We will have to see how these deals fit into the bigger picture Thursday night; and that bigger picture is the college ballers, the guys who are ready to take their games to the next level (even if after Thursday they will be immediately overshadowed again by all things “free agency”). Whether it’s Wall, Favors, Cousins, Monroe or the many other great talents in this years’ draft, NBA franchises have a chance at reaching into the bucket of available potential in hopes of improving their teams.

So, who will the 76ers take? How about the Kings? You’re about to get a good outlook on Thursday’s top picks, as I present to you my first Mock Draft of any kind. So sit back as I dissect each of the top 10 picks.

Pick No.1 / Washington Wizards

John Wall / Guard / Freshman (Kentucky)

Like you didn’t see this one coming, right?

You’d have to be foolish not to take Wall at 1; it’d almost be as dumb as taking someone like Darko Milicic over Dwyane Wade. Stupid, right?

Wall comes into this draft as the clear cut No.1, and with much reason: point guards are extremely valuable in the NBA, and when you have one as explosive, veteran-like in demeanor, and with the ability to get others involved like Wall, you have to take the kid.

In this case, the Wizards already have Gilbert, but it doesn’t matter, because Wall is a player that we don’t come by that often; just ask Reebok.

Pick No.2 / Philadelphia 76ers

Evan Turner / Guard / Junior (Ohio State)

After watching this kid blowup in numerous games, and hit ridiculous shots like this one, and lead Ohio State in the NCAA tournament, Evan Tuner is my clear cut second. In any other draft, he’d be the No.1 pick, but give credit to Wall for that one.

Turner can bring you athleticism, a great wing player, a play maker, and a future franchise player. The one issue, is the Sixers already have Iguodala at the same position, and it has been rumored that they might look for a trading partner in order to send Iguodala elsewhere. This shows you how valuable a player with Turner’s status, can be.

Pick No.3 / New Jersey Nets

Derrick Favors/ Forward / Freshman (Georgia Tech)

Derrick Favors came into this draft class very strong, and for good reason; this kid can ball! He’s been compared Atlanta Hawks C, Al Horford in terms of post strength.

Favors is one of those very valuable hybrid forwards. He has the strength and tenacity to play power forward, but at the same time he has the quickness and athleticism to play the small forward position. With the Nets, Favors could really prosper in the next couple of years with Devin Harris, in a pick & roll tandem, as Favors can also shoot from the mid-range.

Pick No.4 / Minnesota Timberwolves

Wesley Johnson / Forward / Junior (Syracuse)

Today’s version of Shawn Marion, Johnson is the image that comes to mind when you say “small forward”. This kid has it all, the length, the size, the athleticism, and he tops it off with a little jumper. Johnson in a few years, is the player you put on the opposing teams best player, as his wingspan which reaches over 7 feet, is hard to play against for anyone.

This is the ideal pick for Minnesota, as they are loaded at the guard spots, and are in need of an athletic wing, which makes Johnson the ideal fit for the T’Wolves.

Pick No.5 / Sacramento Kings

Greg Monroe / Center / Sophomore (Georgetown)

Tall, long, and left-handed. Who does that remind me of? Some Odom guy?

Greg Monroe is a force to be reckoned with in the paint, as he played ball in Georgetown, where centers are obviously made and taught the skills to be dominant in the paint from day one. Monroe is a different type of big man though, as he is very crafty with his post skills and has a surprisingly canny ability to pass the ball, which could be perfect for him to play with Tyreke Evans in Sacramento. Putting those two on the court together would make many teams in the future worry, as you would need an above average guard to handle Evan, and a big bodied center to take on the 6-11  Monroe.

Pick No.6 / Golden State Warriors

Al-Farouq Aminu / Forward / Sophomore (Wake Forest)

Freakishly athletic is the way to describe Aminu. This guy is insanely athletic, and has shown it over the past two seasons at Wake Forest. The big boddied, 6-8 Aminu is a straight up bruiser. Put this kid in the paint, and he’ll grab a load of boards for you and is a very physical presence.

While his upper body strength needs to improve, Aminu makes up for it in his quickness and his first step, as he is tough to stop from getting to the rim. This is why he is perfect for Golden State’s run and gun offense. Give it a couple years, and improved consistency on the jumper, and Aminu will be a very tough player to guard.

Pick No.7 / Detroit Pistons

Demarcus Cousins / Forward / Freshman (Kentucky)

Demarcus was the teammate of John Wall at Kentucky, and these two made one hell of a tandem together, but sadly, we will only see one season of that.

Cousins comes into the draft a little questionable with his weight, but that won’t matter much in the paint, as this is another bruiser. Cousins is a physical presence that is a match up problem for the big men with the older legs, as while Cousins is strong, he also is very quick in the post, whether it be the rebound, layup, or dunk. Some might say we haven’t seen hands like Cousins, since Tim Duncan. He should look good with Detroit, as he could learn a thing or two under Ben Wallace.

Pick No.8 / Los Angeles Clippers

Luke Babbitt / Forward / Sophomore (Nevada)

Babbitt is one of those players that you see at the three point line, and you pray he doesn’t make you pay. Luke, at 6-9, is the prime example of a combo forward. When I say that, I mean the Rashard Lewises, the Jamisons, Turkogus, etc.

Luke has a long wingspan, and is also a decent player in the post as well. The one scary thing about this kid, is that he reminds me so much of Steve Nash, except for the fact that he is 10 inches taller. He has good vision for his size, he can stroke it from pretty much anywhere, and is an amazing 90% free-throw shooter. He should be great alongside Kaman in the Clippers offense, an will definitely provide numerous match up issues.

Pick No. 9 / Utah Jazz (via Knicks)

Cole Aldrich / Center / Junior (Kansas)

Despite the disappointing early NCAA tournament exit for Kansas, Cole Aldrich is still primed for a bright future. Aldrich is the thought that should come to mind, when college centers are spoken of. He posses all of which a center should have, the post moves, the body, the hustle, the knowledge, and the work off the boards.

Aldrich is one of the main reasons Kansas was supposed to take the title this season, as he dominated against most big men in the country. He should flourish with D.Williams playing the guard position in Utah.

Pick No. 10 / Indiana Pacers

Ed Davis / Forward / Sophomore (North Carolina)

Another skilled player, but one who had a poor season for his North Carolina Tar Heels. Davis is a very long and athletic player who is a very high-energy type of player. The left handed big-man posses all of the traits that Denver’s Chris Andersen and Cleveland’s Varejao have, the tenacity and motor that can spark their team at any moment. While he is still developing his mid-range jumper, Davis has loads of room to blossom, and from here it’s up to him. He can either become an All-Star caliber player, or a simple role player. He would fit in great  alongside Grander in Indiana.

Thanks for reading folks! Follow me on Twitter!

They are now blessed with two franchise players to choose from in John Wall and Evan Turner.

The question is: which one of these talented future stars should they choose?

The 6’4″ point guard, Wall, possesses a rare game-changing ability.  Wall’s wide array of tools and competitive attitude make him the unique and hyped prospect he’s become. He is widely compared to 2009 Rookie Of The Year, Derrick Rose.

Evan Turner’s game may be more polished than the young Wall’s.  Turner played for the Ohio State Buckeyes for three years before entering the draft.  The 6’7″ point guard/shooting guard/small forward is the most NBA-ready player in the draft.

Coming into Columbus in 2007, Turner’s talents largely went unnoticed behind Greg Oden, Mike Conley, and Daequan Cook.  When all three entered the draft following their freshman years, Turner assumed the leadership role.

Turner’s complete game was put on display in ’09-’10 when he averaged 2o points, nine boards, six assists, and 1.7 steals a game for the Buckeyes. He was then named the Naismith Player Of The Year.

Wall’s athleticism draws more oohs and ahhs from the crowd, but when it comes down to averages, Wall is below Turner.  Wall’s line in his freshman year was 16.6 points, four rebounds, and six assists. (It should be noted that we do not know what Wall’s averages would look like if he did stay until hisjJunior year, so the comparison is not completely relevant here.)

Wall is thought to be in the same mold of Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose.  Rose’s comparison is legitimate, but Wall appears to have more in common with Westbrook.  Both Wall and Westbrook play with agility and athleticism, but do not give a high free throw percentage due to their lack of range.

Turner’s comparison is Brandon Roy.  Roy played four years at Washington and did not do as well as Turner at the college level.  Roy is a good comparison, because they both are tall combo guards with exceptional ball control and playmaking ability.

But it is not so simple as answering the question of who would the Wizards rather have between Brandon Roy or Russell Westbrook. Wizards fans can whine and moan all they want, but the Wizards decision will come down to money and needs.  They cannot simply choose the flashiest player in the draft.

The Wizards already have a star playing point guard in Gilbert Arenas, and unless they trade him, it would be hard for them to assume another large contract. That could have them leaning towards Turner, as Turner will not demand quite as much money and would fit on their team as a small forward or shooting guard.

On the other hand, Washington is in a development phase, so they may not be thinking so much about who fits in their team as they are in finding a young star to build around. If that is the way the Wizards are approaching the draft, then John Wall, welcome to D.C.

But if it is a logical choice they are after, Evan Turner is their man.  Turner would give the Wizards a considerable push towards playoff contention.  If he plays to his potential, they may then be a few pieces away from playoff contention.

Decision day is coming fast for Washington.  Who will it be John Wall or Evan Turner?  We will find out on June 24th.

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* – John Wall photo credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images North America via Zimbio.com

* – Evan Turner photo credit:Morry Gash / AP via Cleveland.com

The conference has been much maligned in recent years, yet has a tremendous opportunity to assert itself with a strong first round performance. All the Big Ten needs to do is the exact opposite of what the Big East did yesterday.

The mighty Big East, renowned as the best conference in the nation, saw purported powerhouse Georgetown, along with Notre Dame and Marquette, go down in first round Thursday action. The conference’s lone winner, Villanova, needed some friendly officiating to escape being only the fifth #2 seed in history to lose in the first round.

The Big East still has teams like Syracuse and Pitt to play today, but a strong showing by the Big Ten’s Big Five today would obviously help the conference look much better in comparison.

Let’s quickly break down the schedule, assess what Big Ten fans should expect their conference today, and analyze why this is yet another day for Indiana fans to pull their hair out and lament what was…and what could have been.

#11 Minnesota v #6 Xavier

• Xavier-Minnesota Tip Time: 12:25 PM ET
• Xavier-Minnesota Location: Milwaukee, WI
• Xavier-Minnesota Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

This is a winnable game for the Golden Gophers, and they should have a tremendous amount of confidence coming off of their strong run in the Big Ten Tournament, plus the fact that both #11 seeds that played yesterday beat their 6th seeded opponents.

The Gophers should have the edge down low, where Ralph Sampson III and Colton Iverson give Minnesota a pair of twin towers that can rotate, stay fresh, and mitigate foul issues. Where Minnesota will need to really excel is in the backcourt. Xavier has guys in Terrell Holloway and Jordan Crawford who are very good all around players and will need to be contained.

Tubby Smith is an experienced tournament coach and I think he’ll have Minnesota ready to go. They just may not be talented or consistent enough to pull off the W.

My Minnesota-Xavier prediction: Xavier wins, but Minnesota gives them a rough go of it.

#4 Purdue v #13 Siena

• Siena-Purdue Tip Time: 2:30 PM ET
• Siena-Purdue Location: Spokane, WA
• Siena-Purdue Announcers: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

This is one of the more enigmatic games of the day. Amazingly, I do not think many people would consider it an upset if 13th seeded Siena beat the Boilermakers. Siena has been a trendy upset pick all week as people cannot shake the Boilermakers’ awful showing in the Big Tournament out of their heads.

I say shake it out because I think we will see a much better team today. While Purdue is no longer a Final Four threat without Robbie Hummel, this is still a team that has many of the fundamentals for tournament success in place: experienced guards, a big man who controls the paint, a defensive-oriented approach, the ability hit open shots, previous tournament success, etc.

Yes, Siena has won games in the last two tournaments, and yes it could be argued that they are seeded too low and Purdue is seeded too high. Still, despite my Hoosier devotion, I have a lot of faith in Matt Painter as a coach and I have seen too many gritty performances from this Purdue team to count them out this easily.

My Purdue-Siena prediction: Led by E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, Purdue survives and advances.

#4 Wisconsin v #13 Wofford

• Wofford-Wisconsin Tip Time: 2:50 PM ET
• Wofford-Wisconsin Location: Jacksonville, FL
• Wofford-Wisconsin Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg

I don’t know a whole lot about Wofford, but I do know a lot about Bo Ryan; and if you don’t know much about Ryan, just know that he is perhaps the most underrated basketball coach in America.

Also know this, before you start thinking that this will be another 13 over 4 upset: Ryan has taken Wisconsin to the tournament eight straight years. Only once (2006) has he failed to make it out of the first round.

While the Badgers play a plodding, slow-tempo style that can allow teams to hang around if they make shots, the Badgers also do not beat themselves and, as usual, have very good guards and tough, physical inside presences.

My Wisconsin-Wofford prediction: Pick against Bo Ryan in the first round at your peril; I won’t do. Wisconsin wins with relative ease.

#5 Michigan State v #12 New Mexico State

• New Mexico State-Michigan State Tip Time: 7:20 PM ET
• New Mexico State-Michigan State Location: Spokane, WA
• New Mexico State-Michigan State Announcers: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

A lot of people who have watched Michigan State stumble after an undefeated start to the conference season are very interested to see how they play today.

Tom Izzo is as consistently good a tournament coach as there is in America, and this year’s Spartan team features players like Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, Draymond Green, and others who were big parts of last year’s run to the NCAA title game. Unfortunately for Sparty, this year’s team has also been wrought with internal issues, chemistry concerns, and the recent suspension of sharp-shooting guard Chris Allen.

I would not be surprised to see Michigan State win by 20, nor would I be surprised to see New Mexico State pick them off in another 12-5 upset. This game is truly like a box of chocolates…because, where Michigan State is concerned, we have no idea what we’re going to get.

My Michigan State-New Mexico State prediction: I have too much faith in Tom Izzo not to pick the Spartans here. It won’t be pretty, but they’ll win.

#2 Ohio State v #15 UC Santa Barbara

• UC Santa Barbara-Ohio State Tip Time: 9:35 PM ET
• UC Santa Barbara-Ohio State Location: Milwaukee, WI
• UC Santa Barbara-Ohio State Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

Ohio State won the Big Ten regular season, won the tournament, has one of the top two finalists for the Wooden Award, and a strong case could have been made that the Buckeyes deserved a #1 seed. So this should be a cake walk, right?

Yes, but…

What if Dallas Lauderdale gets in foul trouble? Ohio State is not a deep team and he is their main source of size. And what if guys like Jom Diebler don’t shoot well? UCSB would then be able to pay even more attention to Evan Turner.

These are legit question that Ohio State will have to face as the tournament progresses, but not today. When you have a player as dynamic as Turner, and surround him with diverse players who understand their roles, you have a damn good team and a good chance of advancing deep in the tournament.

My Ohio State-UC Santa Barbara prediction: The Buckeyes have some fatal flaws that will prevent them from winning it all, but they’ll dominate today.

Final Thoughts

If all of these predictions come to pass, the Big Ten will end up 4-1 in the first round and 80% of their tournament entrants into the Round of 32. All things considered, that would be a great first day for the conference. If Minnesota can somehow sneak past Xavier, and the chalk dictates the other matchups, it is not inconceivable that the Big Ten could have a 5-0 day.

Although, even if that happens, the conference cannot really be considered a undefeated winner. The reason, I am sad to say, is that Indiana fans like myself will have to spend another day being reminded of the collapse of our once proud program.

Did you see Ben Allen playing well for Saint Mary’s yesterday? He was once a Hoosier.

Did you catch that Ohio upset over Georgetown? You know little Armon Bassett, the guy with ice water in his veins knocking down shot after shot? He was once doing that in Bloomington.

The backcourt that powered Xavier to a 6th seed? Jordan Crawford was Armon Bassett’s teammate and Terrell Holloway was headed to IU before Kelvin Sampson got the boot.

The versatile inside-outside forward that complements Da’Sean Butler for West Virginia? Yeah, Devin Ebans was supposed to join Holloway at IU.

How do you think IU would have done this year with a lineup that looked like this:

• PG Terrell Holloway
• SG Armon Bassett
• SF Jordan Crawford
• PG Devin Ebanks
• C Ben Allen

Assuming, for the sake of discussion, that Maurice Creek and Christian Watford still chose IU, that would have created a pretty strong 7-man rotation. And if Tom Pritchard could have come off the bench in more of a reserve role, he would probably be a much more confident player. And…

Oh, to hell with it. The truth is that Bassett and Crawford were, by most accounts, both knuckleheads who needed to be jettisoned for IU to return to its more traditional program culture of, you know, actually going to class and not being a screw off. Holloway and Ebanks rightfully jumped ship when the coach that recruited them was fired ignominiously.

And while we have had to suffer through two rough seasons, Tom Crean is rebuilding the program the way it should be rebuilt: with hard working, high character guys who appreciate and understand what it means to be an Indiana basketball player. Bassett and Crawford never really understood this, which is why I wish them both well at their new schools. It’s not their fault that they never really should have been in Bloomington in the first place…at least not playing for a coach who demanded no accountability.

With all that said, it doesn’t mean it was 100% enjoyable seeing Bassett play so well for someone else last night. We IU fans can only hope that Jordan Hulls and Mo Creek are doing that to someone in the NCAA Tournament next year.

But this is this year, and it’s a very important day for the Big Ten. Hoosier fans everywhere should be getting behind their Big Ten brethren today because a strong showing by the conference makes IU look better by association. Anything that can help on the recruiting trail should be welcomed at this point. As they say, when the water rises, all the boats rise with it.

So go Gophers, Badgers, Buckeyes, Spartans, and…yes…even Boilers. If I can’t root for the Cream and Crimson, I can at least spread my rooting interests throughout the Big Ten family.

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* – Bo Ryan photo credit: AP Photo/Brian Kersey

* – Ralph Sampson III photo credit: AP photo via InfoForum.com

The shot heard ’round the Midwest.

The shot that proved, once more, why Evan Turner is best player in America.

But what exactly was going on right after the shot? Thad Matta clearly goes insane and is yelling at someone, ultimately having to be restrained. Watch it again, and we’ll quickly discuss the two hypotheses being bandied about for Matta’s explosion.

Video: Evan Turner Beats Michigan on Last Second 3

[Video h/t: TBL via Levy at TSB]

First, and the one that I thought initially, was that Matta must have been yelling at an official or at the score/timekeeper to count the shot. Here is a message board post that posits the same thought and says that official Ed Hightower initially waved off the shot.

The other hypothesis, as explained by our good friends @ThunderTreats, is that Matta was yelling at Michigan coach John Beilein. Apparently Beilein was the only Big Ten coach not to vote for Evan Turner for Big Ten Player of the Year.

I have to admit that upon multiple viewings, Matta certainly seems to be a little bit more emphatic and bombastic than if he we were arguing for the shot to count. He certainly looks like he could be talking some serious trash. And considering that it looks like it is Hightower who walks over to restrain him, it is doubtful Ed is the one Matta was yelling at.

Who knows, by the time this gets posted, we may know exactly what Matta was doing. But until then, it’s fun to discuss.

What do you think?

One this is for sure: if it comes out that Matta was talking smack to the Michigan bench, his cache in the state of Ohio is going to skyrocket. I’m not even sure winning a national title could bring him as much Columbus street cred as beating Michigan and then talking trash to them about it afterwards.

If that was the case, well played Matta. You certainly know your base.

Watching the star guard writhe in pain below the basket added to the nastiness and Turner being unable to walk himself off the court to the locker room didn’t look good. The arena was silent the whole time and there was concern everywhere.

Obviously fans were concerned for the team’s success this season, but there was also plenty of concern for Turner’s future because he had injured his back. And over the past 18 months, Turner’s career has begun to look bright enough to include being some team’s star in the NBA.

Breaking vertebrae just sounds ugly and nothing good can come of that, right?

Wrong.

At “90 percent” health, as Turner thinks he is now, all that ugliness is ancient history. See last night’s 20 point, 13 rebound, 8 assist stat sheet against Northwestern, which is 100% output compared to his averages before the injury.

Seeing Turner overcome his fall and return to the lineup in such impressive fashion is a huge boon to the Buckeye’s outlook for rest of the Big Ten season and NCAA Tournament and has some Buckeye fans even thinking that a darkhorse run to the Final Four is not out of the question.

I know that sounds ridiculous, but just watching the Chicago native’s fall and seeing a sad season ending injury to IU’s Maurice Creek, it is a great relief just to see him back on the court again. The fall itself is some distant place behind, let’s say, Lawrence Taylor’s bone breaking sack on Joe Theisman’s leg. But Evan Turner’s fall was still horrific and freaky.

He was supposed to be out at least 8 weeks and suddenly we saw him start and play 20 minutes just four weeks later.  And then we saw vintage Turner last night. He became the only the second Ohio State player to reach 1000 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists in his career, Jimmy Jackson being the first.

In the middle of a three game win streak, the future still looks bright for Turner’s basketball career and the team’s success this season. Kendall Gill of the Big Ten Network was discussing how the Buckeyes can be discussed as the best team in the Big Ten now.

Thank God I don’t have to spend the rest of the 2010 college basketball season watching video of Ohio State’s high school recruits to be psyched. To gain any sense of hope from that would be downright pathetic and depressing. (Jerod (IU fan), please avoid Rival’s high school recruiting videos for the reasons above. Thanks.)

A “future being bright” comes with plenty of jokes and some terrible puns. So here’s another one: while wearing sunglasses at night, someone said to me, “KVB the sun does not set on cool.”

I laughed.

You might hate it, but you cannot disagree it wasn’t cool watching the Buckeyes look like a top 25 team again, especially with Evan Turner carrying the team on his rehabilitated back.

Somebody get that man a pair of sweet shades. He deserves them.

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* – Evan Turner photo credit: NowPublic.com

And let me just say right off the bat for all the IU fans out there: you will be encouraged by what Seth has to say about Tom Crean and the future of IU basketball.

We also discuss fans storming the court, Purdue’s viability as a Final Four contender, Ohio State’s ceiling with a healthy Evan Turner, and whether or not this is finally the year that Northwestern makes the NCAA Tournament.

Have a listen.

(Note: You can also listen on iTunes.)

During the podcast, Seth also discusses a promotion that he is working on with Coke Zero called the Department of Fannovation. It’s a pretty cool promotion that gives fans a chance to voice their opinion on how to improve college basketball for the fans.

My favorite one that I saw while taking a perusal of the front page, as I mentioned to Seth on the podcast, is allowing fans to call games on TV. I wouldn’t want to replace guys like Bill Raftery or Gus Johnson, but there are some others that I think a lot of fans could do better than.

Click here to download their PDF for more information. The grand prize winner gets $10,000 and a trip for two to the 2011 Final Four. Basically all of the ideas are whittled down to 64, placed in a bracket, and a winner is determined.

Sounds pretty good to me.

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* – Seth Davis photo credit: Timeout Chicago

I know that there are three teams who have played and won two games this season, while Indiana has only won one. And I know that the Hoosiers didn’t really accomplish all that much by beating a struggling Michigan team at home, in what was essentially payback for a game IU should have won last year.

And, most of all, I know that Indiana has as much a chance of winning the Big Ten this year as this song has of winning a Grammy.

Still, ask any IU fan and they will tell you that, all things considered, this right here looks about as beautiful as this right here. (Yes, we take our basketball very seriously in Bloomington.)

The Hoosiers will most likely have a much tougher go of it tonight in Columbus than they did last weekend in the friendly confines of Assembly Hall. This is will be especially true if the Buckeyes’ all-everything player Evan Turner returns to the lineup, as it is now being reported that he will do.

I think I speak for Tom Crean all Hoosier fans when I say that Turner should not rush back. He suffered a very serious injury and should be extra cautious in making sure that he is totally healthy. Sure, we’d be disappointed not to get to marvel at his all-around brilliance, but we’d get over it.

Tonight will tell us a lot about this year’s Hoosiers. If we compete and make it a game on the road (Evan Turner or not), I’ll have a lot more faith in a possible 6- or 7-win Big Ten season. If we lay and egg and get blown out, it’s back to expecting 3 or 4 wins.

Looking forward to it. I think the Hoosiers will lose…but play well.

Tonight, Indiana @ Ohio State, 8:30 ET, Big Ten Network

Peegs Gameday Page

Indiana flamed out in Round 1 with a pathetic performance against Arkansas that was indicative of their late-season collapse, Purdue bowed out in Round 2, and Michigan State and Wisconsin actually did the conference relatively proud by reaching the Sweet 16.

Still, criticism of the Big Ten came from far and wide and people wondered if the conference’s fall from grace was more permanent than just a one- or two-year struggle. Well, the Big Ten answered its critics in a big way this season, placing 7 teams in the 2009 NCAA Tournament with two in particular that many have predicted to make deep runs: Michigan State and Purdue.

The 5th seeded Boilermakers won their first round game against Northern Iowa and will face off against #4 seed Washington tomorrow. #10 seed Michigan also won yesterday, scoring a mild upset by beating #7 Clemson. #10 seed Minnesota and #5 seed Illinois both saw their seasons come to an end last night, not all that unexpectedly. The #2 seed Spartans open Tournament play tonight against Robert Morris and both #12 seed Wisconsin and #8 seed Ohio State also play their first games tonight.

I think tonight has a chance to be a very good night for the Big Ten conference.

A Big Ten sweep in tonight’s game would give the conference a 5-2 first round record, which is excellent. It would also mean that Ohio State wins a tough game against an underrated Siena squad that many people (including me in my official tournament bracket) think will win, and that Wisconsin becomes the latest #12 seed to make it out of the first round with an upset over Florida State. (For the record, I have the Badgers going to the Sweet 16.) Michigan State is heavily favored against Robert Morris, so it would be a real shocker if they did not advance.

Despite my system-based pick of Siena over Ohio State, I think a) that my system has proven to be crap, so I no longer trust it and b) the Buckeyes have a great chance to pull out a W. Here are some quick previews and predictions of tonight’s games:

#12 seed Wisconsin v #5 seed Florida State

Before I jump into my reasoning for why Wisconsin can upset Florida State, I would like to share a hilarious video with you. Many Big Ten and Wisconsin fans may have seen this already, as I believe this video is from 2007, but I saw it for the first time today. I am not sure that I can think of anything more ironic in college basketball than Bo Ryan dancing to the eternally awful song “Crank dat Soulja Boy”. I don’t even know if that’s the actual name of the song, and I don’t really care. House debris in a tornado has smashed together in more pleasant harmony than this “song.”

Either way, the video of Bo Ryan “cranking dat” (or however you say it) is pure gold:

Video: Bo Ryan Soulja Boy Dance

Now onto my reasoning for picking Wisconsin.

Bo Ryan has proven himself to be one of the most consistent tournament coaches in college basketball. When he coached at UW-Platteville, Bo Ryan’s teams made the NAIA and then NCAA D-III tournaments in each of his final 12 seasons there from 1987-88 through 1998-99. During that time, they only lost in the first round once and won four championships. While at Wisconsin, Bo Ryan and the Badgers have made the tournament for 8 straight seasons, and have only been bounced in the first round once (2006). He has led Wisconsin to two Sweet 16s and one Elite 8.

The Badgers play tough, hard-nosed defense, they do not turn the ball over, they make free throws, and they keep games within reach by imposing their plodding, deliberate style of basketball on opponents. I know that Florida State played well in the ACC Tournament and knocked off a Lawson-less North Carolina team, but the Seminoles only have one player who scores in double-digits: Toney Douglas.

Bo Ryan and the Badgers are masters at removing a team’s first option and making #2, #3, and #4 options beat them. Without a superb performance from Douglas, I don’t think Florida State can win a grind-it-out game against Wisconsin. Obviously if the game gets into the high-60s or 70s, the advantage goes to Florida State; but I think Wisconsin keeps the pace slow and low-scoring and gets one of their typical ugly but solid wins.

I am a little worried about the Badgers in round two, and fear that my apparent man-crush on Bo Ryan may have decieved me into thinking that they are a Sweet 16-caliber team, but I feel good about tonight.

Hey — the usual Red & White (or Cream and Crimson) I root for come tournament time is nowhere to be found this year. Old habits die hard. Thus, I’m getting behind Soulja Boy Bo Ryan and the Badgers. Perhaps this prediction is wishful thinking, but Florida State is by no means a juggernaut and a solid defensive performance from Wisconsin can create another 5-12 upset.

#8 seed Ohio State v #9 seed Siena

It’s an 8-9 game, so no one will be surprised no matter which way this game goes.

Siena obviously has a better record, but played in a much less competitive conference. Siena also plays a much more up-tempo, high-scoring style than Ohio State, which should create an interesting contrast in tonight’s game. The reason why I am waffling on my original prediction of Siena is that the Buckeyes will have the best player on the floor in Evan Turner (something my bracket-busting system did not take into account). Every time I see him play I get more and more impressed.

So often, the best player on the floor can tip the balance in a game between two evenly matched teams. If Evan Turner plays like the superstar we saw during Big Ten play, he may be able to give Ohio State the lift it needs to play on. This is one of the picks on my bracket that I did not “agree” with — but I had a system and I was sticking to it. (Damnit.) If I was putting money down on a game-by-game basis I would have a hard time picking against Evan Turner and the Buckeyes.

So there you have it: official fence-straddling. I have become what I despise: the Mike Golic of bloggers. Bracket says one thing, this post says another. Screw it, my bracket is already toast — I’m rooting for and predicting an Ohio State victory.

Indiana is isn’t in the tournament so I’m Big 10 all the way.

#2 seed Michigan State v #15 seed Robert Morris

There is not much to say about this game in terms of a prediction. The Spartans have been a little inconsistent this year, but I think even the “bad” Spartans could score a victory against Robert Morris. If they find a way to become the next #2 seed to infamously bow out in round one, I and many other people will be ripping up their brackets and lighting them on fire.

I’ve got the Spartans going all the way to Detroit, and I think it starts tonight with a rout.

All things considered, if the Big Ten can get out of round one with a 5-2 record it would be a smashing success for a conference that so many have disparaged over the past few years. Even 4-3 would be a good step in the right direction. It’s up to Ohio State and Wisconsin to make that happen. The Badgers have won 7 out of 10 coming into tonight and the Buckeyes have won 4 out of 5. Both of their first round games are there for the taking, and I think Big Ten Nation will be able to walk away from tonight very pleased with the results.