Sorry bukky, no field hockey this time.


Field Set For 2008 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament
Wisconsin earns No. 1 seed after winning outright Big Ten title

March 9, 2008

The field is set for the 2008 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament that will take place Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Wisconsin (26-4, 16-2) claimed the No. 1 seed after capturing the Big Ten title for the third time in Bo Ryan's tenure. Purdue (24-7, 15-3) earned the No. 2 seed, while Indiana (25-6, 14-4) clinched the No. 3 spot. Michigan State (24-7, 12-6) claimed the No. 4 spot and Ohio State (19-12, 10-8) ended the season in fifth place in the conference standings, earning the No. 5 seed. Each of the top five teams receives a first-round bye and will start tournament play on Friday, March 9. Mistake, should say Friday, March 14. -Glenn

The 11th annual Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament will tip off on Thursday, March 13, with No. 8 Iowa (13-18, 6-12) taking on No. 9 Michigan (9-21, 5-13) at Noon EDT on the Big Ten Network. The second game of the tournament will feature No. 7 Penn State (15-15, 7-11) against No. 10 Illinois (13-18, 5-13) at approximately 2:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2. The final game on Thursday will include No. 6 Minnesota (18-12, 8-10) and No. 11 Northwestern (8-21, 1-17) at roughly 5 p.m. EDT on ESPN2.

Day two will begin with top-seeded Wisconsin facing the winner of the Iowa/Michigan game at Noon EDT on ESPN. The Badgers are the No. 1 seed for the third time in tournament history as UW claimed the top seed in back-to-back Big Ten Tournaments in 2002 and 2003. Wisconsin will look to avenge its loss in last year's tournament final to Ohio State. The No. 1 seed has won the tournament only three times with Michigan State claiming the 1999 title, Illinois capturing the crown in 2005 and the Buckeyes winning the tournament last year.

The second game features the No. 4/5 contest at approximately 2:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN. Fourth-seeded Michigan State and the defending tournament champion No. 5 Ohio State will square off. The Spartans are vying to become the first squad in Big Ten Tournament history to win the tourney crown three times, as MSU claimed the 1999 and 2000 titles. Illinois and Iowa also have two tournament crowns each. Earning the highest seed in Boilermaker history, second-seeded Purdue will begin tournament action on Friday at 6:30 p.m. EDT in the first of two games that will air on the Big Ten Network. The Boilermakers will face the winner of the Penn State-Illinois contest. The second day will conclude with No. 3 Indiana facing the Minnesota-Northwestern winner at approximately 9 p.m. EDT on the Big Ten Network.

The Big Ten Tournament semifinals will take place on Saturday, March 15, with the first game beginning at 1:40 p.m. EDT on CBS. Game two will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one at approximately 4:05 p.m. EDT on CBS. The tournament will conclude with the championship game on Sunday, March 16, at 3:30 p.m. EDT on CBS.

PDF of bracket: http://bigten.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/big10/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2008MensBracket


Matchups:

#8 Iowa vs. #9 Michigan (Winner plays #1 Wisconsin)

#7 Penn St vs. #10 Illinois (Winner plays #2 Purdue)

#6 Minnesota vs. #11 Northwestern (Winner plays #3 Indiana)

#4 Michigan St. vs. #5 Ohio St.

Michigan State wins it...

Wow. UM would have been better off as the #10 seed. Looks like 1 and done again. Sure, they COULD beat Iowa (played twice this year, an 8 pt loss and an 8 pt victory), but I'm not holding my breath. Even if they do, Wisconsin is probably going to look more like the team that beat them by 16 than the team that hung on to win by 3.

Michigan State wins it...

It being the opening tip?

I'm home today and was thinking that I might watch the UM game at noon, but alas, it's on Big Ten Network.

Anybody know if the video will be streamed anywhere for free?

I doubt it, but thought I'd ask.

What about that new site e-ray found - does that have anything?

For those who think UM basketball is in the dumper, hey, at least they played their way into the Big 10 Tournament!

Think POSITIVE, men, think positive!

22-11 michigan.

eat your words! eat your words!

If Michigan wins this game, do you think it's enough to get them in the tournament?

wisconsin wants no part of the two headed monster that is manny harris and deshawn simms.

22-11 michigan.

eat your words! eat your words!


I'll remind you that confidence is very sexy, but I notice that you still have your full compliment of alpacas.

really what are you smoking the only way Michigan gets to the dance is to beat iowa beat wisconsin then beat osu/msu winner then beat pry either Indiana or Purdue

green type is sexy, too

My Wolverines pulled it out!
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200803130276

really what are you smoking the only way Michigan gets to the dance is to beat iowa beat wisconsin then beat osu/msu winner then beat pry either Indiana or Purdue

FUCK! You gotta be kidding??? Michigan just might be the third best 10-21 team in the NCAA, and YOU don't think they belong in the Big Dance??
Way to rain on the parade, man.

really what are you smoking the only way Michigan gets to the dance is to beat iowa beat wisconsin then beat osu/msu winner then beat pry either Indiana or Purdue

You think so? I think they've got a chance. It's all up to the selection committee. They've fucked U of M over for the past 7 years. They owe us one.

wheres the UM / wisco game on sportsbook? i want to put the house on UM. i have a feeling...

Going to watch the game. I have nothing better to do today.

Could we see a Michigan-Michigan State semifinal matchup?

HOUSE on michigan winning outright. hows that for confidence?

I like it. It's too bad we can't bet U of M vs. MSU yet. Because Michigan is going to destroy them.

That is, of course, if MSU can win the game to get there.

HOUSE on michigan winning outright. hows that for confidence?

Very sexy.

K9znxZRWQc4

If someone is watching the game, post updates.

8-0 Wisco, good start
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore;_ylt=AvOsicjPBu2E9uEtNcAuBmTfzYd4?gid=200 803140657

Latest Plays
16:19 Michigan - 30 sec timeout
16:34 Wisconsin - Layup by Greg Stiemsma
16:42 Michigan - Ekpe Udoh misses a jumper
17:10 Wisconsin - Layup by Trevon Hughes
17:33 Wisconsin - Personal foul on Brian Butch
17:55 Wisconsin - Layup by Joe Krabbenhoft
17:55 Wisconsin - Michael Flowers misses a layup
18:21 Wisconsin - Brian Butch misses a three-pointer
18:44 Michigan - DeShawn Sims misses a jumper
19:27 Wisconsin - Layup by Marcus Landry

edit:
16:19 Wisconsin - Layup by Michael Flowers

I'll take down 8 all day at the half.

These are the kinds of games that make me not want to watch college basketball.

18 points at the half?

I know that Wisco plays a slow down style, but come on.

I have faith in the ball coach but cmon wright is horrible why dont they play grady at the one manny 2 sims 3 gibson 4 and udoh 5 that would be there best lineup I have to believe.... CMON HIT A SHOT

That big ugly white dude has now gotten away with two goal tends. TWO.

These are the kinds of games that make me not want to watch college basketball.

18 points at the half?

I know that Wisco plays a slow down style, but come on.

I think the main reason I don't like college ball is because it's too low scoring.

13.5 looks pretty dead on.

as dead on as any point spread with a ".5" can be, at least

still 6 minutes for it to get to 20, though

3+ minutes to go and only one player has double digit points (one Wisco dude has 10)

wisconsin wants no part of the two headed monster that is manny harris and deshawn simms.

3/21 today

I'll be honest, I think I might not enjoy the NIT as much this year as I did last year without Michigan's presence.

Who the fuck watches the NIT, even if the team they follow is in it?

Who the fuck watches the NIT, even if the team they follow is in it?

http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8813

That right there is the 71st most viewed thread in WTFDetroit NCAA forum history, buddy.

That is pathetic.

And holy shit, I agree with Tre!


Good God! Can we please not talk about the freaking NIT (sarcasm or not) in the Big Dance forum. This is the greatest freaking week in basketball and I want to talk big games not garbage NIT bball.

Can't wait for Thursday!

im less optimistic now.

No worries, my Spartans are going to put on a show for you all.

Michigan got screwed. A couple of bad calls here and there, some tough luck shots, the free throw discrepency... If Michigan could have just drained 6 threes in a row at the end while forcing 7 straight turnovers, Michigan would have won this game. That's how close this team is to being great...

No worries, my Spartans are going to put on a show for you all.

They better since I'm all in on them.

i thought wisconsin was just extremely focused in trying to win. im sure if they played as hard as they typically do, we would have won.

that and the refs, they obviously jobbed us.

30-30 tie at the half

Another good spread by the bookies (4.5)

5 point game with just over a minute left

Come on boys, I got ~400 on this.

Neitzel played huge

6 threes and 28 pts so far

And was lucky enough to be interviewed by Erin Andrews.

BTW...the regular season doesn't mean shit anymore right? Its the winner of the tourny that gets the nod.

I think I'm going to start betting on the Sparties. That way I win either way. They win, my pockets get fat. They lose, I get to smile.

I think I'm going to start betting on the Sparties. That way I win either way. They win, my pockets get fat. They lose, I get to smile.

Damn, I was hoping that no one else would figgur it out.

This thing couldn't be shaping up any better for MSU, really.

If they get by Wisco today, they'd get the winner of Illinois and Minnesota?

Cake walk.

Looking pretty good so far, if they can just hold on they should pretty much have this toorna-ment sewed up.

Another banner to hang in the Breslin Centre for Thomas Arbuckle Izzo IV.

Yeah, thanks to Ed Hightower.

I hate Wisconsin more than I hate U of M.

I hate Big Ten officiating, period, end of sentence.

I hate Bo Ryan and his cheap white thug team.

I hate that we can't get ANY consistency game to game from anyone on our team not named Dahlman (he consistently rides the pine.)

State chokes. Wow.

State chokes. Wow.

Pretty easy to choke when every time you breath on someone they call a foul. Wisconsin lives at the free throw line and won't do shit next weekend. 1 and done.

MSU turns this into motivation and makes a run. Final 4 or bust.

whoops

That was a bad, bad loss.

I feel for my MSU bros, so I'm not going to say much more than that.

Did the Sparty fans that left(or are hiding) know a lil something about this years team?

Out of all the major conferences, this tournament is the worst. Other than Minnesota/Indiana, there hasn't been one good game. I know the Big Ten is an academic conference, but there has to be a way to improve the product. The "basketball" being played in this conference is awful.

Out of all the major conferences, this tournament is the worst. Other than Minnesota/Indiana, there hasn't been one good game. I know the Big Ten is an academic conference, but there has to be a way to improve the product. The "basketball" being played in this conference is awful.

Agreed.

It's humorous that every year "the conference is down".

lemme ask again...iirc, the winner of the season used to get an automatic bid to the NCAA. But now its the winner of the tourny, right?

Or do I have this all fucked up?

Plus, I guess since 3-4 teams usually goes anyway, it doesn't matter, but I think they switched it to make the tourny actually count something. You know the B10, about 50 years behind everyone else.

Yes, tourney winner gets a bid.

If your connection to the Big Ten were not so tenuous, you would know that.

But admit you prolly were knee high to a grasshopper when the winner of the B10 season used to get the nod.