I lost on Thursday as Penn State decided not to show up for the 2nd half and turned a 15 point lead into a 9 point loss. Today there's a quadruple header on Big Ten Network, so I'm here to break it all down for you.
Season record in Big Ten games: 3-2
Season record in NU games: 6-0
Purdue at Wisconsin (+1), 12:30 PM central, BTN
I thought Wisconsin might be a slight favorite here as they are so tough at home. That win over Duke is looking better and better by the game. Purdue is playing great basketball but they have not been impressive in their two road wins this season. They needed a late comeback to beat a mediocre Alabama team and struggled to put away lowly Iowa. So the undefeated season for Purdue comes to an end today.
Pick: Wisconsin
Ohio State at Minnesota (-4.5), 2:30 PM central, BTN
The Buckeye bandwagon is filling back up now that Evan Turner is back from injury, although he's still not 100%. Unfortunately for Ohio State fans, this is a bad matchup as Turner is very turnover prone and the Gophers press could wreak havoc. Minnesota also has the edge in depth and should pull away in the second half at home.
Pick: Minnesota
Michigan State at Iowa (+13.5), 4:30 PM central, BTN
This line could be 20 and I'd be tempted to take Michigan State. I know Iowa has not lost by huge margins at home, but that changes tonight as the Hawkeyes are hopelessly outmanned here. Kalin Lucas has responded well from his benching, once again showing how great a coach Tom Izzo is. There is the minor possibility of a Michigan State letdown coming off a big win, but even if they don't show up for the first half, it will only take 20 good minutes to cover that spread since Iowa cannot defend them.
Pick: Michigan State
Illinois at Indiana (+6.5), 7 PM central, BTN
I've gone back and forth about 5 times on this game. Illinois has been mostly terrible away from home all season, but Indiana has been mostly terrible period all season, and the loss of Maurice Creek has to catch up with Indiana eventually. Illinois should be out to prove they can win on the road, and they have way more talent, so I guess I'll take Illinois but I'm not thrilled about it.
Pick: Illinois
Stay tuned later today for a detailed breakdown of the big game tomorrow against Michigan.