Hoopville - James V. Dowd

Big Ten Conference Notebook

by James Dowd

Illinois (8-0)
After losing a great deal of talent to the NBA after last season's run to the Championship game, everyone wondered if the Illini could keep pace with the top of the Big Ten this season. Eight games into the season, they have quieted critics with a road win at North Carolina and a victory over Xavier on Monday night.

Senior James Augustine was named co-Big Ten Player of the week, picking up points the Illini need without under-rated forward Roger Powell joining him in the front court. Augustine notched 13 points and 13 rebounds in the victory over North Carolina and equaled a career-best 23 against Xavier.

Indiana (4-1)
The consensus going into this season is that the Hoosiers would be contenders for the Big Ten title if they got sufficient production out of Auburn transfer Marco Killingsworth. Coach Mike Davis' gut feeling that Killingsworth was his man was proven true when the senior scored 34 points during Indiana's loss to No. 1 Duke.

With Duke as the obvious exception, the Hoosiers have not truly been tested thus far. Their four wins were convincing, but came against Nicholls State, Florida A&M, Western Illinois, and, most recently, Eastern Michigan. After an in-state match-up with Indiana State, the Hoosiers face another test when they meet Kentucky in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Iowa (7-1)
Going into the season, all eyes were on senior Greg Brunner to lead the Hawkeyes' charge this season. But through eight games, junior Adam Haluska has led the team with 14.5 ppg to Brunner's 13.8 ppg. Despite dropping a 9-point decision to Texas, Iowa has notched seven easy wins over mid-major opponents.

Last Friday and Saturday, Iowa easily ran the table at the Hawkeye challenge, defeating Fairfield by 16 on Friday night before downing Valparaiso 72-59 on Saturday night. Through eight games, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing just 53.6 ppg.

Michigan (5-0)
The Wolverines have surprised fans in Ann Arbor with five consecutive wins to start the season. Senior Daniel Horton has returned to his freshman form, dropping in almost 17 ppg, and big man Courtney Sims has scored 13.8 ppg.

While Michigan has had a tendency to play well in the non-conference season and collapse when the Big Ten schedule arrives, emotional wins over Miami in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and at Notre Dame on Saturday have given Michigan confidence that has been absent even with early-season success in recent seasons.

With senior Lester Abram returning after missing last season due to injury, the Wolverines have three players averaging 12 ppg or better. If Abram, Sims and Horton can stay healthy and out of trouble, the Wolverines may have a chance to contend when league play comes around.

Michigan State (5-2)
After suffering two defeats in their first three games, the Spartans have bounced back with four consecutive victories, including an 88-86 win over Georgia Tech and a 74-71 decision over Arizona.

The Spartan attack is lead by a trio of the league's top-ten scorers, including guard Maurice Ager and center Paul Davis, who have averaged over 21 ppg. Shannon Brown has also chipped in 16 ppg, giving the Spartans one of the Big Ten conference's most prolific scoring offenses.

Through seven games, the Spartans' number one concern is that their defense, which has given up more points per contest than any other team in the Big Ten. If this defense does not improve, Michigan State will struggle when it faces stingy Big Ten defenses in the new year.

Minnesota (3-2)
The Golden Gophers have managed three early wins despite being without the team's top three guards. Preseason All-Big Ten selection Vincent Grier is sidelined with a broken finger for a few more weeks after scoring 21 points in his only game.

In the Golden Gophers' only real test, they were defeated handily by Maryland, 83-66. With an overtime victory against Arizona State on Monday night, Minnesota showed resilience, but without their top three guards, it is hard to judge where they might fall once the Big Ten season begins.

Northwestern (4-3)
In its first seven games, Northwestern has managed to keep a winning record with an unusual tactic in Big Ten basketball - a one-dimensional offense. Vedran Vukusic is leading the Big Ten in scoring and the Wildcats in almost every offensive category.

After defeating Delaware State in overtime this weekend, the Wildcats began an 11-day break before tipping off with Illinois-Chicago and Seton Hall next week. If the Wildcats can't spread the ball around more in these games, Big Ten defenses will easily key on Vukusic, turning 2005-06 into a long year for Northwestern fans.

Ohio State (3-0)
Through the Buckeyes' three games, coach Thad Matta's squad has justified the preseason hype surrounding Ohio State basketball. The Buckeyes are in the midst of a two-week break, but hope to jump back into the flow of things when they face St. Joseph's and Norfolk State in the span of three days.

Fifth-year senior Terrence Dials has led the way with 15.3 ppg, and with three 10+ ppg scorers, the Buckeyes have a balanced offense that will help them continue their scoring when the conference season comes around.

Penn State (3-2)
After earning three consecutive victories over small conference opponents to begin the season, the Nittany Lions have lost their last two games to Texas A&M and Clemson. The key to the team's relative success has been its 41.2 rebounds per game, tied for the best average in the Big Ten.

Sophomore Geary Claxton is leading the team in scoring and rebounding and is among the league's top ten in both categories. In Penn State's loss to Clemson, Claxton dropped in 27 points before being held to 15 on the road at Texas A&M.

Purdue (2-3)
The good news for the Boilermakers is that senior Carl Landry is carrying less of the offense than anticipated in the off-season. After losing transfer Tarrance Crump when he was suspended by coach Matt Painter for pleading guilty to drunken driving, a balanced offense was a big concern for the Boilermakers, but Nate Minnoy and Korey Spates have chipped in with 14 and 12 ppg, respectively.

After starting the season with a pair of victories, the Boilermakers have dropped three in a row. The losing streak included an embarrassment against Florida State when they lost by 40 points on national television.

Wisconsin (5-1)
All of America got a good look at the Badgers when they played neck-and-neck with Wake Forest in the Big Ten/ACC challenge last week. Despite losing that contest, the Badgers responded with a 71-55 victory over Pepperdine this weekend.

Forward Alando Tucker suffered a nose injury during the Wake Forest game, but appeared in the Pepperdine game wearing a Richard Hamilton-esque mask. Tucker and Kammron Taylor are leading the way with 17 and 19 points, respectively.

The Badgers might establish themselves as a surprise contender for the conference title if they continue to maintain the second-best scoring offense in the league, but must improve their defense, which sits third from the bottom in points allowed per game.

James Dowd is a Hoopville Staff writer living in Michigan. He can be contacted by clicking here.