Big Ten Basketball Midweek Previews: Purdue-Ohio State, Maryland-Michigan highlight busy Tuesday night

Games about to happen.

Want to know about games that happened?

Now we talk about games that will happen.

Tuesday, January 19

Purdue Boilermakers at #21 Ohio State Buckeyes

5:30pm | BTN | OSU -4.5 | O/U 137
PU: 10-5 (5-3 B1G), KP 26
OU: 11-3 (5-3 B1G), KP 16

BoilerBettor: Rematches are funny little things. As usual with this young team, I really don’t know what to expect. They appear to have turned a corner but this team is so streaky, they could lose by 10 or win by a couple.

I will say, given both teams pace, that total seems high. Expect another grind of a basketball game but I’ll give the edge to Ohio State, who will have EJ Liddell this time around.

Maryland Terrapins at #7 Michigan Wolverines

6pm | FS1 | Mich -10.5 | O/U 140.5
MD: 8-6 (2-5), KP 45
MI: 11-1 (6-1), KP 5

Maryland’s two Big Ten wins are at then-#10 wisconsin and #22 Illinois.

Sorry in advance, Michigan. Rules are rules.

Penn State Nittany Lions at #14 Illinois Fighting Illini

7:30pm | BTN | Illinois -8.5 | O/U 151
PSU: 3-5 (0-4), KP 47
IL: 9-5 (5-3), KP 10

Wednesday, January 20

Northwestern Wildcats at #9 Wisconsin Badgers

8pm | BTN
NU: 6-6 (3-5), KP 67
uw: 11-3 (5-2), KP 11

Beez: Ah yes, here we go with another round of “Wisconsin should win this game easily, but then again Maryland/Indiana...”

It seems like Northwestern has fallen off a cliff, but Wisconsin has shown a staggering ability to come out as if they’re playing the 3rd-straight scrimmage at practice without a water break. I’m not making a prediction here, as I don’t want to give away my money making tips, and I would rather hedge both sides and claim victory later no matter the result.

MNW: Northwestern has fallen off a cliff, and look to the ball movement that Iowa used as key to how the badgers will win this one. I don’t think Pete Nance is refined enough to hold down Nate Reuvers in the post, and I don’t know Ryan Young is fleet enough of foot.

So that means lots of post buckets, then lots of kick-out threes. Cool.

Thursday, January 21

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Penn State Nittany Lions

6pm | BTN
RU: 7-5 (3-5), KP 40
PSU: 3-5 (0-4), KP 47

No.

Indiana Hoosiers at #5 Iowa Hawkeyes

8pm | FS1
IU: 8-6 (3-4), KP 32
UI: 12-2 (6-1), KP 3

Stew: Indiana may appear to be struggling a bit this season, but they’re still a top 30ish team and have a talented roster. The conference is such that any given night can prove a big struggle.

I would think that Iowa will go to Luka Garza inside early, in hopes to get him going, and possibly get Trayce Jackson-Davis into foul trouble, and to get Jordan Bohannon, Joe Wieskamp, and C.J. Fredrick open looks from deep. I would also expect Iowa to play zone on defense to get Indiana to prove they can shoot to stay in the game. Look for some slow rotations and open looks for the Hoosiers to take some advantage of.

Here’s your schedule and thread for the midweek hoops games. Behave.