2005-06 Official Big Ten bball Thread

[jwinslow]

Humorous anecdote: fans sporting green Fire Millen signs in the crowd... classic (highlighted on SC)


Spartans Extend Win Streak To Six
12/10/2005 M. Basketball ~ Maurice Ager scored 21 points to lead No. 14 Michigan State to an 83-64 victory over Wichita State on Saturday night. The Spartans (7-2) have won six straight, including two against top-10 teams, since their triple-overtime loss to Gonzaga.
:: Full Release ::

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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12/13/05

Badgers avoid upset with three at buzzer
Tuesday, December 13, 2005


ASSOCIATED PRESS




Wisconsin 54, N.C.-Wilmington 51 — Kammron Taylor made a three-point shot as time expired to lift Wisconsin past North Carolina-Wilmington last night in Madison, Wis.

Taylor scored the Badgers’ last eight points as Wisconsin (8-1) prevailed in a game that featured an offensive surge in the final 6½ minutes. The teams combined to hit nine three-pointers, including six straight to open the stretch.

The Seahawks (7-2) tied the score at 51 on a basket by Todd Hendley with six seconds left.

After a timeout, Taylor took the inbounds pass, drove the length of the court and pulled up at the right wing, hitting the shot as time expired.

Taylor had given the Badgers the lead twice earlier in the final minute, on a three-point play and a pullup jumper. He finished with 13 points.

Alando Tucker scored 15 points to lead Wisconsin.

A three-point shot by Tucker with 6:28 left tied the score at 35 and set off a flurry of scoring from beyond the arc.

T.J. Carter, who scored 19 points for North Carolina-Wilmington, answered with a three-pointer, which was the first of three straight for the Seahawks, each coming after a Wisconsin three-pointer.
After a 16-16 halftime tie, North Carolina-Wilmington took a 28-21 lead, the largest for either team.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Well Wilmington usually has a pretty good team, so that win doesnt look all that bad for Wisky, but most teams in the big ten still need to improve. The race is wide open IMO, b/c Illinois has been struggling at times and so has MSU, Iowa, and us.

I like the fact there are 7 teams ranked in the top 26. Could this race be wide open like football was and come down to the last week of the season. Me thinks so.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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12/14/05

Relaxed food policy isn’t helping Purdue fill seats

Wednesday, December 14, 2005




WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue’s attempts to fill the seats at men’s basketball games may not be working as well as hoped.

In an effort to boost ticket sales, athletic department officials ended the 38-year ban on eating food in the seating areas of Mackey Arena. While those attending men’s basketball games enjoy the new concession policy, the fan-friendly move has not boosted ticket sales, the Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Ind., reported.

Last season, 10,726 season tickets were sold. This year, 9,489 tickets were sold.

"In today’s economy, many are on fixed incomes and have set aside money for (Purdue) football season tickets," coach Matt Painter said. "I understand that the football team has been winning and we haven’t. If we win, fans will come back."

Al Chiscon, a 72-year-old retired biology professor who has been attending men’s basketball games for more than 30 years, is eager to see Purdue return to its winning ways. But he also said fan-friendly rules eventually will boost ticket sales.
"When you can eat at your seat, you don’t miss the game," Chiscon said. "If you have to stand and watch on a TV monitor, you could have stayed home where it is more comfortable."

 

[Bucklion]

NW losing to UIC is a bad loss this year...UIC lost to an NAIA team earlier in the season. This was another win the conference could have used. At least Minnesota squeaked out a win.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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12/16/05

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | ROUNDUP

Badgers hold on to defeat Panthers
Friday, December 16, 2005


ASSOCIATED PRESS



Wisconsin 74, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 68 — Alando Tucker scored 25 points and Kammron Taylor 23, and Wisconsin outlasted in-state rival Wisconsin-Milwaukee last night in Madison.

Wisconsin’s victory came at the expense of Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Rob Jeter, a former assistant coach and player under Badgers coach Bo Ryan. But it wasn’t easy.

The Panthers, who returned four of five starters from last year’s NCAA Sweet 16 team but have struggled to adjust to Jeter’s new offensive system, rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit to close to seven points at halftime, thanks to three three-point baskets from senior guard Boo Davis near the end of the half.

Davis scored 23 to lead Wisconsin-Milwaukee (4-3), but he didn’t look for his shot in the second half. He had only one attempt in the game’s final 11 minutes.

The Panthers took the lead on two Davis free throws at the 16:12 mark in the second half and traded the lead several times with the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s turning point came when Panthers junior forward Kevin Massiah missed a slam-dunk opportunity with 8:21 remaining, and the Wisconsin-Milwaukee bench — apparently complaining at no foul call — was called for a technical foul.
The Badgers hit two free throws on the technical to tie the score at 52 and outscored the Panthers 22-16 the rest of the way.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

That was a pretty impressive win for Wisky b/c that team is no slouch. They have 4 returners back from the team that made the tourney run last year.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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12/22/05

No. 6 Illinois 82, Missouri 50 — Dee Brown had 17 points and seven assists and Illinois jumped to an 18-point lead in the first half in routing Missouri last night in St. Louis.

James Augustine added 12 points and eight rebounds for Illinois (12-0), which led by as many as 34 points.

Jimmy McKinney had 11 points for Missouri (4-4). Thomas Gardner, who leads the Big 12 with a 22-point average, was held to a season-worst six points on 2-of-12 shooting from the field.

No. 10 Michigan St. 98, Wis.-Green Bay 69 — Shannon Brown scored 26 points and Maurice Ager and Paul Davis added 25 each, and Michigan State (10-2) pulled away from host Wisconsin-Green Bay (4-7) in the second half.

Minnesota 88, Grambling 64 — Vincent Grier scored a season-high 25 points and Minnesota (7-2) used a 23-6 run in the first half to down Grambling State (2-4) in Minneapolis.
Brion Rush led Grambling with 25 points, including seven three-pointers.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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12/23/05

MICHIGAN 87 | MIAMI UNIVERSITY 80

Michigan wins game dominated by threes
Friday, December 23, 2005




ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Daniel Horton scored 17 points and Courtney Sims added 16 to help Michigan escape with an 87-80 victory over Miami University last night.

Chris Hunter had 15 points, including 13 in the second half, for the Wolverines (8-1), who hit a season-high nine threepointers.

Freshman Michael Bramos had 18 points and William Hatcher 16 for the RedHawks (4-4), who lost their third straight game. Miami also made a season-high 13 three-pointers.

There were five lead changes and three ties during the first six minutes of the second half before Michigan used an 18-3 run to take control of the game and build a 69-54 lead with 9:08 left.

Miami made four straight three-pointers to cut the deficit to 82-75 with 57 seconds left. But Michigan’s reserves connected on five of six free throws down the stretch.

The two teams combined to make 22 of 45 three-point shots.
Miami used the three-point shot to dominate most of the first half, hitting 7 of 14. The RedHawks built a 28-18 lead, but Michigan used a 19-7 run to go in front 37-35. Hatcher gave Miami a 40-39 halftime edge with a three-pointer with one second left.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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12/29/05

No. 24 Wisconsin 78, Louisiana Tech 52 — Brian Butch scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and had 10 rebounds as Wisconsin (10-1) beat Louisiana Tech (7-6) in Madison, Wis.

Michigan 81, Coppin State 53 — Dion Harris scored 21 points and Courtney Sims had 19 to lead Michigan (9-1) to a comeback victory over Coppin State (0-10) in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Purdue 62, Tennessee-Martin 54 — Nate Minnoy scored 15 points and Matt Kiefer had 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead Purdue (6-4) over Tennessee-Martin (5-4) in West Lafayette, Ind.

Penn State 74, Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne 59 — Travis Parker had 17 points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds for Penn State (7-3) in a win over Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne (2-10) in State College, Pa.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

How does 86-22 sound for an overall conference record right now. We still have 2 teams undefeated, Us and Illinois and 2 teams with 1 loss and that doesnt even include MSU and IU who have 2 loses and Iowa who has 3.

Looking to be a pretty strong year this year for the big ten. We have 5 teams ranked and Iowa and scUM are just on the outside looking in.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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1/6/06

NO. 6 ILLINOIS 60 | NO. 7 MICHIGAN STATE 50
Undefeated Illini throttle Spartans
Friday, January 06, 2006
Jim Paul
ASSOCIATED PRESS

</IMG> DARRELL HOEMANN | ASSOCIATED PRESS Illinois’ James Augustine, left, fights Michigan State’s Goran Sutton for a rebound during the first half.


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo summed up the Spartans’ showdown with Illinois last night with one short statement.
"This was a Dee Brown night."
Brown scored a career-high 34 points and the sixth-ranked Illini remained unbeaten with a 60-50 victory over the seventhranked Spartans to run their home winning streak to 30 games in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
The streak matches No. 8 Gonzaga for longest current run in the country.
Brown was 12 of 22 from the field, including 7 of 13 from three-point range, for the Illini (15-0) and had 23 points in the first half. He hit a 30-foot bailout as the shot clock wound down and a shot as time expired before halftime.
"I think it was one of the most incredible performances I’ve seen," Izzo said.
Brown is one of two starters back from the Illinois team that spent most of the season ranked No. 1 and lost to North Carolina in the national championship game.
"I just got into a rhythm, got a little confidence," said Brown, who had been averaging 14.2 points. "Guys screened good for me and I got some open looks. I was just making them today."
Michigan State (12-3) had its 11-game winning streak snapped as the Illini held the Spartans nearly 33 points below their average. Maurice Ager, the Big Ten’s leading scorer, finished with nine points, 13 below his average.
"A lot of times we played right into their hands," said Ager, who was 3 of 8 from the field. "I feel if I would have played halfway decent we would have come out with the victory."
Shannon Brown had 17 points for Michigan State, which was held to its lowest point total since falling 72-50 to Duke on Dec. 3, 2003. The Spartans have lost four straight to Illinois. "I did not feel that we were in sync," Izzo said. "I think you have to give Illinois some credit for that, but I also think you have to give us some blame."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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1/8/06

IOWA 63 | NO. 6 ILLINOIS 48
Hawkeyes put clamps on Illini
Dismal shooting results in Illinois suffering first loss
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Todd Dvorak
ASSOCIATED PRESS

</IMG> CHARLIE NEIBERGALL | ASSOCIATED PRESS Brian Randle of Illinois reacts after fouling out in the second half.


IOWA CITY, Iowa — For at least one day, Iowa put aside its shooting troubles.
Coming off one of their worst shooting performances under coach Steve Alford, Iowa rebounded to beat sixthranked Illinois 63-48 in a Big Ten game yesterday, snapping the Illini’s 15-game winning streak.
The Hawkeyes (12-4, 1-1) did just enough on offense. Jeff Horner scored 16 points and helped Iowa take command in the second half, when the Hawkeyes scored 40 points on 53 percent shooting from the field and were 18 of 21 from the free throw line.
But it was the defense that flustered the Illini (15-1, 1-1), who were held below 50 points for the first time in nearly seven years.
"I know how good Illinois is, so to beat that team the way we did today, and to defend — we can guard anybody," said Alford, whose team shot 17 percent from the field in the second half in a loss to Wisconsin earlier in the week.
"We told them we don’t care if you shoot 25 percent in this game today. Make sure you’re guarding the way we’ve been guarding."
The Hawkeyes did just that.
In a physical battle between two of the conference’s best defensive teams, Iowa held Illinois to 35 percent shooting from the field and shut down flashy point guard Dee Brown, who scored just six points on 2-of-13 shooting — one game after he scored a career-high 34.
The Illini, who had won 54 of their past 55 regular-season games, committed 16 turnovers, trailed throughout the second half and shot 19 percent from three-point range.
"Coach (Bruce Weber) always talks about the basketball gods, how they’ll allow 40 one night and four the next," said Illini center James Augustine, who led his teamwith 14 points and nine rebounds. "But we don’t have to put everything on (Brown’s) shoulders. We needed to have somebody else step up."
Illinois’ first loss came after a grueling win over No. 7 Michigan State, a game that Weber said might have drained his team’s emotional tank.
"It was such a high the other night. Maybe it was all blown out of proportion," Weber said. "It shows you how vulnerable you are if you’re not ready."
Iowa also got 15 points from Adam Haluska and 10 from Mike Henderson.
The Hawkeyes didn’t shoot all that well, either — 35 percent from the field. The difference was at the foul line, where Iowa went 24 of 32 and Illinois’ 7 of 15.
Horner sank all six of his foul shots in the final minute to seal the win. Brown’s struggles started early. His only point in the first half came when he sank the second of two free throws with 8:05 left. He missed all six of his shots from the field, including two fast-break layups, and had only one assist.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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1/9/06

WISCONSIN 82 | NO. 7 MICHIGAN STATE 63
Badgers sting Spartans
Taylor’s 27 pace Wisconsin; MSU falls to 0-2 in Big Ten
Monday, January 09, 2006
Chris Jenkins
ASSOCIATED PRESS

</IMG> ANDY MANIS | ASSOCIATED PRESS Wisconsin’s Greg Stiemsma has the upper hand on a shot by Michigan State’s Marquise Gray during the second half.


MADISON, Wis. — Alando Tucker is the face — or these days, the face mask — of Wisconsin basketball.
Still, Kammron Taylor doesn’t feel overshadowed by his teammate.
"I don’t mind not getting any publicity — as long as we’re winning," Taylor said.
Taylor tied a career high with 27 points and Wisconsin beat No. 7 Michigan State 82-63 yesterday in the Big Ten, improving to 33-1 in conference home games under coach Bo Ryan.
Tucker, still wearing a face mask to protect a broken nose he suffered in a Nov. 29 loss at Wake Forest, added 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the field. He scored at least 25
points in three of the previous four games.
The Badgers have won seven of the last eight meetings with Michigan State.
After the loss yesterday and a defeat at Illinois on Thursday, Michigan State (12-4, 0-2) has begun Big Ten play with two losses for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
This was the Spartans’ second trip to Wisconsin in less than a month, and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo came away from each game with a different concern. After the Spartans’ Dec. 21 victory at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Izzo said he was worried about his team’s defense. Now he’s worried about the offense.
Shannon Brown scored 31 points for Michigan State (12-4, 0-2), but Wisconsin (12-2, 2-0) held the Spartans’ other two scoring threats, Maurice Ager and Paul Davis, in check.
"No team is going to do well if two of their three best players don’t play well at all," Izzo said. "Ours have really struggled."
Ager, MSU’s leading scorer, was held to 11 points. The senior guard, who came in with a 21.1-point average, had only four first-half points.
"I think he’s putting a lot of pressure on himself and not really seeing the game," Izzo said. The Badgers held Davis to two points. He did have nine rebounds. "Seniors have to bring energy, and they have to bring leadership. . . . It’s been null and void the last two games," Izzo said. Taylor, a junior guard, brought plenty of energy to Wisconsin, scoring 12 points in the first half and opening the second half with a jumper and a three-pointer.
"My teammates were doing a good job of finding me when I was open, and I was just knocking shots down," Taylor said. His second-half scores touched off a 13-0 run that put the Badgers ahead 49-26.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

D.J. White has reinjured his foot and is out indefinetly, this will really hurt Indiana, without him on Saturday, they don't beat Ohio State in my opinion.