Big Ten Basketball Week Recap: Ranked rutger Rally Ruined

Tuesday, January 21

#17 Maryland Terrapins 77, justNorthwestern Wildcats 66

MNW: Northwestern choked. Bad. I don’t feel good about it.Seriously, though, while it’s nice to have Boo Buie back in the lineup, and Pat Spencer brings a bulldog mentality to this team’s offense, there’s just that lack of quality late in games when the legs get heavy. Maryland exploited that, came out of halftime committed to getting to the line, and won. It’s another in a long string of close losses and disappointing finishes for the ‘Cats.

DJ: First half Maryland makes me want the AD to Kiffin Mark Turgeon on the trip. Second half Maryland infuriates me because they play so damn well that you see why they were ranked so high to start the season. Your guess is as good as mine as to why they can’t get motivated to start a game. Oh, Jalen Smith also dropped 25/10, 21 in the second half, and Aaron Wiggins seems to be shooting his way out of his first half of the season slump so there is positive news.

#24 Illinois Fighting Illini 79, Purdue Boilermakers 62

Boilerman: I didn’t get to watch this game. For this, I’m grateful. I mean, we scored more this time around than at Illinois, so, yay? I guess the stunning thing is that Purdue only attempted 8 shots from beyond the arc. Not sure what Painter’s gameplan was but that’s usually not a formula for success. Also, giving up 50 in the second half seems rather uncharacteristic for this team. Don’t know what’s going on but if Purdue wants a NCAA berth, it better figure things out. Quickly.

Thump: Glad griffin got tossed so I don’t have to feel weird the rest of the game.

Some people average 15 a game and it’s like oh sometimes it’s 6 points sometimes it’s 28. Ayo always has 15 points minimum. Never seems to break 25 but ALWAYS gets 15.

My goodness what an ass-kicking that was in the second half.

wisconsin 82, Nebraska Cornhuskers 68

BRT: Love these red unis with the script for Nebraska.

This is a boring game. Both teams only shooting from three. Nebraska hitting it sometimes, Wisconsin hitting it most of the time.

This UW-NU game is apparently being played in a mortuary? So quiet.

Huskers only down one at the half! Encouraging play from Nebraska. Looked bad for a bit. I think they have started to be a bit more aggressive and it’s being moderately successful.

Not enjoying this half so much.

I do like that this team doesn’t quit. It’s mostly too little too late, but I appreciate the effort.

Beez: I always die a little inside when I see a FG% that’s lower than the 3P%.

Wisconsin basketball 2020: sometimes really good on defense, sometimes lol defense?

Wednesday, January 22

#19 Iowa Hawkeyes 85, #24 rootor 80

Luka Garza is chuckles at your so called defense! He’s so fun to watch. He’s got no hops, but no one has really stopped him, yet. He just always knows exactly where he is on the court and exactly what it takes to make the shot where ever he is. It’s a lot of fun to watch as a fan, and it’s gotta be super frustrating as an opponent. Anyway, Iowa won despite a whole bunch of turnovers. However, as February approaches so does my apprehension of a late season slide.

I guess from a guertrs perspective, Ron Harper Jr. can game.

Chief rugster correspondent Thumpasaurus: Well, rugster was forced to play Iowa’s game and came up short. Performed admirably at the “shootout” style of game considering it’s the opposite of what they’d prefer, but usually the team that dictates the flow of the game wins and this was no exception. A lot of people questioned whether rugster could play at a high level away from the RBC, and they did indeed play at a high level, just not quite high enough to come away with the victory. It’s taken four seasons and change but Coach Pickell has built a contender. Encouraging signs in defeat for rugster as they head back to Perth Amboy to take on Nebraska

Penn State Nittany Lions 72, Michigan Wolverines 63

Aaron: Although this was a huge road win for Penn State, I spent a lot of the game frustrated. Lamar Stevens got the team off to a hot start, and it was able to hang onto the lead thanks to Michigan’s 18-percent three-point shooting. Early in the second half, the Lions struggled to get any offense from players besides Stevens and Myreon Jones, which made Pat Chambers’s decision to go without both of them for a key stretch all the more maddening. The lead might have been coughed up if not for the heroics of Curtis Jones Jr., who had been mired in a major slump. The grad student suddenly caught fire and lit up the Wolverines for 18 second-half points to put the game away.

Thursday, January 23

Indiana Hoosiers 67, #11 Michigan State Spartans 63

Anthony Kreawepoisndfasksi: MSU has yet to iron all the kinks out of their bold new strategy of spotting the home team a 15-point first half lead, but I for one remain confident this will pan out eventually. There’s still just enough mistakes happening offensively to prevent coming all the way back from that kind of deficit and having anything left to finish the job, and MSU also stopped looking for the 3-ball after coming out en fuego after halftime. If this team wants to win the conference, they have to be better prepared for tip-off on the road.

One thing is becoming clear, at least to me: if Malik Hall isn’t the answer at PF, MSU doesn’t have one this season. Kithier is too athletically limited and Bingham still plainly has no idea what he’s doing defensively, which leaves Hall, who had some nice moments in this one.

Candy: This was an epic struggle in all senses. Indiana started hot early, let Michigan State get back into the game and even eke out a lead, and then managed to come out on the right end of basket trading when the dust settled. Per the broadcast team, every Hoosier who saw the floor scored and grabbed at least one rebound, meaning this was a team victory in the end.

Minnesota Golden Gophers 62, Ohio State Buckeyes 59

DJ: Kaleb Wesson just scored his first points of the game, in the second half. Him and Oturu have negated each other the entire game so far.

Minnesota drained a 3 with 3.3 to go to break the tie. OSU no timeouts

Anfernee Krea;lknsdnfpoi34eski: Have to know that’s the only thing that’s coming, a 3 from the point guard.

WSR: Yay Gophers!