Did you get my memo on the mid-week games in the Big Ten?

So I’m gonna need you to come in on Saturday. That’d be great.

Late Edit: hey guess what guys i recorded a podcast in the middle of the week and forgot about it between running to toledo and buying a house so i’m just gonna dump it in the middle of MNW’s weekend thread lmao give it a listen if you wanna hear Andrew break down every reason Michigan State sucks all of a sudden and hear our picks for first team All-B1G

Friday, February 5

Maryland Terrapins at Penn State Nittany Lions

6pm | FS1 | PSU -3 | O/U 143.5

The Terps, even after their win over Purdue, are clinging to bracketology life, with Lunardi slotting them in against Stanford in the First Four. The Nittany Lions, in those same projections, are at the bottom of the Next Four Out.

Lots of work to do for both, and a winnable Tier 1 game is a good place to start.

Saturday, February 6

#19 wisconsin badgers at #12 Illinois Fighting Illini

1:30pm | FOX

Illinois has played their way up to a 2-seed, now, but it feels just VERY wisconsin to keep sneaking up the rankings and profiting off Iowa doing Iowa things in February.

On the other hand I would pay good money to watch Kofi Cockburn literally eat the badger bigs, so there’s that.

Northwestern Wildcats at #24 Purdue Boilermakers

3:30pm | BTN

Matchup nightmare: Trevion Williams will eat Pete Nance alive...but Chris Collins has not proven willing to give C Ryan Young the bulk of the minutes. Can the ‘Cats—who have struggled with the Purdue “be tall” strategy—take care of the boards and hope Purdue just loses the ability to shoot?

Nah. Chalk up a ninth straight loss for the purple.

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Michigan State Spartans

5:30pm | BTN

The energy surrounding this game is positively infectious.

Sunday, February 7

#8 Iowa Hawkeyes at Indiana Hoosiers

11am | FOX

It was the first loss to Indiana, back on January 21, that sent Iowa fans spiraling into their “Here we go again” ennui.

In that one, Alijami Durham and Rob Phinisee really showed up to help out Trayce Jackson-Davis for the Hoosiers, while Hawkeyes gunner Jordan Bohannon was stuck in a slump to end all slumps. Having found Bohannon’s stroke but still waiting on C.J. Frederick, Iowa needs a little something—whether that’s more production out of frosh Keegan Murray or a breakout game from Joe Toussaint.

{WBB} Minnesota at #11 Ohio State

12pm | BTN+

{WBB} #17 Indiana at Iowa

1pm | ESPN2

Another chance for Iowa to get that elusive win—frosh phenom Caitlin Clark is pulling in the awards for the Hawkeyes, but it’s yet to turn into signature wins. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, took a disappointing loss to Ohio State last weekend but got a balanced performance to dispatch Michigan State midweek. Look for the Mackenzie Holmes-Monika Czinano matchup in the middle to be entertaining.

{WBB} Wisconsin at Penn State

1pm | BTN+

{WBB} Nebraska at Rutgers

1pm | BTN+

{WBB} #22 Northwestern at Michigan State

2pm | BTN+

Go ‘Cats.

{WBB} Purdue at Illinois

2pm | BTN+

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Other Things of Interest

Feel free to list out the Big Ten volleyball, hockey, and other things you’re looking forward to watching. I don’t have the energy to do other people’s jobs today.

We’ve got those wrestling previews out, too, so be sure to give them a look and tune in!

Selected College Basketball

Updated for Sunday, Feb. 7.

Lafayette Leopards at Loyola-MD Greyhounds

11am | CBSSN | Dr. Loyola -2 | O/U 144.5

Cincinnati Bearcats at Tulane Green Wave

11am | ESPN+ | Cincy -5.5 | O/U 133.5

#25 Drake Bulldogs at Valparaiso Crusaders

1pm | ESPN+ | Drake -13 | O/U 139.5

This one came down to the wire yesterday, but the pride of the 515 came through—D.J. Wilkins found his stroke late, and ShanQuan Hemphill got into the paint against a tiring Valpo defense.

There’s a matchup problem here for the Bulldogs, though, and the reason I’m still tipping Loyola Chicago to win the Valley: in the paint. Valpo big man Ben Krikke had 16 points on 7/14 shooting and, while he wore out down the stretch, the Crusaders were succeeding when they got the ball into the post and out again to gunners like Sheldon Edwards and Eron Gordon.

If Drake can keep Darnell Brodie fresh, their post defense miiiiight be able to stand up to the big boys of the Valley—particularly Cameron Krutwig, he of the poostache at Loyola. But the Bulldogs are at their best, regardless, when Hemphill and the trio of talented guards—Garrett Sturtz, Roman Penn, and Wilkins, along with Joseph Yesufu—are getting action off the bounce.

Should be another fun one today; I’ll be tuning in.

Georgetown Hoyas at #3 Villanova Wildcats

1:30pm | FOX | Nova -13.5 | O/U 144.5

Temple Owls at Wichita State Shockers

2pm | ESPNU | Wich -8.5 | O/U 141

Indiana State Sycamores at Northern Iowa Panthers

3pm | ESPN3 | UNI -2 | O/U 138

Boise State Broncos at Nevada Wolf Pack

3pm | FS1 | Boise -5 | O/U 144.5

If you’re an NBA Draft guy or gal, tune in here for Derrick Alston, Jr., a 6’9” stretch wing who is absolutely dynamic for the Broncos.

California Golden Bears at Stanford Cardinal

9pm | FS1 | Stan -10.5 | O/U 132

Don’t want to watch Tom Brady win his fifteenth Super Bowl title while drinking nothing but goji berry smoothies and eating only the finest in artisanal kumquats? This is, uh, basketball.

Soccer

All games Saturday unless noted. I bolded some should-watch games.

{Liga MX} Nexaca vs. Cruz Azul [Friday, 9:30pm, TUDN]
{A-League} Brisbane Roar vs. Melbourne Victory [12:05am, ESPN+]
{A-League} Macarthur vs. Western Sydney Wanderers [2:10am, ESPN+]
{English Premier League} Aston Villa vs. Arsenal [6:30am, NBCSN]
{EFL Championship} Coventry City vs. Watford [6:30am, ESPN+]
{Serie A} Atalanta vs. Torino [8am, ESPN+]
{Serie A} Sassuolo vs. Spezia [8am, ESPN+]
{Indian Super League} Odisha vs. ATK Mohun Began [8am, ESPN+]
{Bundesliga} Augsburg vs. Wolfsburg [8:30am, ESPN+]
{Bundesliga} Mainz 05 vs. Union Berlin [8:30am, ESPN+]
{Bundesliga} Schalke 04 vs. RB Leipzig [8:30am, ESPN+]
{Bundesliga} Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart [8:30am, ESPN+]
{Bundesliga} Freiburg vs. Borussia Dortmund [8:30am, ESPN+]
{EPL} Newcastle United vs. Southampton [9am, NBCSN]
{EPL} Burnley vs. Brighton & Hove Albion [9am, Peacock]
{EFL} Barnsley vs. Derby County [9am, ESPN+]
{Eredivisie} PSV Eindhoven vs. Twente [9:30am, ESPN+]
{Liga MX} Juarez vs. Xolos [10am, TUDN]
{Super Lig} Fenerbahçe vs. Galatasaray [10am, beIN]
{Serie A} Juventus vs. Roma [11am, ESPN+]
{EPL} Fulham vs. West Ham United [11:30am, NBC]
{Bundesliga} Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. 1. FC Köln [11:30am, ESPN+]
{Serie A} Genoa vs. Napoli [1:45pm, ESPN+]
{EPL} Manchester United vs. Everton [2pm, NBCSN]
{Liga MX} Atlas vs. Santos Laguna [5pm, TUDN]
{Liga MX} America vs. Puebla [7pm, ESPN Deportes/TUDN]
{Liga MX} Monterrey vs. Pumas UNAM [9:06pm, FS2 — in English]
{A-League} Newcastle Jets vs. Melbourne City [11:05pm, ESPN+]
{A-League} Central Coast Mariners vs. Western United [Sunday, 1:10am, ESPN+]

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Here’s your thread for pre-Super Bowl weekend stuff. Go nuts.