MSU's Kyle Ahrens Suffers Ankle Injury vs. Michigan; X-Rays Come Back Negative
Mar 17, 2019
A medical personnel took talks to Michigan State's Kyle Ahrens, left, as Ahrens was the taken out of the court for injury during the first half of an NCAA college basketball championship game against Michigan in the Big Ten Conference tournament, Sunday, March 17, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The action in Sunday's Big Ten championship game between rivals Michigan and Michigan State took a temporary backseat when Spartans swingman Kyle Ahrens suffered a scary ankle injury.
Fortunately, good news followed, as MLive.com's Kyle Austin reported X-rays were negative for a fracture.
According to Mike DeFabo of the Lansing State Journal, Ahrens' father, Kevin, said his son will undergo an MRI on what doctors think is a bad sprain.
"First time something went right on an X-ray," he said.
The scene on the court grew emotional as Ahrens left on a stretcher:
This is terrible to see with Kyle Ahrens. Kid has been through so much. Now crying and leaving the court on a stretcher. This is absolutely brutal.
Ahrens had three points on 1-of-2 shooting from deep before the injury and returned to the sideline on crutches in the second half.
The redshirt junior has suffered a number of injuries throughout his career.Brendan Quinnof The Athletic delved into the history and noted he broke his thumb, wrist, tibia and fibula in high school before playing through stress fractures during various portions of his Michigan State career. He also underwent season-ending foot surgery that cut short his 2017-18 campaign for the Spartans.
Ahrens averaged 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 28.8 percent shooting from three-point range, and he helped lead the Spartans to a share of the Big Ten regular-season title with the Purdue Boilermakers.
Michigan State figures to receive a favorable seed when the selection committee reveals the bracket. ESPN's Joe Lunardiprojected it as a No. 2 seed in the West Regional.
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Semifinals Scores, Championship Bracket and Schedule
Mar 16, 2019
Championship-game berths were on the line Saturday in the 2019 Big Ten men's basketball tournament with the semifinal round at the United Center in Chicago.
Although three of the top four seeds were still standing, including the top-seeded Michigan State Spartans, the No. 7 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers were looking to play the role of spoiler after upsetting the regular-season co-champion Purdue Boilermakers in the quarters.
Let's check out all of the important information for the semifinals and Sunday's title game. That's followed by a recap of the action.
Saturday's Semifinal Scores
Game 11: No. 1 Michigan State 67, No. 4 Wisconsin 55
Game 12: No. 3 Michigan 76, No. 7 Minnesota 49
Sunday's Championship Schedule
Game 13: No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Michigan (3:30 p.m. ET)
Michigan State scored the game's first eight points and never relinquished the lead to further bolster its case for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Leading scorer Cassius Winston paced the Spartans' offense once again with 21 points. Kenny Goins chipped in a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Xavier Tillman added 17 points, seven boards and four assists for MSU, which received just two points of bench production.
Michigan State likely needs to win the Big Ten tourney to have a chance to leap the likes of the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Kentucky Wildcats in the race for a top seed in the Big Dance.
Ethan Happ stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, six rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals for Wisconsin, which is an NCAA tournament lock despite the loss. The Badgers should be a No. 4 or No. 5 seed when the bracket is revealed on Selection Sunday.
The Badgers defense is strong enough to make a deep March Madness run, but hitting enough shots in clutch moments will be key. They entered Saturday ranked 47th in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Michigan Wolverines 76, Minnesota Golden Gophers 49
Michigan ended Minnesota's Cinderella run in dominant fashion to set up a meeting with rival Michigan State for the Big Ten championship.
Isaiah Livers shined off the bench for the Wolverines with four three-pointers en route to a season-high 21 points. Zavier Simpson added 15 points and nine assists for Michigan, which shot 52.5 percent from the field, including 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Minnesota, which defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second round before its upset of Purdue, should be safely in the NCAA tournament despite the semifinal loss.
Amir Coffey (14 points) and Jordan Murphy (10) were the only Gophers players to reach double figures in scoring as they struggled to create open looks against one of the nation's top defenses.
Michigan takes down Minnesota by a large margin to play rival MSU in the Big Ten Final tomorrow. Minnesota remains a 9 seed for me
Along with winning the title, Michigan will be looking to exact some revenge on Michigan State in the final after dropping both rivalry games during the regular season.
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Semifinals Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket Predictions
Mar 16, 2019
Three of the four programs participating in the Big Ten tournament semifinals Saturday were expected to still be alive at this stage.
Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin are joined by No. 7 seed Minnesota, which used victories over Penn State and Purdue to reinforce its NCAA men's basketball tournament resume.
The Golden Gophers will be the underdog against No. 3 Michigan, which is one of the most experienced teams in the nation when it comes to postseason play.
Michigan State is attempting to make a late push for a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance, but in order to be considered by the selection committee, Tom Izzo's Spartans need to blow past Wisconsin and win the final in Chicago on Sunday.
Big Ten Tournament Semifinals Schedule
All Times ET.
No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (1 p.m., CBS)
No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 7 Minnesota (3:30 p.m., CBS)
Games can be live-streamed on CBS All Access or CBS app.
Predictions
Michigan State's Guards Wreak Havoc on Wisconsin
Michigan State's guard play was one of the top stories to emerge from Friday's quarterfinals, as Cassius Winston and Matt McQuaid were joined by Foster Loyer in double digits.
Loyer's 14 points were a surprise contribution, as he has averaged 1.4 points per game and scored nine points since January 1.
The freshman guard might not score as much as he did Friday against Wisconsin, but he will still play an important role as the Spartans look to keep the Badgers off balance.
Winston and McQuaid are expected to set the tone of the game in the backcourt, while Loyer could be a valuable option off the bench to knock down a few key shots.
In all but one game since the February 12 win over Wisconsin, Winston or McQuaid has been the Spartans' leading scorer, and that streak will continue Saturday, as the former will thrive against a team he scored 23 points against in the aforementioned victory.
In the regular-season triumph over the Badgers, the Spartans received 12 points each out of Kenny Goins and Nick Ward, but they can't rely on the frontcourt players to produce the bulk of the points Saturday.
Ward is working his way back from a broken hand, and although the Spartans are going to want to get him involved as much as possible, they can't expect the big man alone to score points.
In addition to thriving on the offensive side of the ball, the Michigan State guards replicate the defensive success they had against Wisconsin's backcourt players in February.
Wisconsin's starting guards combined for 13 points in the 67-59 loss to the Spartans at the Kohl Center, and they won't be able to do much to reverse their poor fortune against the Big Ten regular-season co-champion.
Michigan State's victory should set up a third clash with rival Michigan, barring one of the biggest upsets of conference tournament season.
Michigan Ends Minnesota's Cinderella Run
As we witnessed a year ago with seventh-seeded Penn State, it's hard for teams to win three games in three days at the Big Ten tournament, especially when their semifinal opponent has fresher legs.
That will be the case in Saturday's second game, as the Golden Gophers deal with fatigue after an overtime win over Penn State and a two-point victory over Purdue.
Conversely, Michigan comes into the matchup on the heels of a 21-point win over sixth-seeded Iowa, during which only two of its players reached the 30-minute mark.
John Beilein's Wolverines have plenty of experience dealing with Richard Pitino's team, as they won both regular-season meetings with the Golden Gophers.
In the January 22 meeting, the Wolverines held Minnesota to 26 second-half points, while Ignas Brazdeikis recorded 18 points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
Brazdeikis and Jon Teske have had plenty of success down low in the pair of wins over Minnesota, as they combined for 33 points in the first meeting and 27 points in the second contest.
If Michigan's guards feed the big men early, the Wolverines can get off to a fast start before Zavier Simpson and Jordan Poole finish off the Golden Gophers from three-point range.
Minnesota stands a chance of recording an upset if Amir Coffey continues his five-game 20-point streak, but he only scored 17 total points in the two games against the Wolverines.
Since Michigan has a defensive formula already in place to stop Minnesota's guards, it will end the Golden Gophers' Cinderella run and set itself up to play for a third straight Big Ten tournament title.
Indiana Is Ultimate At-Large Stress Test for the Men's NCAA Tournament Committee
Mar 15, 2019
BLOOMINGTON, IN - FEBRUARY 26: Romeo Langford #0 of the Indiana Hoosiers brings the ball up court during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Assembly Hall on February 26, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Indiana is a good team that has had a bad season. Maybe. Or maybe Indiana is a mediocre team that has had a mediocre season. IU probably is not a bad team that has had a kind-of-good season, although that is an available interpretation too.
The 2019 Hoosiers are the quintessential bubble team—a confounding mix of good wins, a pile of losses, a star player and a blue-blood history that, like it or not, always plays a role in these things.
Indiana lost its 15th game of the year Thursday, exiting the Big Ten tournament with a 79-75 defeat to the now 19-14 Ohio State. Under most circumstances, a 15-loss team would not get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, but Indiana is the ultimate stress test for the men's selection committee.
On the one hand, that's a whole lot of losses—would a team with a different name on its chest even be considered at 17-15? On the other hand, you don't have to squint to see a good team hiding inside that awful record.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 14: Evan Fitzner #55 of the Indiana Hoosiers rebounds over Andre Wesson #24 of the Ohio State Buckeyes at the United Center on March 14, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Ohio State defeated Indiana 79-75. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Gett
In the last three weeks, Indiana has beaten two ranked teams, No. 19 Wisconsin and No. 6 Michigan State. In November, IU blew out No. 24 Marquette and followed that with quality wins over Louisville and Butler. The Hoosiers got demolished by Duke during the nonconference season, but entering the new year, Indiana was 11-2 and looked like it had the horsepower to compete for the Big Ten championship.
Then the engine blew up.
The Hoosiers went 1-12 between Jan. 6 and Feb. 22 and got the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten tournament.
So what do you do with that if you're the selection committee? If the goal is simply to reward the most accomplished teams with at-large bids, Indiana probably doesn't qualify. But if you're looking to put the best possible teams in the field, the question gets more complicated.
In Romeo Langford, Indiana has one of the best NBA prospects in college basketball, and sweeping Michigan State proves the Hoosiers are capable of beating any squad in the country when they're playing well...which is about half the time.
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 07: Romeo Langford #0 of the Indiana Hoosiers brings the ball up court during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on March 7, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Statistically, there is evidence IU is better than its record indicates. The Hoosiers were the second-best shooting team in the Big Ten this year (45.9 percent from the field), and they finished sixth in the league in scoring (71.5 points per game), third in blocks (4.44) and fifth in steals (6.53). Their biggest deficiency is their 31.4 percent three-point shooting, which is a concern of some significance in the modern space-and-pace era.
It would be rare and controversial to put a team with Indiana's resume in the tournament, but it does have a recent precedent. In 2016 and 2017, Vanderbilt got at-large bids with records of 19-14 and 19-16, respectively.
An older but better comparison would be Villanova in 1991. The Wildcats got an at-large bid despite a 16-14 record and a loss in the Big East semifinals. But they beat five ranked teams that year, got a No. 9 seed and still have the distinction of "team with the worst record that won an NCAA tournament game."
And that has to be a factor. No matter what you think of Indiana's team this year, the history of the NCAA tournament suggests a team with this many losses will almost certainly lose its first game and has no chance of making the Sweet 16.
But do you really believe that? Do you really believe this Indiana team is incapable of winning two tournament games? The Hoosiers couldn't get in as a No. 10 seed, beat a No. 7 and then take down a No. 2 seed along the lines of, oh, Michigan State?
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 07: Head coach Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers is seen during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on March 7, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Indiana puts the selection committee in a philosophical bind. Doing what's "fair" probably means giving that at-large bid to a team with fewer than 15 losses, and there are plenty of good candidates. But doing what's "best" for the tournament may mean taking a chance on a tantalizing but deeply flawed Hoosiers team.
The safe move for the selection committee would be to leave out Indiana. Nobody is going be saying the Hoosiers got screwed if they don't get in. Nobody will rip the committee for going with some team with a better record.
But if keeping everybody happy is your jam, being on the selection committee is probably not the gig for you. The job is to put the best teams in the tournament.
And on Selection Sunday, Indiana's fate will tell us a lot about how the committee is making that judgment.
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Quarterfinals Scores, Semifinals Bracket and Schedule
Mar 15, 2019
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans dribbles the ball while being guarded by C.J. Jackson #3 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 15, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The 2019 Big Ten men's basketball tournament continued Friday with the quarterfinal round at the United Center in Chicago.
Each of the conference's top four seeds made their first appearances of the event after receiving byes through the first two days. The Michigan State Spartans and Purdue Boilermakers shared the regular-season title with a 16-4 record in Big Ten play.
Let's check out all of the important information for the quarterfinals and semifinals, which will be updated through the conclusion of Friday's play. That's followed by a recap of the action.
Friday's Quarterfinal Scores
Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State 77, No. 8 Ohio State 70
Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin 66, No. 13 Nebraska 62
Game 9: No. 7 Minnesota 75, No. 2 Purdue 73
Game 10: No. 3 Michigan 74, No. 6 Iowa 53
Saturday's Semifinal Schedule
Game 11: No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (1 p.m. ET)
Game 12: No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 3 Michigan (3:30 p.m. ET)
Michigan State Spartans 77, Ohio State Buckeyes 70
Michigan State kept its push to earn a top seed in the NCAA tournament alive with a victory over Ohio State, which will head into Selection Sunday as a bubble team.
Cassius Winston recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists to pace the Spartans, who used a 7-0 run with the game tied early in the second half to begin pulling away from OSU. Foster Loyer provided a spark off the bench with four three-pointers en route to 14 points.
— Michigan State on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) March 15, 2019
MSU is competing with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils, Tennessee Volunteers and potentially even the rival Michigan Wolverines for the remaining two No. 1 seeds with the ACC's North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Cavaliers likely locked into their spots.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes will need to sweat out the selection show after spending the next couple days cheering for favorites from traditional one-bid leagues to claim their conference championships.
Ohio State can't compete for 40 minutes with the top of Big Ten. True all year, true today. I thought they'd lose yesterday, but won playing smart and together. Fought back today. Buckeyes have maximized who they are. Credit for that. But be realistic about who they are.
Ohio State entered the day as the final at-large team in the projected 68-team field, per Bracket Matrix. There is very little separation between the last seven qualifiers and the first three or four teams outside the cut line, though. It will make for a tense Sunday in Columbus.
Keyshawn Woods led the Buckeyes, who scored an important win over the Indiana Hoosiers in the previous round, with 16 points.
Wisconsin Badgers 66, Nebraska Cornhuskers 62
Nebraska's unexpected run in the Big Ten tournament almost received another chapter, but Wisconsin pulled away in the final minutes to reach the semifinals.
Glynn Watson Jr. scored a game-high 23 points for the Huskers, who defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the first round before upsetting the Maryland Terrapins on Thursday. Their lack of depth—they used just six players Friday—may have caught up with them in the quarters.
Wisconsin is on my first-round upset list for a number of reasons all on display there against Nebraska.
Wisconsin, an NCAA tournament lock that's attempting to improve its seeding by taking home the Big Ten postseason title, had four players reach double figures in scoring. Nate Reuvers and Khalil Iverson led the way with 14 points apiece.
The Badgers advance to face Michigan State on Saturday. The Spartans won the only regular-season meeting, 67-59.
Minnesota Golden Gophers 75, Purdue Boilermakers 73
Minnesota used a late 5-0 run to spur an upset of Purdue that should guarantee the Gophers (21-12) a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Jordan Murphy was a force on the interior for Minnesota, which didn't get any points from its bench players, en route to a game-high 27 points. Amir Coffey chipped in 21 points, while Daniel Oturu added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.
— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) March 16, 2019
Purdue (23-9) connected on only six of its 24 attempts from three-point range (25 percent) to sully an otherwise solid offensive performance. Matt Haarms paced with Boilermakers with 16 points. Ryan Cline also shined with 14 points and eight assists.
They should still land a seed in the No. 4 range for March Madness despite the early exit.
Michigan Wolverines 74, Iowa Hawkeyes 53
Michigan was able to avenge a 74-59 loss to Iowa in February by cruising past the Hawkeyes en route to the Big Ten semifinals.
While the Hawkeyes managed to hang around for a bit, the Wolverines closed the first half on a 13-4 run that gave them a 13-point edge at the break. The difference? Michigan drained seven triples in the opening 20 minutes while Iowa went 0-of-8 shooting from behind the arc.
A balanced attack helped the Wolverines control the game, as fiveplayers reached double figures. Ignas Brazdeikisled the way with 15 points. Luka Garza and Tyler Cook each had 14points for the Hawkeyes.
Michigan (27-5) will now take on Minnesota on Saturday for a spot in the Big Ten title game, while Iowa (22-11) awaits Selection Sunday to see where it will be headed for the Big Dance.
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Quarterfinal Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket Predictions
Mar 15, 2019
Ohio State guard Keyshawn Woods drives against Wisconsin during an NCAA college basketball game in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, March 10, 2019. Wisconsin won 73-67 in overtime. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
Ohio State made a statement in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, beating Indiana 79-75 Thursday, and that victory over the Hoosiers may just propel the Buckeyes into the NCAA tournament.
Whether that happens or not, Ohio State has earned a spot in the Big Ten quarterfinal round, and the Buckeyes will take on top-seeded Michigan State.
The Buckeyes were joined by Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa as second-round winners. They move on to Friday's quarterfinals at the United Center in Chicago.
Big Ten tournament
Wednesday, March 13
First round
Game 1: No. 13 Nebraska 68, No. 12 Rutgers 61 Game 2: No. 11 Illinois 74, No. 14 Northwestern 69
Thursday, March 14
Second round
Game 3: No. 8 Ohio State 79, No. 9 Indiana 75 Game 4: No. 13 Nebraska 69, No. 5 Maryland 61 Game 5: No. 7 Minnesota 77, No. 10 Penn State 72 (OT) Game 6: No. 6 Iowa 83, No. 11 Illinois 62
Friday, March 15
Quarterfinals
Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Ohio State (12:30 p.m. ET,BTN) Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 Nebraska (3 p.m.,BTN) Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 7 Minnesota (7 p.m.,BTN) Game 10: No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 6 Iowa (9:30 p.m.,BTN)
Saturday, March 16
Semifinals
Game 11: Friday afternoon winners (1 p.m. ET, CBS) Game 12: Friday evening winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)
Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com had listed the Buckeyes among the last four teams in the NCAA tournament in his bracketology rankings, while Indiana had been among the first four teams out.
Keyshawn Woods scored 18 points to lead the Buckeyes against Indiana, and he was joined by Kaleb Wesson, who scored 17 points.
Ohio State led by as much as 20 points in the second half before the Hoosiers rallied, but the Buckeyes held on and advanced.
The Cornhuskers pulled off the surprising win over Maryland, as James Palmer Jr. scored 24 points to lead the attack.
Nebraska, losers of both regular-season games to the Terrapins, led by 13 points in the first half and took advantage of a poor offensive game by Maryland.
Minnesota advanced to the quarterfinals by surviving a tough battle with Penn State that went to overtime.
Amir Coffey scored 22 points for the Golden Gophers, and 10 of those points came in the final minute. Lamar Stevens had 24 points to lead the Nittany Lions.
Iowa took charge with a decisive run at the start of the second half and rolled to a huge victory over Illinois. The Hawkeyes were led by senior forward Nicholas Baer, who scored 17 points in the decisive triumph.
Bracket predictions
Ohio State may feel good about its win over the Hoosiers, but a much tougher assignment waits for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State lost two earlier games against the Spartans, and the Buckeyes are going to have to slow down guard Cassius Winston, who is averaging 19.0 points per game. That's unlikely, and Michigan State should win with ease.
Wisconsin should be a prohibitive favorite to beat Nebraska, just as Maryland was in the second round. That did not help the Terrapins, who were upset by an undermanned Cornhuskers.
Still, Wisconsin will be a formidable opponent. If the Cornhuskers can't stop forward Ethan Happ, who is averaging 17.8 points per game, it will almost certainly be the end of the line for Nebraska.
Second-seeded Purdue will have to play a feisty Minnesota team that found a way to survive and advance in overtime.
The Gophers and the Boilermakers split two games this season, with both teams winning on their home courts. Carsen Edwards is a dominant scorer for the Boilermakers, averaging 23.4 points per game, and he should lead Purdue to the victory and the semifinal round.
Michigan will meet Iowa in the final quarterfinal round, and the Hawkeyes should be a confident team. Not only did they handle the Fighting Illini in the second round, they defeated the Wolverines 74-59 in their lone regular-season meeting.
Michigan head coach John Beilein will use that defeat to get his team prepared for this game, and Michigan will survive and advance.
Ignas Bradzeikis is averaging 15.0 points per game for the Wolverines, and the Hawkeyes will not be able to stop him.
With the top four seeds advancing to the semifinal round, look for Michigan and Michigan State to advance to the championship game by beating Purdue and Wisconsin, respectively.
The Wolverines built a lead over the Spartans in both of their regular-season meetings, but Michigan State caught their in-state rivals on both occasions and won in the late going.
Michigan will put up a good fight once again, but head coach Tom Izzo's team has proved it knows how to succeed, and it will take charge down the stretch and win the Big Ten tournament.
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Round 2 Scores, Updated Bracket, Quarterfinals Schedule
Mar 14, 2019
Ohio State's C.J. Jackson (3) reacts after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Indiana in the second round of the Big Ten Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Chicago. The Ohio State won 79-75. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The Big Ten Tournament continues Thursday with four games in Chicago, as teams in the bottom half of the conference looked to get a start on potentially playing the spoiler.
Maryland was the only Top-25 team in action, while Ohio State and Indiana opened the day with a game that would essentially eliminate the loser from at-large contention.
Here's a look at how things played out.
Thursday's Results
Ohio State 79, Indiana 75
Nebraska 69, Maryland 61
Minnesota 77, Penn State 72
Iowa 83, Illinois 62
Friday's Schedule
Michigan State vs. Ohio State, 12:30 p.m. ET
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska, 2:55 p.m. ET
Purdue vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m. ET
Michigan vs. Iowa, 9:25 p.m. ET
Ohio State 79, Indiana 75
Indiana put up a valiant comeback effort, but it wasn't enough. C.J. Jackson knocked down a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining to clinch Ohio State's 79-75 victory over Indiana on Thursday.
The Buckeyes led by 15 points with 6:40 remaining until Indiana caught fire, closing the gap to three points on a Romeo Langford layup with 55 seconds remaining and to two on a Devonte Green three with six seconds left. Ohio State answered the bell each time, with Keyshawn Woods hitting a response jumper to Langford's layup to stretch the lead to five with 36 seconds left, and Jackson's free throws sealed the deal.
Woods scored a team-high 18 points, while Jackson and Kaleb Wesson each had 17. Andre Wesson added 13 points as four of Indiana's five starters were in double figures.
Green broke out for a career-high 26 points off the bench, knocking down eight three-pointers. Star freshman Romeo Langford was limited to nine points on 4-of-12 shooting in what could be his final collegiate game. Langford is expected to be a top-10 pick in June's NBA draft, and it's possible he'd forgo paying in the NIT to protect his health.
Juwan Morgan was the only Hoosiers starter in double figures, finishing with 12 points.
Indiana was considered on the "last four out" bubble by ESPN's Joe Lunardi coming into Thursday. Ohio State was among Lunardi's "last four in" for the tournament.
The Buckeyes move on to play top seed Michigan State on Friday. A win would almost certainly seal their fate as a tournament team.
Nebraska 69, Maryland 61
James Palmer Jr. scored 24 points and Glynn Watson Jr. added 19, leading Nebraska to a 69-61 win over Maryland on Thursday.
Isaiah Roby had 15 points and six rebounds for the shorthanded Cornhuskers, who were stuck using a seven-man rotation.
"A lot of teams would just say, we've got seven guys, there's no way, and they'd quit," coach Tim Miles told reporters. "Not just say I quit, but they just wouldn't do those things. So I think that is probably that mentality is the thing I'm most proud of."
Maryland, which swept Nebraska in the regular season, shot just 36 percent from the floor in a frustrating performance. Anthony Cowan Jr. had a team-high 18 points, while Darryl Morsell (14 points) and Eric Ayala (12 points) were also in double figures.
Nebraska moves on to play fourth-seeded Wisconsin.
Minnesota 77, Penn State 72
Amir Coffey scored 22 points as one of four Minnesota players in double figures as the Gophers earned a 77-72 overtime victory over Penn State.
The Nittany Lions led most of the way but scored just two points in the final 4:59 of regulation, allowing Minnesota to get back in the game. Dupree McBrayer hit a jumper with 38 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
Lamar Stevens had a game-high 24 points but needed 25 shots to get there. The Lions finished with only four made three-pointers and 12 trips to the free-throw line, which was enough to make the difference. They entered as one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten after beginning conference play with 10 straight losses.
McBrayer (18 points), Jordan Murphy (15 points, 14 rebounds) and Daniel Oturu (10 points) were also in double figures for Minnesota. The Gophers went to the charity stripe 31 times.
Avoiding an upset here will almost certainly lock Minnesota into the field of 68. The Gophers play second-seeded Purdue on Friday.
Iowa 83, Illinois 62
Iowa had a narrow six-point lead over Illinois at the half, and there were questions of who would be more motivated down the stretch.
After all, the Hawkeyes are safely in the NCAA tournament field, but the Fighting Illini needed to win the Big Ten tournament to reach the field. While that may have been the case, Iowa left little doubt with an offensive explosion and scored 46 points in the second half on the way to a commanding 83-62 win.
Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures, and Nicholas Baer led the way off the bench with 17 points and four rebounds. Tyler Cook turned in a balanced effort as well with 12 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Iowa as a whole was 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) from deep.
Illinois received 12 points and six rebounds from Giorgi Bezhanishvili, but its defense gave up far too many open looks to pull off the upset.
The Hawkeyes now turn their attention toward Michigan in Friday’s quarterfinals.
The teams played just once this season, and Iowa defended home court with a 15-point win. It is one of the best victories on its resume, and it will look to double down in Chicago.
Big Ten Tournament Is Purdue's Chance to Prove the Numbers Wrong
Mar 14, 2019
For the second time in three seasons, the Purdue Boilermakers earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title. Matt Painter's team is ranked 13th in the AP poll entering the conference tournament and eagerly awaiting its fifth straight trip to March Madness.
Once the Big Dance arrives, the Boilers will be working to earn the program's third straight Sweet 16 berth for the first time since the NCAA tournaments from 1998 to 2000.
Considering all of the production that departed after last season―four starters who averaged a combined 48.8 points―2018-19 has been a commendable campaign for Purdue.
But.
That word always shows up, doesn't it?
If only the Boilers could play a portion of the postseason in West Lafayette, because they haven't dropped a game at Mackey Arena all year. Purdue is 15-0 at home, averaging 79.7 points while giving up just 60.3. The Boilers have marquee wins at home over Michigan State, Maryland and Iowa, three NCAA tourney locks.
Unfortunately for them, every remaining contest―starting with the Big Ten tournament―will be at a neutral site. And Purdue has undeniably struggled elsewhere.
Painter's squad is only 6-6 on the road (69.7 PPG, 71.1 OPPG) and 2-2 at neutral sites (83.5 PPG, 76.3 OPPG). Although the Boilers are a more promising 6-2 in their last eight road contests, the six victories have included two overtime wins and two triumphs of three points or fewer.
Their margin for error is spectacularly thin.
Yes, completely discounting a roster that is 17-3 over the last 20 games would be foolish―especially one that has a superstar guard in Carsen Edwards. The junior is averaging 23.4 points and 3.0 assists this season.
The primary issue, though, is Edwards has been far less efficient on the road. He's shooting just 29.7 percent from three-point range and 33.3 overall compared to 36.6 and 42.5 at home, respectively.
Incidentally, he's knocked down 40.5 percent of his triples at neutral sites―again, where postseason tournaments are held. But of Purdue's four neutral-site opponents, Virginia Tech and Davidson rank second and 23rd nationally in opponent three-point attempt rate, and 11-21 Appalachian State just isn't a good team.
So, the truth is somewhere in the middle. And that's a concern.
Purdue doesn't have a second explosive scorer. Ryan Cline has reached the 20-point mark in three games, and Matt Haarms has topped it once. Last season, the trio of Isaac Haas, Vincent Edwards and Dakota Mathias combined for 21 such games.
Can Carsen Edwards pull a Kemba Walker, who propelled 2010-11 UConn to Big East and NCAA tournament titles? During that remarkable 11-game stretch, he averaged 24.6 points.
Similar to that UConn roster, Purdue only has one other double-digit scorer. But Jeremy Lamb, after managing 9.6 points per game during the regular season, upped that average to 15.3 in the postseason. Is Cline or Haarms capable of doing the same?
If not, one shaky performance from Edwards would derail Purdue's hopes of advancing―at all―in either tournament.
Otherwise, he merely needs to repeat one of the greatest performances in college basketball history. No pressure.
Now, the Boilers must be respected.
They rank fifth offensively and 30th defensively in adjusted efficiency, per KenPom.com. Though Edwards last reached the mark in January, he has 30-point upside. Cline is a high-efficiency shooter for a scoring attack that knocked down the most triples in Big Ten play. Nojel Eastern is one of the league's top defenders.
Additionally, the team ranks 18th and 20th nationally in turnover and offensive rebound rate, respectively. The combination of protecting possessions and creating extra chances is terrific.
Purdue is more likely than not to advance through the opening game of both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. That's to be expected of a 23-8 co-Big Ten champion.
But the flaws are evident; the issues are clearly spelled on paper. The Boilers must show they're a better team than the numbers suggest when they hit the court this postseason.
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Round-2 Schedule, Live-Stream Info, Bracket Predictions
Mar 14, 2019
EAST LANSING, MI - MARCH 09: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 75-63 at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Nebraska and Illinois kicked off the 2019 Big Ten tournament with wins over Rutgers and Northwestern, respectively.
Now it's time to look ahead to Round 2, which usually signals the beginning of games that have more of a competitive edge.
The highlight matchup for the second day of action is undoubtedly the game between Ohio State (No. 8 seed) and Indiana (No. 9 seed), which will be held at the United Center in Chicago for the first time since 2015.
ESPN's bracketology expert Joe Lunardi has both the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers on the bubble. Ohio State is on the "last four in" list, while Indiana is on the "first four out" list, meaning each squad needs to beat the other on Thursday night to punch their ticket to March Madness.
In total, there are four games on the schedule, so there's plenty of action to take in.
Game 1: No. 13 Nebraska 68, No. 12 Rutgers 61 Game 2: No. 11 Illinois 74, No. 14 Northwestern 69
Thursday, March 14
Second round
Game 3: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Indiana (12:30 p.m. ET,BTN) Game 4: No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 13 Nebraska (3 p.m.,BTN) Game 5: No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 10 Penn State (7 p.m,BTN) Game 6: No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Illinois (9:30 p.m.,BTN)
Friday, March 15
Quarterfinals
Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 3 winner (12:30 p.m. ET,BTN) Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner (3 p.m.,BTN) Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner (7 p.m.,BTN) Game 10: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 6 winner (9:30 p.m.,BTN)
Saturday, March 16
Semifinals
Game 11: Friday afternoon winners (1 p.m. ET, CBS) Game 12: Friday evening winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)
LINCOLN, NE - MARCH 10: Tyler Cook #25 of the Iowa Hawkeyes drives on Isaiah Roby #14 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on March 10, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
Outside of the Ohio State vs. Indiana game, the teams to watch are No. 6 Iowa and No. 7 Minnesota.
The Hawkeyes (21-10) picked the wrong time to go cold. Losers of their last four games, they'll need to rekindle their mojo if they want to beat Illinois.
Sure, Iowa is a virtual lock to make the NCAA tournament, but if it falls to Illinois, it'll enter as a very low seed and have a treacherous path to advancing in the region.
In an attempt to curtail their recent slide, Hawkeyes' players have jettisoned their Twitter accounts so they can "lock in" and take care of business in the Big Ten.
Led by junior forward Tyler Cook, the Hawkeyes will ultimately prevail over the Fighting Illini and improve their seeding in the Big Dance.
The Golden Gophers (19-12) will likely be dancing after the Big Ten concludes, but a win over Penn State will remove all doubt.
Minnesota has lost three of its last five so will be looking to make a statement against the Nittany Lions.
Earlier this season, the Gophers were able to squeak by Penn State 65-64 and should be able to find a way to win again.
Head coach Richard Pitino is leaning on Amir Coffey at the point over Isaiah Washington to lead his team past the high-scoring Lamar Stevens (19.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game) and X-factor players Josh Reaves and Rasir Bolton.
Chances are good that Minnesota defeats the Nittany Lions and goes on to upset Purdue on Friday.
No. 5-ranked Maryland will make short work of No. 13 Nebraska behind the leadership of Bruno Fernando and their cadre of freshmen standouts, which include Jalen Smith, Eric Ayala and deep-threat Aaron Wiggins.
No. 1 Michigan State and No. 3 Michigan don't begin play until Friday night, but both teams are significant threats to win the Big Ten.
The Wolverines have won the last two conference titles, but the Spartans are favored to take home their first since title since 2016.
Currently, Michigan State is listed as a No. 2 seed for March Madness, but if it takes the Big Ten, it could be in play for the No. 1 seed, especially if North Carolina, Duke or Kentucky lay an egg in their conference tournaments.
Going into the NCAA tournament as a top seed is always desirable, but head coach Tom Izzo is more concerned with just getting better as a team.
"I still think we're playing for a lot," Izzo told the Detroit Free Press' Chris Solari. "I don't know what's gonna happen in all of these tournaments. You know what, the best thing is we're not playing for a seed and not a spot on where we go. The best thing we're playing for is to make sure this team keeps getting a little better each game.
"We've got some serious things we need to improve on. And I'm hopefully gonna use this week and that tournament to see if we can improve on them."
Big Ten Tournament 2019: Round 1 Scores, Updated Bracket and Round 2 Schedule
Mar 13, 2019
The 2019 Big Ten tournament tipped off Wednesday evening with the bottom seeds breaking in the court for what's to come once the top four seeds begin action on Friday.
First up was the No. 12 Rutgers Scarlet Knights and No. 13 Nebraska Cornhuskers. In the regular season, Rutgers defeated Nebraska 76-69. Neither team is within sniffing range of an NCAA tournament bid, so this game was for bragging rights.
Actually, bragging rights were most in play when an in-state battle broke out between the 11-seed Illinois Fighting Illini and 14-seed Northwestern Wildcats.
After a wild sequence to end regulation, the game was forced to overtime. It also served as a rubber match as Northwestern bested Illinois on Jan. 6 with Illinois evening the season series on March 3.
Below is everything you need to know about Day 1 of the Big Ten tournament.
Rutgers turned the ball over an astounding 22 times but made up for it for most of the game by shooting 49 percent from the field. Despite only shooting 40.4 percent from the field, Nebraska lingered behind an impressive performance from senior guard James Palmer Jr. before taking complete control of the game in the final minutes.
The next closest Cornhusker was senior guard Glynn Watson Jr. with 11 points.
The Huskers needed a big game from Palmer, who exploded for 34 points and two key steals, with only six scholarship players and two walk-ons suited up because of injuries elsewhere on the roster. One of those walk-ons, junior guard Johnny Trueblood, drew a round of cheers when he entered the game in the second half:
Loudest cheer of the night at United Center so far? That honor goes to Johnny Trueblood.
Behind 16 points from junior forward Eugene Omoruyi, the Scarlet Knights bench had to step up. Even though Rutgers outscored Nebraska 27-7 in bench points, Palmer was too much to handle down the stretch. Junior forward Isaiah Roby was crucial for the Huskers, too, with 10 points, six rebounds and four blocks.
Rutgers went scoreless from 6:57 to 1:12 remaining in the game when sophomore guard Geo Baker scored on back-to-back possessions to make Nebraska's lead 62-55 with 1:03 left to play. The problem, though, was Rutgers kept having to send Palmer to the foul line after each made Baker basket.
Rutgers couldn't compensate for Palmer, and the Scarlet Knights' season hangs by a thread depending on if they receive a College Basketball Invitational bid. Meanwhile, Nebraska moves on to play No. 5 Maryland on Thursday.
Until Illinois sophomore guard Trent Frazier nailed a three with 7:49 left in the first half, Illinois freshman forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili was the only Fighting Illini player to score from the field. Bezhanishvili scored all of the Illini's first 14 points.
Illinois held a 30-27 lead at halftime despite the team's leading scorer all season, freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu, being held scoreless. If other Illini played as well as Bezhanishvili, they would have held a larger lead over Northwestern, which converted just 11-of-34 shots from the field in the first half.
Northwestern missed its season-long leading scorer, senior forward Vic Law, who exited the regular-season finale against Purdue with a leg injury.
The Wildcats' shooting percentage didn't improve in the second half, but they continued to keep pace with the Illini. Junior forward A.J. Turner led all Wildcats with 20 points with senior center Dererk Pardon and freshman forward Miller Kopp contributing 17 and 11 points, respectively.
Bezhanishvili finished with a game-high 26 points before fouling out with 17 seconds left in regulation. It was Bezhanishvili's fifth personal foul that sent Turner to the free-throw line where he tied the game at 61.
Illinois got the ball back with two seconds remaining, but a block by Northwestern sophomore guard Anthony Gaines, coupled by two missed layups from Illinois junior guard Andres Feliz, sent the game to overtime.
Feliz and Frazier led the Illini to victory in the overtime period without Bezhanishvili. Frazier finished with 21 points and Feliz with 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists off the bench.
With the win, Illinois moves on to face No. 6 Iowa on Thursday.
