Big Ten Tournament, Conseco Field House, Indiana

[Carpet]

In this thread the focus will be the Big Ten Tourney games, all comments are welcome and appreciated.

Let's have some fun..

Carpet

[Carpet]

A Basic overview


THURSDAY

(8) 13-14 Indiana (Home Court Advantange ?)
(9) 14-15 Ohio State (Coming off huge loss at home)

(7) 17-12 Purdue (Gene Keady is a defensive Genius)
(10) 11-17 Minn (Wont score much vs Purdue)

(6) 13-14 Northwestern (A scrappy team, the sleeper)
(11) 9-18 Penn State (Struggling at all areas now)

FRIDAY

(4) 16-11 Iowa (On again Off again, big win vs Purdue)
(5) 17-10 Michigan (Much needed win Sat at NW)

More to follow

Carpet

[woodee12]

My predicted lines:

Indy -4 vs. Ohio State

Purdue -7 vs. Minn

NW -5 vs. Penn St.

Iowa pk vs. Michigan

If these are even close to the real lines it is going to be a otugh call.

Like Purdue -7 to shut down a bad Minn team.

Like Ohio State +4 to keep it close with Indy.

We'll see if i am close or not and then go from there.

[Carpet]

Woodie, your lines look laser sharp.


Indy vs OSU, these two teams split games this year, both winning on the road.... Thank God Indiana is not at home, they have suffered badly, A new look, one last shot of redemption for the year in a home type athmosphere..... Agreed Indy 4.0 ..

Purdue vs Minny Purdue throttled Minn earlier this year on Gopher floor, Just to much Keadey in this one.... AGREED Purdue -7.0

Northwestern vs PSU This scrappy NW team beat Illinois this year and played them tough in a loss, coming off a home loss to Michigan, this team can and will bounce back. PSU is heading the wrong direction.... I would love to see the line NW -5.0 and agree they will cover every bit of that line.

Iowa vs Michigan PICKEM... I looked for Michigan to be favored in this game, coming off a good win at NW Saturday (just what the doctor ordered) Iowa could be drained after the game with Purdue (most teams are)... Factoring the intangible "What hawkeye team is coming to play?" I must say Michigan as a 3.5 chalk...


March Madness grows................

Carpet

[Carpet]

A very good article on the number 1 seed

BY JAY MARIOTTI SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- That choking sound Sunday came from an official swallowing his whistle, full gulp, dumb and blind to the foul committed. The perfect ending for an imperfect tale, wouldn't you say? How else would Illinois win the Big Ten basketball title, in a season of relentless and almost comical calamity, than by benefitting from a non-call in the final nanoseconds of the last game?



But, then, zig-zagging human drama is what we find so endearing about this team and this coach. If Bruce Weber can overcome a near-exodus of his best players, the staged funeral of Bill Self, the police blotter, injuries, fires literal and figurative and an early-season mood more wicked in Champaign than the wafting manure odors, you figure he is best cast as a survivor. And don't we find ourselves embracing such creatures in our parts, particularly in March?

"Nothing comes easy. It hasn't all year,'' Weber said with a triumphant smile after the 64-63 screamer over Ohio State, which gave a national audience a glimpse of the Illini thrill ride. "But back when a lot of people were doubting us, I heard our guys say 'Big Ten champs' after every huddle. And here they are, Big Ten champs.''

So go ahead, Bruce. Tell us how wrong we were. Scold us for complaining that your voice was too high, your suits weren't fly enough and you had too much Carbondale in your DNA. Remind us that the great Self is struggling at Kansas. Point out how you reduced your critics to hysterical alarmists -- including resident stars Deron Williams and Dee Brown, who viewed you like e-mail spam -- and won over Illini Nation. Brag, grin, pose, preen, shove it in our faces. We deserve it, having placed you on the hot coals of the Weber Grill and stabbed you like a bad slab of meat until realizing, in the end, that it was a prime cut after all.

Of course, there is no chance of a retaliatory dis. Even after calming a mutinous culture, turning in one of the nation's best coaching performances and taking Illinois to a station never visited by Self, Lon Kruger and Lou Henson -- the outright Big Ten championship, the program's first since 1952 -- Weber had no interest in slamming naysayers he already has conquered. The numbers suggest he should be woofing: a 22-5 record, 10 straight league wins to end the regular season, an effective purging of All Things Self and the quick restoration of a program that lost esteem after its last two coaches left for bigger money and greener grass.

But other than the fun-loving Brown, who teased the booing crowd by cupping his ear as he skipped into the tunnel, the coaches and players were too exhausted to say they told us so. "We kind of all sat there in the locker room, in silence,'' said center James Augustine, the central figure in the controversial play. "We weren't rowdy or anything, but in a little bit of shock. We've been through so many things this year.''

In other words, they felt lucky to get out of Columbus alive after almost gagging away a 17-point lead with 14 minutes left. Weber's critics were howling again as the Illini grew tenative offensively, turned soft defensively and were beat up inside by Ohio State's Terence Dials. When the normally sure Williams clanked a free-throw attempt with 5.2 seconds left, Illini Nation was about to turn Ill.

Frantically, OSU guard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham found himself dribbling through the lane, only needing to draw a foul to position his team for two free throws and a victory. As contact was made, Augustine had his arms raised and was moving, as CBS analyst (and former Ohio State star) Clark Kellogg noted on the telecast. In any other game, any other scenario, a foul probably would have been called. "I was cringing. I thought I was going to hear a whistle,'' Augustine said. "I didn't know what to do. I kind of stepped to the side and put my hands up.''

The refs gagged. As the Illini bobbed at midcourt and the home crowd protested loudly, Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien gestured as if expecting a foul. "I thought he got fouled. I looked at it on tape -- and I'm looking at it through tinted glasses -- and, for sure, I thought he got fouled,'' he said. "But that's a tough call to make, in defense of the officials. The general philosophy is, you don't want to end a game fouling someone. I'm someone who really feels strongly about players having to win the game. I like to see players make baskets to win instead of getting calls to make free throws. [But] clearly, there was a foul. In most cases, they would call a foul.''

Weber didn't want to hear it, not after the 10 months he has endured. "The kid lost the ball,'' he said. Looking at him, his hair is grayer. But listening to him, a challenging journey hasn't embittered him, which makes him a unique man in a tough racket. Whether scrapping as a maligned newcomer or celebrating with the players who once tried to disown him, Downstate Bruce is still the same homespun guy. "Slowly but surely, we got everyone to buy into what we wanted to do,'' he said.

On an afternoon when busloads of Illini heads crossed two state lines to enliven a 19,000-seat tomb, Weber wore a light brown jacket with an orange tie. Consider it a much better look than gothic black. It wasn't long ago when the new coach, tired of comparisons to the popular Self and sick of being treated like a pariah, struck back by conducting a funeral of sorts. "This is the end of Bill Self,'' he told his players in his dark duds. At the time, I thought Weber had lost his marbles. Seemed the job was too big for Mr. Mid-Major, the second (third? fourth?) choice of athletic director Ron Guenther after Marquette hotshot Tom Crean rejected overtures.

Little did we know Weber was about to do his best work, laying down a foundation of credibility. His initiation had been pure hell, starting with the sales jobs he had to do on Williams and Brown. Then came the off-campus break-in involving Luther Head and two other players. There was the loss of Self recruit Charlie Villanueva to Connecticut and plenty of brooding by the inmates, who balked at Weber's motion offense and requirements they play a little defense and get in better shape. They were truly the Fighting Illini, and Weber was putting out flames every day, including a small fire in his own home. It wasn't the work of an arsonist, though the question was fair at the time.

"We had guys going on all different pages,'' Williams said. "But we finally bought into what coach was doing and we started listening to him.''

The Illini appear capable of anything this month, a first-round ouster or a leapfrog into the Elite Eight. Which is why we like them. The Weber Grill is still fired up.

[woodee12]

529 Ohio State
530 Indiana U -3½ 128½

531 Minnesota U
532 Purdue -7 130½

5:00 pm 533 Penn State
534 Northwestern -8 117

Early line from olympic.

Pretty close on mine too.

Still like purdue -7.

[Carpet]

Indiana opens 3.5 ( Woodie is dead balls center on this game) YES this is a line Indiana should cover) ....OSU has been playing alot better ball last 5 games, while Indy is apologizing for lack of effort....More STUDY NEEDED....

Purdue vs Minny... Purdue -7.0... (Again Woodie is laser beamed in on the line)...I also like Purdue covering 7 even though noting that the line is inflated. Minny has one very good player, shut him down and they will fold like a deck of cards. You can bet Gene Keady (A Defensive Genius has a plan for that)..
Purdue should cover this spread...

Northwestern vs Penn State ...NW -8.0...This is a real tough game to call, while on the surface it looks like both teams heading in different directions, PSU always plays with a heart of a lion in Big Ten Play, 8.0 is a very generous line... More study required....

So Far I am locking in with Purdue.....Thanks for the info woodie,

Carpet

Semper Fi...

[Carpet]

Park Ridge, IL - The field is set for the 2004 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament that will take place Thursday-Sunday, March 11-14, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Big Ten Champion Illinois (22-5/13-3) claimed the No. 1 seed for the second time in school history as the program clinched its first outright crown since 1952 with a victory at Ohio State today. The defending Conference Tournament champions earned a share of their third League crown in the last four years and were awarded the top seed for the first time since the 2001 Big Ten Tournament. Wisconsin (21-6/12-4) and Michigan State (17-10/12-4) ended the regular season tied for second place. The Badgers, who finished just one game back in their quest for a third straight title, were granted the No. 2 seed based on a 2-0 record against the Spartans, who were seeded third. Iowa (16-11/9-7) earned the fourth seed, the program's highest seed in Conference Tournament play, while Michigan (17-10/8-8) nabbed the fifth seed after winning a tie-breaker, as each of the top five teams receive a first-round bye and will start tournament play on Friday, March 12.

The seventh-annual Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament will tip off on Thursday, March 11, with No. 8 Indiana (13-14/7-9) taking on No. 9 Ohio State (14-15/6-10) at noon EST on ESPN. The Buckeyes have advanced to the finals in each of the last two Conference Tournaments, winning the title the first time the event was held at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2002, while the Hoosiers have reached at least the semifinals in each of Mike Davis' three years as head coach. The second game of the Tournament will feature No. 7 Purdue (17-12/7-9) against No. 10 Minnesota (11-17/3-13) at approximately 2:30 p.m. EST on ESPN. The final game on Thursday will include No. 6 Northwestern (13-14/8-8) and No. 11 Penn State (9-18/3-13) at roughly 5:05 p.m. EST on ESPN2.

Day two will begin with top-seeded Illinois facing the winner of the Indiana/Ohio State game at noon EST on ESPN. The Illini will look to reverse recent history, as the No. 1 seed has been knocked off in its first game in four of the six events, including each of the last two years. The last top seed to advance past the quarterfinals was Illinois in 2001. The second game features the No. 4/5 contest at approximately 2:30 p.m. EST on ESPN, as No. 4 Iowa and No. 5 Michigan will square off for the first time in Big Ten Tournament play. The Hawkeyes, who became the lowest-seeded team to win the event as a No. 6 seed in 2001, advanced to the finals the last time the event was held in Indianapolis despite being seeded ninth. Second-seeded Wisconsin will begin its quest for a first tourney championship on Friday at 6:40 p.m. EST on ESPN Plus against the Purdue/Minnesota victor. The Badgers have been knocked out in their first game in each of the last three years, including as the top seed the last two seasons. The second day will conclude with No. 3 Michigan State facing the Northwestern/Penn State winner at approximately 9:10 p.m. EST on ESPN Plus, as the Spartans are the only team to win multiple Big Ten Tournament crowns.

The Big Ten Tournament semifinals will take place on Saturday, March 13, with the first game beginning at 1:40 p.m. EST on CBS. Game two will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one at approximately 4:05 p.m. EST on CBS. The Tournament will conclude with the championship game on Sunday, March 14, at 3:30 p.m. EST on CBS.

Five different teams have won the Big Ten Tournament in its first six years, as Illinois was victorious in 2003 while previous winners include Ohio State (2002), Iowa (2001), Michigan State (2000, 1999) and Michigan (1998).

Carpet

[Carpet]

After careful evaluation of each team, I submit the following

Indiana vs OSU Indy is a 3.5 chalk, the line is inflated by 2.5 points perhaps this is the old home court advantange thought process, and I am going to stay with Indiana to cover. Also I like the over in this game my numbers say 132.

PICK INDY -3.5 and the over at 128 1/2

Minnesota vs Purdue, Purdue is a 7.0 chalk, the line is inflated by 1 point. Purdue will smother the Golphers.

PICK Purdue -7.0

Penn State at Northwestern NW -8.0 chalk. The line is under by 4.5 points, love the Big Ten coach of the year to lay it on the poor Lions. I also love the over in this game by 8 or more..

PICK NW -8.0 and the over....


Looking at the Michigan Iowa matchup, the line should favor Michigan by 2.0....

Good Luck to all

Carpet

Semper Fi.

[Carpet]

The Wolverines open as a 1.5 chalk..... I am laying with the Wolverines...

Carpet

Semper Fi...

[woodee12]

I am still trying to cap the jeckl and Hyde Hawks and will be back with my pick for their Friday game.


Today, I am liking Indi -3 and Purdue -7 but have not got myself to play it yet. Probably will look at it here in a little bit to see if it merits a play.

I am going pass on Nwestern right now but may play the Total Seems low to me but NW does control the clock by running the shot clock down on most posessions.

I'll will stop back before the Indy game and post.

[Monroe Eaford]

I agree with you guys on indiana and purdue. So far I took the hoosiers on the moneyline - 141 at pinny. Couldnt pass it up..... it was between - 155 and - 165 everywhere else.

[woodee12]

Nice Money line on Indi there. The cheapest I have seen is -155.

My Plays:

Indy -1 (-140) Bought 2 points

Purdue -7

Penn State +8.5 (Sorry Carpet, just not impressed with NWestern laying that many points)

[Carpet]

Indy covers both sides... WIN

Purdue falls flat and loses badly.. LOSS

NW fails to cover either the line or over....LOSS

[Carpet]

Illinois vs Indiana..... Illinois opens a 8.0 chalk....

Illinois 10 game consecutive winning streak is now the longest in the Country as St Joes gets ambushed....

In the Big Ten tourney the Illini owns a .688% winning pct, at 11-5 the most wins since it's inception.

Illinois is the only school to advance to the semi-finals the last 6 straight years.

Since December 12 Illinois is 18-3 SU

Illinois plays a 8 man rotation, the 9th man gets 8 minutes of play, a very well balanced scoring team. The starters play an average of 27 minutes a game and they are very difficult to defend.

This team will stay alive in the NCAA Dance as long as the guards continue to play well, Coach Weber (1st year coach) dumped Bill Self's (Now at Kansas) rigid offense, which featured a myraid of set plays and he installed a motion attack offense...

Illinois beat Indiana earlier this year by 2 points, since then they have gone in opposite directions.

Indiana beat OSU today, making 20 straight free throws in the game. I really think that OSU had the air let out of their tires with the loss to Illinois a short few days ago...

This game draws two Top Guards in the nation as a match-up, Bracey Wright of Indy and Deron Williams of Illinois, these two played together in High School and were the best 2 guards in the state of Texas.

Every time, or it sure seems like it, these 2 teams play it is a WAR, nothing comes easy.

Illinois is rested, Indy is just coming off a win today, and they better drink plenty of Gatorade to be ready by 11:00 am tommorrow.

My numbers show Illinois by 5.0 and I know they will win out right, but by at 8 I cant pull the trigger. This is a money line bet...
I do not know the over yet for tommorrow , another interesting line...

I am also playing Michigan in the game vs Iowa.

Good Luck to all

Carpet

Semper Fi