouble, and Isaiah Moss was almost completely ineffective. However, Joe Weiskamp was the best freshman in the game, at least during the first half, and speed Iowa to a ten punt halftime lead. [Ed. note: Those are Stew’s words, and there’s no way I’m changing them.]
In the second half Iowa wasn’t able able to shake Indiana, who whittled the lead down to 3 in the closing minutes and then Jordan Bohannon took over. He got threes on back to back possessions, including a crazy fade-away as the shot clock was dwindling. This forced Indiana into fouling, and Iowa was able to get the ball into Bohannon, who iced the game from the line.
Poll
Most impressive win of the week?
This poll is closed
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58%
Illinois over MSU
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7%
wisconsin at Minnesota
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27%
Iowa in Assembly Hall
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6%
Other (comments)