Oh, those poor Minnesota Gophers. Another tough loss that could end up being the difference between an NCAA Tournament bid and an invitation to the lame as heck NIT. Wisconsin appeared to be running away with the game midway through the second half, but then the Badgers hit a scoring drought that lasted for the last 7-plus minutes of regulation.

Yes, that usually means the game went into overtime. That was certainly the case on Thursday night. Minnesota guard Austin Hollins tied the score at 51-51 with a pair of free throws with 1:02 remaining in the second half. Wisconsin's Jared Berggren missed a corner trey on the ensuing possession to set up Minnesota's try for the win.

Andre Hollins tried to get by Jordan Taylor with a crossover dribble, but Taylor stayed in front of his man and denied his shot attempt.

"I was trying to stay solid, stay in front of him," said Taylor, who accomplished his goal and made Hollins take a tough shot. "I was fortunate enough to get a piece of the shot."

The other Hollins, Minnesota's Austin, was able to track down the rebound for another crack at the victory, but his fade away shot was off target and the game went to overtime. That's when everything changed for Wisconsin.

Despite the raucous atmospher inside The Barn, Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Bo Ryan's Badgers remained calm.

Yet the mood inside the UW huddle just before overtime was decidedly upbeat.

"We said everybody's got to be aggressive," junior forward Mike Bruesewitz explained. "Everybody's got to make hard cuts. We've got to move better. We can't just look at Jordan and say take over this game for us. Everybody's got to make sure they do their own part."

Wisconsin showed a much more aggressive gameplan in the extra period. Instead of just living on the perimeter, the Badgers dashed toward the hoop and drew fouls. Of their 17 overtime points, 15 came from the free throw line. Wisconsin went on to win 68-61.

Hit the jump for a statistical summary.

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There are three games tonight on the Big Ten schedule. I'm from the east coast and as a result don't totally understand these midwestern battles, so I'll let Hail to the Orange set the tone.

Ask which team I want to beat most every year, and it is Indiana without even the slightest moment's hesitation.

The midwest is a wasteland in February. Drive across the state of Illinois, down 74, through Champaign, Danville, and cross the Indiana border into Covington and on down one of the state highways to Bloomington, and you probably wont see one growing thing, or even appreciable sign of civilization all that often. It's cold and wet and miserable in this part of the country this time of year. Good passive aggressive midwesterners like we are, we internalize our hatred for our lives and our surroundings, allowing it to spill out in a socially acceptable manner, screaming til you're purple at college basketball players. There is a reason basketball is so popular in the midwest, and it is to distract us from the fact that when we look out of the window it looks like a Cormac McCarthy novel.

Now I'm psyched!

Illinois at Indiana

8:00 PM ET, BTN

It's the Battle of Assembly Hall! Meyers Leonard versus Cody Zeller! Crean versus Weber! Assembly Hall (the one in Bloomington) should be a pretty exciting place to be tonight as Illinois and Indiana meet for the only time this season. By the way, shouldn't Big Ten basketball teams have protected rivalries just like in football? It seems like a shame that these two teams only play once in the regular season.

Anyway, Illinois has lost four of five since their season peaked with a win over Ohio State on January 19. The Illini's schedule does not get any easier for them any time soon, so this is a big one. Certainly with Leonard and the amazing Brandon Paul, Illinois is capable of beating anyone on a given night, but on the road this season they've only defeated Maryland and Northwestern (the latter by a single point).

Indiana has to be feeling a little better about themselves after a victory over hated Purdue on Saturday, but the Hoosiers are another team who has seen their season peak too early. However, they finish the Big Ten schedule with 4 of 6 games at home, where they are much more comfortable.

When Indiana has the ball, Zeller versus Leonard will be the match-up to watch. If Leonard can slow down IU's phenom, there is a chance for Illinois to pull off the upset. Committing just one defender to Zeller should allow Illinois to get out on the perimeter shooters, but of course there is also Christian Watford to deal with.

Brandon Paul will be the main focus of IU's defense when Illinois has the ball. The Hoosiers don't really have a pair of guys who match up well with Paul and Leonard, but that's what makes them so tough. Look for the Hoosiers to swarm the Illini stars and force someone else to beat them.

Hit the jump to preview the other two Big Ten games tonight.

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Ohio State earned a big home win over Michigan this afternoon and pacing the 64-49 victory with 17 points and 12 rebounds was not Jared Sullinger nor William Buford. Instead, it was the lesser known Lenzelle Smith, Jr. who led the Buckeyes in both points and rebounds during a great team effort orchestrated by coach Thad Matta's starting five.

Smith, Jr. was 6 of 12 from the field and dominated the boards with 8 offensive rebounds. One one play in the first half, Smith flew in to rebound a miss, then grabbed his own rebound after the put-back went awry, then was fouled during a successful put-back try to get three points the old-fashioned way. His tireless hustle was imperative in Ohio State's dominance of the glass. As a team, they grabbed 14 offensive rebounds compared to only 6 for the Wolverines.

While Jared Sullinger did not dominate in this game against Michigan's shallow front line, he did appear overpowering at times. Sullinger was able to plow through Michigan defenders on his way to the bucket on a number of occasions. However, he only was 5-11 from the field with 13 points, which is a testament to Michigan's eager ability to double team and force the ball from the big guy's hands. Sullinger countered this strategy with some sound, if sometimes awkward, passes out of the post that only resulted in a single turnover.

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Was that a fun weekend for you? If you're a fan of a Big Ten basketball team, it was probably either a really good weekend or a stupendously bad one, because only two of the six games played were very close. Despite a brave comeback attempt, Michigan could not recover from getting blitzed by a fierce Arkansas press in the first half of their non-conference roadie. Meanwhile, Purdue was in East Lansing suffering their worst setback of the season in a 83-58 beatdown at the hands of Michigan State.

If there's one game to watch this weekend, it's Thursday night's brawl in Madison between Wisconsin and Indiana. After some early struggles in conference play, Wisconsin finally seems to be gaining some steam. Indiana, meanwhile has pulled out of a losing streak just in time to take just a little pressure off of this crucial match-up. Let's hit it.

Indiana at Wisconsin

Thursday at 9:00 PM ET, ESPN2

Four straight wins have the Badgers back in the middle of the Big Ten title race, and point guard Jordan Taylor has just been named Big Ten Player of the Week for his efforts versus Illinois and Northwestern (17 points, 5.5 assists and 6 rebounds on average). Perhaps thanks to the absence of his partner in crime Jon Leuer, Taylor is not playing as efficiently has he was last season. He's only shooting 40% from the field and 33% from three point range while averaging 4 less points per game than last season.

Wisconsin plays elite defense, but Taylor's shooting woes combined with the lack of a consistent second scorer means that Wisconsin still has issues on offense. Against Illinois, Jared Berggren pitched in 18 points and 5 rebounds on 50% shooting. That's the kind of effort the Badgers need more often from their role players if they want to make a run.

Indiana, on the other hand, sports a much more well-balanced offense that is not short on athletic play makers. Cody Zeller, Christian Watford and Victor Oladipo can all create their own offense while Matt Roth and Jordan Hulls are lethal from three point range when left open. The main reason for IU's modest 4-4 conference record then, is their porous defense that is second-to-last in the Big Ten at 1.10 points per possession allowed. Coach Tom Crean will probably be focusing on which man should guard Taylor (probably either Oladipo or Verdell Jones III) as well as keeping the ball out of Berggren's hands in the low post.

Preview the rest of the week after the jump...

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Clinging to a one point lead with under a minute remaining, Michigan State was looking for a bucket to put a little space between themselves and Michigan. Point guard Keith Appling took a running jumper in the lane, but the fateful shot bounced off the front of the rim, causing a line drive rebound. The ball was batted around before Michigan freshman Trey Burke came up with it and dashed upcourt in search of the deciding score.

Burke was hounded by Spartan defenders, but spotted Stu Douglass out of the corner of his eye and dished his teammate the ball for a layup and a one-point Michigan lead. Still plenty of time, though, remained for State to respond.

Tom Izzo took a timeout with 31 seconds left to get everything set, but his plan went awry and Appling's initial attempt was blocked by Jordan Morgan. After some scrambling, the ball ended up in the hand of veteran forward Draymond Green. Always very athletic for his size, Green spun away from his man and attempted a leaning jumper from the free throw line. It was a decent look, but not one he was accustomed to taking. The shot bounced off the rim, and the subsequent tip was also no good. Time ran out and Michigan hung on for a huge victory.

The game was played at a very swift pace, with only 20 fouls called for the entire 40 minutes (and only 8 called on Michigan). After the game, Izzo remarked that he would have liked to get the ball inside more and lessened the burden on Appling, who led Michigan State with 12 field goal attempts and made 5 of them. That left only 8 field goal attempts for Green, despite his ability to put the team on his back this season.

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Billy Oliver is not your typical Big Ten forward. He only average 3.8 rebounds per game (in about 24 minutes per game) and 80% of his field goal attempts come from beyond the three-point arc. He's pretty much the complete opposite of Trevor Mbakwe, and not just because Oliver hasn't missed any games this season.

Before Thursday night's 65-45 Nittany Lion victory over Purdue, Oliver's spot shooting game was not much of a boon to the Penn State offense. He was only in double figure scoring for two games, and against PSU's first two Big Ten opponents, Michigan and Northwestern, Oliver had a total of 5 points. If Penn State wasn't so shallow in the frontcourt from waiting for Jonathan Graham and Ross Travis to develop, Oliver would probably be relegated to a small bench role.

Instead, Oliver started versus Purdue, knocked down a couple of threes during Penn State's opening run and never really cooled off from that point forward. He finished the night with an astonishing 21 points on 7 of 11 shooting that required a lot of help from his friends.

All of Oliver's makes were assisted on, which is far from a bad thing. It just goes to show how much Oliver's teammates helped out in setting him up for a big night. Mostly it was Tim Frazier making life difficult for the Purdue defense. His quickness and floor vision allowed Frazier to find Oliver and other teammates open for easy buckets.

Junior college transfer Matt Glover is started to become a sort of Swiss army knife for Penn State. He hasn't yet scored in double figures this season, but he's got 19 rebounds and 7 assists total in his last two games. I'm sure coach Pat Chambers would like Glover to drop in a few more baskets to help out on nights when Billy Oliver doesn't turn into Larry Bird, but the rebounding is much welcome on a Penn State team that is lacking in size.

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In a game Illinois had to have after being shellacked on the road versus Purdue, the Orange and Blue prevailed in Evanston over in-state rival Northwestern with a 57-56 victory. The game was not aesthetically pleasing, especially in the second half, when the Illini held Northwestern to 6 of 25 shooting while letting them hang in the game by only shooting 9 of 23 for themselves.

After struggling in the first half, Illinois went into the break down five, but rallied to start the second thanks to some Joseph Bertrand slickness. The chief's crew led by 7 with just under two minutes remaining, and with the game slugging along like it was, that seemed like an insurmountable lead. Turns out that was true, but consecutive three-pointers by Alex Marcotullio and John Shurna made this one really close.

The Purple Cats amazingly tied the game on Drew Crawford's tip-in of Jershon Cobb's three-point attempt with 18 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Brandon Paul burst to the hoop, but could not get the layup to fall. Freshman Myke Henry was fouled on his rebound attempt, which earned a pair of free throws. The first sunk in to give Illinois a one-point lead, but the second went awry and was grabbed by Crawford. The junior swingman attempted to go coast-to-coast for the win, but was blocked by Meyers Leonard on his floater attempt from the low post.

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Just a few days after Wisconsin star point guard Jordan Taylor seemed to be the only Badger who could hit a shot in a home loss to Iowa, he once again found himself trying to do everything on offense Tuesday night in Madison.

In Wisconsin's heartbreaking 63-60 overtime loss, Taylor was an efficient scoring machine with 28 points on just 11 field goal attempts. He hit on 7 of those 11 field goals and added 12 of 16 free throws. Taylor only 2 three-pointer makes of the game came on back-to-back possessions in overtime, when Wisconsin absolutely had to have the shots go in to have any chance of extending the game. Clutch city.

If you take away Taylor's 2 of 5, the rest of the Badgers shot 3 of 17 from long distance. Sure, it plays out like a "live by the three, die by the three" deal, but for Wisconsin to move up from just being a good team that plays defense and depends on Taylor to make enough plays to win, someone else needs to step up.

Ryan Evans was 3 of 15 from the field versus Michgan State. Jared Berggren was 4 of 13, and Josh Gasser was just 1 of 3. It's true that Michigan State is tough on defense, but Big Ten play has brought out the ugly truth that Wisconsin does not have a dependable second scorer. They miss Jon Leuer big time.

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Somewhere out in the world, there's a portal to an alternate dimension where a flap of a butterfly's wings lead to something, which leads to something else, which leads to Minnesota hitting a couple of more shots in their first two conference games. In that dimension that may or may not exist, the Gophers are 2-0 and looking fly after a couple of quality road wins. This is not that dimension.

In our reality, Michigan freshman point guard Trey Burke was all kinds of awesome on his way to 27 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Burke also got to the line for 11 free throw attempts, which was also a major advantage for Michigan in their 61-56 victory over Minnesota on Sunday.

With outside shooters, Tim Hardaway Jr., Evan Smotrycz, and Zack Novak not playing their best games, Burke explained how Michigan's strategy adjusted. "We were having trouble getting open shots from the outside, so we started running the pick-and-roll", Burke said according to the AP report, "Once we saw that they were going to switch, we really embraced it, because it gave me a chance to get to the basket." It was Burke's ability to attack the basket that allowed him to carry the Wolverines for the win.

On the Minnesota side, the scoring was a lot more spread out, so much that not even one player had more than 8 field goal attempts. Rodney Williams and Julian Welch each put up 11 points, with Williams missing a three-pointer in the final minute that would have tied the game. Although the ball landed in his hands as a consequence of improvisation, it should be noted that Williams is below 30% from beyond the arc in his career. He is 5 of 11 this season, though, so maybe he has improved that part of his game. Either way, it didn't show up in this one.

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Iowa at Wisconsin

Yesterday I mentioned how Wisconsin's putrid long range shooting led to their upset loss versus Iowa, but Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal says that the real surprise is how easily Iowa was able to score against the Badgers.

Offensive slumps are nothing new to a team that relies heavily on its streaky shooters. The real head-scratcher was watching UW's defense look as bad as it did against Iowa, a 16½-point underdog.

The Hawkeyes (9-6, 1-1) only made two 3-pointers and still averaged 1.11 points per possession, the first time this season a team averaged better than 0.98 against the Badgers. Iowa scored on seven consecutive possessions late in the game and shot 49.2 percent overall to produce the most points by a UW opponent this season.

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Happy New Year everyone! I hope today wasn't a preview of things to come in 2012, because I'm officially freaked out. Up is down. Down is up. Hipsters are cool. Wisconsin loses at home and Aaron Craft carelessly turns the ball over with the game on the line. This is madness. Hey at least the Spartans won a game they were supposed to, right?

Aaron Craft led Ohio State in scoring today with 16 points but still managed to be the goat in a 74-70 loss at Indiana. With the Buckeyes leading by three at the end of the first half, Craft allowed the ball to be stolen by Victor Oladipo twice in a row, and the Hoosiers capitalized to gain a one-point lead headed to the break.

At the end of the second half with a one-point Ohio State lead, Craft forced himself into the lane on consecutive possession and made errant passes resulting in a changes of possession and four Indiana points. I'm not sure why Craft was being so reckless when he has players like William Buford and Jared Sullinger on his team. Thad Matta cannot be happy about this.

Of course, Indiana contributed to their victory with some stellar play of their own. Jordan Hulls bounced back from being shut down in East Lansing to lead his team in scoring with 17 points including 4 of 5 on three-pointers. Victor Oladipo scored 15 points and continues to be an athletic menace. It seems he can score from anywhere, and he's got tremendous ability when driving to the hoop, so how did he not get to the free throw line in this game? It's kind of a good sign for IU, because Victor Oladipo having untapped potential is kind of scary.

The other shocking result of today was Iowa's 72-65 triumph in Madison, where the Badgers have been almost unbeatable. It was not hard to see where their demise came from. Wisconsin shot 3 of 28 from beyond the arc, which is the kind of results you'd expect to see if you rounded up five random guys from the JCC and decided to go play versus a Big Ten college basketball team. Particularly horrible was Ben Brust, who threw up 9 three-point attempts and clanged 8 of them.

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OK, it's New Year's Day weekend and you're probably planning on getting sloshed on Saturday night. However, it's important that you don't forget about all the Big Ten basketball going on. It's hard to keep track of all the games when you've got a social life to live, but we at BT Powerhouse will help out by ranking this weekend's games according to potential excitement so the fans out there can decide which games are more important than their errands/friends. Let's get it started.

Ohio State at Indiana

When: Saturday at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN2

Why: Sure, Indiana just suffered their first setback of the season with a road loss to Michigan State in a game they led by 9 points with just over 10 minutes left. That's no reason to think that Ohio State will roll them, though. The Hoosiers are returning home to Assembly Hall, the same arena in which they upset Kentucky earlier in December. Indiana is also a deeper team than Ohio State. Tom Crean will likely bring three or four guys off the bench in order to out hustle the Bucks. Another big key for IU will be finding a way to get more touches for freshman sensation Cody Zeller, because OSU is a bit lacking on the interior defensively.

On the other hand, Indiana could barely keep Michigan State's Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne in check and now they have to deal with Jared Sullinger. Also, William Buford is coming off one of his best games ever in a romp over Northwestern. Ohio State is the clear favorite in this game, but Indiana's home court advantage will make things interesting. So will Christian Watford, if he goes nuts again.

Illinois at Purdue

When: Saturday at 4:00 PM ET on ESPN2

Why: This game will serve as a nice appetizer to the Ohio State vs. Indiana hoops supper. The two games are even on the same channel, so you won't even have to find the clicker. Anyway, both of these teams just had close calls against seemingly inferior opponents in their Big Ten openers, so this game may be a race to see who can get their act together first. Purdue will probably win because they're coming home after a tough road win and they have the best player on either team in Robbie Hummel. The super senior leads the Makers in points, rebounds, blocks and awesomeness, and he's got an underrated supporting cast that includes Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith.

Illinois, though, does have a not-so-secret weapon on their hands. Meyers Leonard is a sophomore sensation despite not reaching diaper dandy status last season. He is a big dude who can score and I'm not sure Purdue bigs Jacob Lawson and Travis Carroll have what it takes to guard him. Purdue is better equipped to defend the explosive guard duo of D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul. One of them must have a big game for Illinois to grab the road win.

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Indiana at Michigan State

For a minute there, it seemed like the Indiana juggernaut would keep on rolling along. With just over 11 minutes remaining in Wednesday night's Indiana vs. Michigan State showdown, Christian Watford canned a three-pointer to make the score 54-45 in favor of the Hoosiers. Could the improbably undefeated season continue?

It turns out that it could not. Michigan State immediately started on a 20-0 run that completely turned the tables on IU and put the game out of reach. The result was a final score of 80-65 that made it seem as though the outcome was never in doubt, but that was hardly the case.

In the early going, it certainly seemed like an 80-65 game. Michigan State went up 34-16 in the first 15 minutes, but Indiana fought back with a 9-0 run to end the first half. That was mostly thanks to two straight three-pointers from Matt Roth, who would finish the game with just those 6 points.

The Hoosier onslaught continued in the second half. They rolled off 12 unanswered points in the first five minutes in a run that was highlighted by Cody Zeller's only 4 points of the evening. MSU recovered for a bit and was able to tie the game at 43, but then came another 11-2 Indiana run that ended with the Watford three-pointer. Keith Appling got the points right back with and an-one layup that served to jump start Sparty's game-sealing deluge of scoring.

To summarize, this, like most other basketball games was a "game of runs." In between, there were some outstanding performances to speak of. Appling poured in a season-high 25 points on 7 of 12 shooting while adding 7 assists and 6 rebounds. He's looking like the real deal to lead Sparty from the point guard position. Draymond Green did his jack-of-all-trades thing again with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks.

Perhaps most impressive, though was MSU's ability to keep Cody Zeller away from the ball. The Only Colors does a good job praising the efforts of Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne:

Indiana freshman star Cody Zeller was almost a complete non-factor this game and Nix and Payne can take much of the credit. He had only 4 points, none in the first half and pulled down only 3 boards. There was a lot of talk after the game about MSU being "physical" with Zeller and "muscling" him in the paint. That was certainly a factor but mainly Indiana just couldn't get him the ball and when they did, he was not getting it deep with a chance to do any damage. On the offensive end Nix/Payne provided the only option that was working when the shooting went south in the second half. They clearly exposed Indiana's weaknesses on the interior and were a crucial part of MSU staying in this game. Nix finished with 14 points and 5 boards while Payne chipped in 8 and 2 in 15 minutes of action. And who can forget Nix leading the fast break after a nifty steal?

You can check out Nix's amazing fast break as well as the rest of the game's best Gus Johnson moments, by clicking this link. Great job by BTN for putting all the Gus highlights in one convenient place.

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Although Minnesota entered Big Ten play with a 12-1 record, their less than impressive non-conference schedule implied they would have to post some quality Big Ten wins in order to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. On Tuesday night, they let one potential victory slip from their grasp as the Gophers lost a late second half lead and eventually fell to Illinois 81-72 in double overtime.

The game didn't feel like a thriller the whole way through. With just 13 minutes left in the second half, Illinois led 48-35 and seemed prepared to put the game to rest, but a flurry of turnovers sparked a 10-0 Minnesota run that made the game much more interesting.

A Julian Welch three-pointer tied the score at 54 with six minutes left, and later Ralph Sampson III scored six points in four possessions to put the Gophers ahead 64-62 with 37 seconds remaining. With just 16 seconds left Welch was fouled by Illinois, but he missed the front end of the one-and-one to leave the door open. Illinois big man Meyers Leonard game crashing through said door with a drive to the hoop that led to a pair of free throw makes to tie the game.

Welch was blocked by Leonard on Minnesota's final attempt in regulation, and they never got a better chance to win the game. Brandon Paul's steal and dunk at the beginning of the second overtime led to Illinois dominating the final period and escaping with a victory.

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Believe it or not, there was more than one huge win for a Big Ten team on Saturday. There's not enough to say about Indiana's heart-stopping, last-second victory over a Kentucky team that many felt was the best in all the land. Despite their bizarre inability to feed Cody Zeller in the post, the Hoosiers pulled through and got a victory that will be a huge resume-booster down the road. Think of it as insurance in case they struggle in a few big conference games in February. Or if you're not as cold and calculated as I am, you can think of it as a huge emotional boost for a program finally emerging from and lengthy dormant period.

Anyway, Indiana won because even though his teammates did feed him enough, Cody Zeller fed himself with 5 offensive rebounds to go with 11 points. Victor Oladipo was only 4 of 12 from the field but had 13 points, 7 rebounds and one ridiculous dunk that is probably on YouTube already. Yep it is. Veteran guard Jordan Hulls contributed nicely with 11 points, 5 assists and 4 steals, but the real man yesterday was Christian Watford, who even before his game-winning mega clutch shot had 17 points and 5 rebounds. He may be as dynamic a scorer as the conference will see this season.

Oh nuts, I got all caught up in the excitement and haven't mentioned Michigan State yet. Well, like I said they had a huge win of their own. It was their eight in a row, and it was on the road, AND it was versus a ranked opponent. That ranked opponent was Gonzaga, who probably won't be ranked anymore after this week because they don't have a real quality win yet and they just lost to Illinois (on the road) and now to Sparty. Still, great win for Michigan State; Spokane is a really tough place to play and Gonzaga is loaded with talent. They will remain favored to win the WCC this season.

Draymond Green was basically a beast in this game and no one else was really close to his level of play. He shot 11 of 13 from the field including (remember, he's a power forward) 4 of 5 from long distance to net 34 points. No one else on the Sparty squad even scored in double figures so it's safe to say Green carried his team last night. After the game, head coach Tom Izzo said, "Draymond Green was the man tonight. I can't speak enough about him." How about telling us how the dancing bear became such a lethal three-point shooter? "This summer, he spent an incredible amount of time on his shot."

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Three years ago, Tom Crean began coaching the Indiana basketball team. The previous coach, Kelvin Sampson, was let go amid a recruiting scandal and the program appeared in dire straits. It was Crean's task to raise the program back to respectability and put IU basketball back in the NCAA Tournament.

It's been a long trip over a bumpy road, but Indiana fans might finally be looking at the season in which Indiana makes that jump from the abyss to Big Ten contention. There is a lot of returning talent as well as some fresh faces that may be able to make an impact right away. Although Jeremiah Rivers has graduated, his absence will be more than made up for by who's coming back.

2011-12 is certainly an exciting season for Indiana, but at the same time, if something does go wrong with this team, it could spell trouble for Crean's administration. There's a lot riding on this squad, so let's dive in.

The Backcourt

Indiana isn't rock solid at point guard, but there are a couple of great candidates for the position, both of whom have significant on-court experience. The first is senior Verdell Jones III, who feels like a more natural fit for the position. Jones' ball handling and passing skills far outweigh his long distance shooting. The problem is, he's turned the ball over way too many times in the past to be considered as reliable as elite Big Ten point guards like Jordan Taylor or Aaron Craft. Jones had 89 assists last season and 83 turnovers, which isn't the sexiest ratio ever seen. With his smooth dribbling skills and pull-up jumper, Jones could turn himself into a great point guard if he can move his assist-to-turnover ratio into the 2:1 range.

Another option the point is natural shooting guard Jordan Hulls. Hulls was just a sophomore last season, but he already began emerging as one of the leaders on a young Hoosier team. Although he has more trouble creating his own shot than Jones, when he did get a look, Hulls made it count with 48% on FG overall and 41% on three-pointers. A 2.9 assists per game rate isn't terrible for a guy who wasn't the true full-time point guard, so he certainly can play the point in a pinch. Should Jones struggle with his turnovers again, Hulls is waiting as a less exciting, but safer option.

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The Penn State basketball team last season finally achieved what they had been striving for since Ed DeChellis was named head coach back in 2003. The Nittany Lions finally reached the NCAA tournament after a thrilling Big Ten tournament run that included upsets over Wisconsin and Michigan State on the way to the tournament final.

Now they'll knock the program over and start again from the beginning. Well, not completely from the beginning. Although DeChellis made the surprising move to Navy over the summer, energetic new boss Pat Chambers has been able to hold on to most of DeChellis' class of 2011 recruits to give Penn State a chance at staying out of the conference cellar this season. Although the graduation of senior starters Talor Battle, Jeff Brooks, David Jackson and Andrew Jones makes a return to the NCAA Tournament a far off dream, Penn State does sport plenty of newcomers who are hungry to make an impact in the Big Ten.

The Experience

Junior point guard Tim Frazier is the lone starter coming back to school for Penn State, and wouldn't you know it, he's also the Nittany Lion who showed the most growth last season. Frazier did a great job developing from a pass first point to a pass first point who can also draw fouls and shoot a little bit. Although Frazier was adept at dishing the ball all season long (he finished with 5.1 assists per game), he didn't score in double digits until he put up 11 at Ohio State in the middle of January. The biggest factor in Frazier's struggle to score was the lack of confidence in his jumper. Through January, Frazier was just made one of 13 three point shots. That turned around completely later in the season, as the diminutive guard hit 10 of his final 19 threes while continuing to lead the Lions in assists.

Down the stretch, Frazier had two huge games: 22 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal versus Michigan State and 15 points 5 rebounds and 7 assists in the NCAA Tournament loss to Temple. In 2011-12, Penn State will need Frazier to take control of the team and look to score for himself a little more. With Talor Battle out of the picture, Frazier will have the ball a good deal of the time. Like Battle, Frazier isn't afraid to draw contact despite his below average size. If his shot stays as sweet as it was in the second half last season, he can develop into a star player in the Big Ten.

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Sadly, it's beginning to look like Indiana Hoosiers junior guard Maurice Creek is one of those guys who just cannot stay healthy. Earlier on Monday we learned that Creek has undergone surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg. As of now, there's no word on whether the once promising young guard will be able to play this season.

Back in 2009, Creek's exciting freshman campaign was cut short when he fractured his left patella (knee) in a late December game vs. Bryant. That first injury was especially upsetting because Creek was one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise dismal Indiana team. His 31 points on 5 of 8 3-point shooting vs. Kentucky that winter is still a career high.

Creek came back in the 2010-11 season and wasn't as effective as he was in his freshman year, but he was still a good source of shooting off the bench. Unfortunately, Creek was never able to regain the glory of his breakout freshman year because he suffered a stress fracture in his right knee midway through January and had to end his season early once again.

Now Creek looks like he will miss a lot of games this season as well. Said head coach Tom Crean: "This is a devastating blow for someone who has worked so hard to get himself in a position to help this program again... I think the most important thing that we can do is to make Maurice know that despite his injury, he can serve a very vital role in helping our program and we will actively keep him involved every day."

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The John R. Wooden Award's Preseason Top 50 list was released earlier today and wouldn't you know it? Nine Big Ten players were among those recognized as some of the best college basketball players in the country. Every season the Los Angeles Athletic Club (no east coast bias!) bestows the Wooden Award upon whomever they decide is the best college basketball player in America. Jimmer Fredette won last season's award in the spring. While the Preseason list is limited to returning players only, it's possible for freshmen and transfers to appear on the Midseason list and on the final ballot.

Let's get down to it and rank the Big Ten players in the Top 50 based on the chances they have of actually winning the award.

1. Jared Sullinger, Power Forward, Ohio State

Beast mode! As a freshman, Sullinger was a terror in the post. He averaged 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, mostly by overpowering anyone who stood in his way. With David Lighty and Jon Diebler having graduated, Ohio State will likely depend even more on Sullinger's talents in the coming season. However, the big guy won't be all bull-in-a-china-shop this time around. Sullinger has reportedly lost a lot of weight in order to become a more versatile player. If Sullinger can add some quickness and a jump shot while still dominating on the boards (no small order), he has a real shot to be the best player in America.

2. Robbie Hummel, Power Forward, Purdue

The snake-bitten senior could be finally back in action this season. Back-to-back knee injuries have forced Hummel to sit out the 2010 postseason and the entire 2010-11 season. Back in the 2009-10 season, Hummel averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while leading Purdue to a 14-4 Big Ten record. After Sullinger, every Big Ten players is pretty much a longshot to win the Wooden Award, but if Hummel's smooth jumper is still there, there's always a chance. With JaJuan Johnson out of the picture, Hummel should be able to improve on his rebounding numbers this season. Now the Boilers just need to find the right big dude to help take some pressure off of Hummel on the defensive end.

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Indiana University basketball head coach Tom Crean was brought aboard in 2008 to rebuild a Hoosier program that was left in ruins by the scandalous reign of Kelvin Sampson. Starting with a barren roster with walk-ons and transfers at key positions, Crean had an understandably long grace period with which he could build the program back up without worrying too much about results.

Well, it's three years later and things are about to get real in a hurry. While Indiana basketball has no doubt improved under Crean since he took over, the Hoosiers still haven't come close to an NCAA birth or even a spot in the NIT. IU actually won less Big Ten matches last season than they did in 2010, and now with the addition of McDonald's All-American Cody Zeller, expectations will be ramped up considerably.

Zeller isn't the only addition, however. Along with fellow incoming freshmen forward Austin Etherington and guard Remy Abell, there is considerable addition by non-subtraction. Key 2011 contributors Christian Watford, Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones are all back and ready to finally make the big leap than Indiana fans have been waiting for.

Indiana are more experienced than they've ever been under Crean, but there's considerable competition standing in between the Hoosiers and their first trip to the big dance since 2008. After a five pack of warm-up matches made up of games versus Stoney Brook, Chattanooga, Evansville, Savannah State and Gardner-Webb, IU faces their first real test on November 27 when two-time national runner-up Butler comes to town.

Butler lost Shelvin Mack (NBA), Matt Howard and Shawn Vanzant (graduation) in the off-season, making this game more than winnable for IU. That doesn't make it any less important though. A showdown with a nationally recognized program will be a good way for the revamped Hooisers to show they are serious about making the NCAA tourney.

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It's amazing what an NCAA Tournament bid can do. After qualifying for the big dance last season under departed head coach Ed DeChellis, Penn State have earned themselves a six pack of appearances on ESPN networks for their Big Ten campaign that starts in late Decemeber.

The Nittany Lions only return one starter from last year's squad, and although Tim Frazier did play some of his best basketball down the stretch last March, Penn State still has their work cut out. The Lions do have the benefit of playing four of the conference's toughest teams just one time, but they'll still be shorthanded in the experience department in almost every game they play. Hopefully a non-conference slate that includes showdowns versus Kentucky, Boston College and Ole Miss can help the young Lions grow up in a hurry.

Let's break it down!

Big Ten teams that Penn State only plays once

vs. Minnesota, vs. Illinois, at Ohio State, at Michigan State

This is the type of schedule that will help Penn State grow up slowly without too many poundings. It's a far cry from last year's schedule that had State skipping only Indiana and Iowa once apiece.

Big Ten games by day of the week

Tuesday: one

Wednesday: four

Thursday: four

Saturday: three

Sunday: six

This is actually a pretty big change for Penn State. The Big Ten is playing many more games on Sunday this season, as opposed to last year when teams played mostly on Saturday.

Big Ten games by TV coverage

Big Ten Network: 10

ESPN2: 2

ESPNU: 4

TBD: 2

There's a little more attention on Penn State now that they are fresh off of a tourney bid, but national audiences would have been better served getting to watch Talor Battle play last season. With four new starters and a new coach to boot, Penn State will look totally different from the 2010-11 team, and they probably will be less exciting without a star player to woo the crowd.

Hit the jump for the Big Ten portion of Penn State's schedule, complete with tip times and network coverage.

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To get draft week started, let's take a look at a few Big Ten prospects who have a great chance of not getting drafted. While it's true that you never really know who an NBA team will take a chance on in the second round, the guys we are profiling today aren't appearing on many mock drafts. That said, there's no reason these players can't find an NBA team to latch onto and possibly make an impact in the future. OK, the pending lockout is a pretty good reason why, but we're going to be optimistic today.

Kalin Lucas, Michigan State Point Guard

The senior point guard from Michigan State has all sorts of intangible value thanks to his extensive postseason experience, but NBA scouts find him lacking in the athleticism department. Here's what DraftExpress has to say about Lucas' offensive abilities:

As a creator off the dribble, Lucas may be somewhat limited at the NBA level due to his lack of elite explosiveness. While he does have a good top speed with the ball in his hands, he doesn't possess a lightning-quick first step. He does however display a sense of craftiness and an understanding of how to use change of pace dribbles. He's also comfortable as the ball-handler in pick-and roll situations, often making the correct reads, whether it's a drive to the basket, a jumpshot for himself, or a pass to a teammate. When attacking the basket, Lucas does a good job of initiating contact and drawing fouls, but his lack of size and elevation often prevents him from finishing at the rim.

Lucas has been a perfectly capable Big Ten point guard for the past four years, but there's nothing about him that really makes the NBA scouts excited. He's a decent shooter (43% FG and 39% on threes last season), a good passer (1.31 assist to turnover ratio) and sometimes he can get to the rim (37% FT/FG rate). That doesn't make for a great NBA point guard, but being the star point guard for a premier NCAA program does have its perks. NBADraft.net lists among Lucas' best qualities: "Quintessential lead guard with winner's mentality ... Shows maturity and composure under pressure well beyond his years."

While Lucas isn't likely near the top on any draft boards, I could see an NBA team that's ready to win now take Lucas with a second round pick and hoping he can quickly develop into a capable backup point guard. As a college senior, Lucas has limited upside, but his big game experience will make him attractive to playoff contenders.

Durrell Summers, Michigan State Shooting Guard

Unlike Spartan teammate Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers will need to rely almost completely on his athleticism in order to make an impact in the NBA. That's because Summers' offensive game hasn't evolved very far past his role as a spot-up jump shooter. DraftExpress has more:

A player with a highly defined role on the offensive end, that being spot-up perimeter shooting, Summers is prone to falling off the map when his shot isn't falling, as he just doesn't contribute much consistently in any other areas on this end of the floor. According to Synergy Sports Technology, an amazing 186 of Summers' 234 (79.4%) half-court shot attempts were of the jump shot variety, with him taking just 48 around the basket. Further hurting his anemic inside game is the fact that his two-point field goal percentage has plummeted to a four-year low of just 40.2% this season, and is getting to the free throw line at a career-low rate of 3.2 times per-40 minutes pace-adjusted.

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It took eight years, but Penn State coach Ed DeChellis finally accomplished what he was brought back to State College to do: he got the Nittany Lions in the NCAA tournament. It was quite an exciting run, but with four of five starters graduating and disgraced top recruit Taran Buie seeking a transfer, PSU fans are left with a hollowing "now what?" feeling heading into next year. Exactly what can we expect from the Lions this season and is there hope for a return to the tourney in the future? I talked to BT Powerhouse contributor and editor at Black Shoe Diaries fugimaster24 hoping to find some answers.

BT Powerhouse: How does the PSU fan base feel about Ed DeChellis now? The dreadful 2009-10 season made the extension he received after the 2009 NIT championship seem like a big mistake. Did DeChellis completely redeem himself with the NCAA bid this year or does he still have to prove himself some?

fugimaster24: After the team was forced to practice in Penn State's dump of an IM Building for more than a week in February, I think the athletic department's lack of commitment to the program was really exposed. Being forced to yield practice time in an adequate facility at a crucial moment in the season to tour practice for Bon Jovi and a career fair was a real slap in the face to Ed, the players and the program in general. At that point, I think a lot of fans began feeling apathetic toward Ed and started voicing displeasure with the way the athletic department treats the team instead. Ed might not be part of the solution, but I think most fans see him as a lesser problem than the athletic department's slavery to the bottom line, and as long as that's the case, I expect most will cut him some slack.

BTP: Talor Battle is already a Penn State legend. Is he is the best Nittany Lion basketball player ever?

fugimaster24: It's either Bubby or Jesse Arnelle, the key piece in Penn State's 1954 Final Four run. I don't think anyone else really comes close. If I had to pick between the two, though, I'd probably take Battle. He got every team's best shot on defense for most of four years at the college level and took an incomplete team to the NCAA Tournament. I've never even seen a clip of Arnelle's game, though, so that's probably not entirely a fair opinion.

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It wasn't the most fun season ever for Indiana fans, but the Hoosiers are a deep squad with an abundance of returning stars and much hope for the future. I spoke with The Crimson Quarry's JustAJ about the recently completed season and what lies ahead for IU hoops in November.

BTP: We just finished Tom Crean’s third season in charge of the Hoosiers. Indiana has improved each year under Crean, but still a 3-15 Big Ten mark has to be disappointing. Are fans still willing to wait a couple more years for the program to resurface or is Crean starting to feel some pressure?

CQ: This is an interesting question as it has some layers. At the immediate end of the season there were definitely some rumblings of discontent among a small group of fans, but as the off-season has worn on those rumblings have turned to mumbles. I think next year there has to be some signs of real tangible progress or Crean will be looking at a hot seat in 2012. But, even if the team completely tanks Crean’s amazing recruiting run has reserved his office until at least 2012.

BTP: Both Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls did a great job as sophomores to help lead a young Indiana squad. If you could only have one of them going forward, who would you pick?

CQ: This is a tough question because I believe Watford has the greater talent and upside, but Hulls has become a true leader among the program. Tom Crean just tweeted the other day about Hulls and Sheehey really being leaders in the weight room. This team could use a real injection of talent but it needs leadership more. IU lost several games this year down the final stretch because they would crumble when it mattered most. So I would choose the leadership qualities of Jordan Hulls over the greater talent of Christian Watford.

BTP: Maurice Creek fractured a kneecap for the second straight season. Can he still have a big impact on this team in the future or will he get lost behind Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey in IU’s wing rotation?

CQ: The freak thing about Mo’s kneecap is that it wasn’t just one. It was both. Two freak injuries to two separate knees in two consecutive years. I’d imagine after having been out of competitive basketball for essentially two years he’s going to have a lot of cobwebs to shake off. That being said he is a great talent. He may get lost in the shuffle for a good portion of the upcoming season because of issues he will have to work through, but come the second half of the Big Ten season I would not be surprised to see him as the number one or two scoring threat for the Hoosiers.

BTP: How excited are you for incoming 6’11 power forward Cody Zeller? Are you expecting him to make a Sullinger-like impact on an Indiana team that was lacking in frontcourt size this season?

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Date: Friday, March 25

Time: around 9:45 EST (about 30 minutes after the UNC vs. Marquette game ends)

TV: CBS

After losing talented freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins to the NBA Draft, John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats are right back in the Sweet Sixteen with a fresh crop of newbies that promises to be a burden for mighty Ohio State to take down. Like you'd expect from a young team, Kentucky had all sorts of troubles on the road this season. In SEC play, they were only 2-6 on the road, but they earned a 4 seed by thriving on neutral floors. This was mostly apparent during the SEC Tournament in Atalanta, where the Wildcats rolled through Ole Miss, Alabama and Florida without even playing a close game. Close victories over Princeton and West Virginia in their first two NCAA Tournament games have ensured that this young Kentucky squad is battle hardened and ready for their toughest match-up yet.

That match-up will be with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Although Thad Matta's squad has only lost two games all season, they've been alternating between being dominant and vulnerable as of late. Back in February, the Bucks dropped roadies to Wisconsin and Purdue, but then finished the regular season as strong as is physically possible with winning margins of 19, 21, 21 and 28 over Illinois, Indiana, Penn State and Wisconsin. Yes, three of those teams made the NCAA Tournament. In the Big Ten Tournament, it was a different story, as Ohio State narrowly edged Northwestern in overtime and just barely pulled away from Michigan after the Wolverines had closed within 2 points with 10 minutes remaining.

However, if their most recent victory -- a 98-66 bulldozing of George Mason -- has taught us anything, it's that Ohio State can score on you from everywhere. Lately, it's only been a question of how much they win by. I'd be pretty surprised if Kentucky can defeat them tonight, but the Buckeyes are certainly not a lock to advance.

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While we get ready for regionals, here's some stories from around SB Nation and the web to keep you busy:

Three of the last four times that Wisconsin has been bounced from the NCAA Tournament, it has been because of a loss to a lower seeded non-BCS school. It's no wonder then, that Bucky's 5th isn't feeling great about this Butler matchup.

Also from Bucky's 5th: The Badgers will need more than just Jodran Taylor and Jon Leuer to step up versus Butler. But where can they find this additional scoring and rebounding? It's sophomores to the rescue!

IlliniHQ.com did a great job quizzing a benchwarmer from each Big Ten squad to get some rare insider info. Check it out and you might even learn something about your own team. For example, Northwestern's Drew Crawford calls himself "Young Doo Doo." What?!

There's a lot of pressure on Ohio State to at least make the Final Four, and Along the Olentangy wonders if his Bucks are up to the challenge. Thad Matta's got a great team made of great players. Now they just need to heed Ric Flair's words and "beat the man."

Purdue fans are bummed after a stunning loss to VCU, but Hammer and Rails remains optimistic for the future. Despite losing outstanding seniors E`Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, a Final Four appearance in 2012 is still possible. There's a lot that needs to go right, though.

Maize-Colored Glass goes back to October and looks at how Michigan was predicted to perform this season. It's safe to say that John Beilein's team surpassed expectations.And boy did Darius Morris turn into a heck of a player.

Sippin' on Purple previews Northwestern's NIT quarterfinal versus Washington State tonight. Yes, the Wildcats are still without an NCAA Tournament bid in their entire history, but even a trip to New York for the NIT semis would be a great win for the program. Since the preview was written, we have learned that Washington State's DeAngelo Casto has been reinstated just in time for the game. Casto had been on suspension for marijuana possession. What great timing for the Cougars...

All right that's it for tonight. Get some sleep and get ready for some more March Madness on Thursday.

Wow. We've seen Michigan make comebacks before, but this one would have been the best yet. You know, if it had actually happened. Against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines were down 9 points with nine minutes to play, and they stormed back to win. At Happy Valley on February 6, Michigan trailed by 10 with eight minutes left and magically pulled out a victory. This time the Maize and Blue were looking at a 15-point deficit with just under 11 minutes left and came within one field goal of forcing overtime.

The problem is, they never should have been trying to force OT. After Nolan Smith missed his second free throw with under 9 seconds to go, Darius Morris raced down the court and threw up a floater in the lane that rimmed out to end the game. It's curious why a team that loves to shoot 3-pointers as much as Michigan would opt to give a #1 seed five more minutes to figure things out instead of just going for the win right there. Zach Novak was 4/9 from beyond the arc for the game and was on the court for the final seconds. If I'm John Beilein, he's the guy I want taking the last shot.

That said, it took an outstanding effort from Michigan just to get within one shot of the tie. Duke only led by 4 points at the half due to Mason Plumlee turnovers and missed three pointers from Seth Curry and company. At the start of the 2nd, Nolan Smith began taking over the game, hitting a couple of gorgeous step-back jumpers followed by a drive to the rim that got two points plus the foul. The Devils eventually got the lead up to 15, but Michigan used a 1-3-1 zone down the stretch to get enough Duke misses and turnovers to sneak back into the game. Darius Morris had 8 points and 4 assists during the last 11 minutes of the game and Tim Hardaway Jr. hit on three straight jumpers to bring Michigan with a point, but that was the closest they would get.

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Date: Sunday, March 20

Time: 7:10 PM EST (6:10 PM Central)

TV: TBS

Just one week ago Virginia Commonwealth was one of those teams that wasn't even supposed to be in the NCAA Tournament. Their major wins over UCLA, Wofford, Old Dominion, Wichita State and George Mason were impressive enough for the selection committee, but many analysts insisted that Colorado and Virgina Tech were more impressive.

Well, if VCU didn't belong in the tourney back then, they've certainly earned their way in by now. The Rams are fresh off dismantling USC and Georgetown earlier in the week to find themselves now just one win short of the Sweet Sixteen. To win those first to games, VCU relied on tight 3-point defense, as they held USC to 1/9 from long range and Georgetown to a similarly miserable 5/26. They also forced 32 turnovers between the two games. On offense, they grabbed a ridiculous 15 offensive rebounds vs. USC and caught fire from long range vs. Georgetown with a 12/25 downpour.

On the year, VCU is a very good 3-point shooting team and they force a bunch of turnovers on defense, but their 3-point defense and offensive boarding are just average. At least those two aspects will be difficult to replicate against Purdue, the strongest team they have faced all season.

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It's been pretty smooth sailing for the Duke Blue Devils this season. Their status as an elite team went mostly unquestioned except for a stunning 93-78 loss at St. John's in January. And after that loss Duke rolled off seven straight wins, including victories over tourney teams North Carolina and Temple. The Devils did lose road contests to UNC and Virginia Tech late in the year, but they rebounded with an absolute destruction of the ACC Tournament. Duke's run consisted of three double-digit winning margins and culminated in a 75-58 win over North Carolina.

Of course, throughout the entire ACC season Duke was without one of the best players in the country, Kyrie Irving. As if they needed another offensive weapon, the athletic point guard finally returned from a December toe injury to score 14 points in 20 minutes against Hampton in Duke's NCAA Tournament opener.

Michigan is going to have their hands full, and not just with dynamic guards Irving, Nolan Smith and Seth Curry. The poor Wolverines don't seem to have the size to deal with Duke big men Kyle Singler, Mason Plumlee and Miles Plumlee. Jordan Morgan and Evan Smotrycz are the only Michigan players above 6'8 to get regular playing time and both are freshmen. It's difficult to imagine the Wolverines not getting obliterated on the inside.

All that said, Michigan is coming off of its most dominant win of the season, a 75-45 thrashing of Tennessee. In the game before that, they hung with Ohio State for 30 minutes before finally fading away. Still, Ohio State only had one scoring big man to worry about and Michigan survived for a while by double teaming and quickly rotating out to the perimeter. Sullinger also couldn't block shots like the Plumlee brothers can, so there will be more for Michigan to worry about when they are trying to score.

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Date: Saturday, March 19

Time: around 8:40 PM EST (about 30 minutes after the Temple vs. San Diego State game ends)

TV: TNT

It's been a crazy season for the Kansas State Wildcats. Back in November they were considered a top-5 team with national title aspirations. Expectations cooled off a little bit after a decent (but not great) non-conference slate that included losses to Duke, Florida and UNLV but wins over Virginia Tech, Gonzaga and Washington State. When the conference schedule started, things got really dicey, as the Wildcats suffered losses in 4 of their first 5 games and looked like a bigger preseason bust than Michigan State. The tide didn't really start to turn for K-State until mid-February when they hosted rival Kansas following their second loss to Colorado. Stunningly, Kansas State crushed the Jayhawks 84-68 and the Octagon came alive, boosting K-State to five more wins in a row to end the regular season, including an A+ road win at Texas.

However, the Cats came back down to earth as they lost to Colorado for a third time in a quick Big XII tournament exit. That slight hiccup, though, did not stop Kansas State from winning their first NCAA Tournament game, as they defeated Utah State on Thursday night behind 22 points and 5 assists from Jacob Pullen.

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