A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
Yesterday featured two fantastic NFL games, but January 22, 2012 will be remembered as the day that the world of sports lost a legend.
Joe Paterno, arguably the greatest coach in sports history, passed away at the age of 85 from complications related to lung cancer.
On Sunday at 12:00 ET, the #13-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (15-4, 3-4) hope to halt a three-game losing streak when they return home to face on the Penn State Nittany Lions (10-10, 2-5) on the Big Ten Network.
As always, Jerod and Andy will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.
The 13th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge tips of on Tuesday, and after 10 years of disappointment the Big Ten is looking to extend its own winning streak to three.
For the first time, both leagues have the same number of teams, so there are 12 games on this year’s slate. (In the event of a 6-6 tie, the Big Ten will retain the Commissioner’s Cup in case you were wondering. Spoiler alert: That shouldn’t be an issue.)
You can’t see me right now because you’re just reading words on a screen that I typed several minutes, hours, or days ago, depending on when you see this. But as you read this, just know that I am figuratively standing at my desk applauding as the rest of this post passes before your eyes.
What can I say? I’m a sucker for class and good sportsmanship, and this is a quintessential example of both from the leaders of the Ohio State student body.
This post and all of our weekly Ohio State previews are made possible by Steamatic by Carrara Companies, which proudly provides restoration, cleaning, and construction services to all of Central and Northeast Ohio including Columbus, Cleveland, Akron and the surrounding areas.
Call 888-502-5326 today!
—–
The Ohio State University is 13-12-0 all-time versus the Penn State Nittnay Lions. This has been one of the most even match-ups for both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions in Big Ten play since Penn State joined the conference. The home team has had the most success (12-5) in this border war.
The 2010 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament preview post is live.
——————–
We are now firmly in the heart of the conference schedule as the 2008-2009 college basketball season sprints towards the glory of March Madness. Earlier today, we offered up a quick preview of the 2009 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament, and now we will get a little more granular and preview the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament.
I have to admit that doing this preview is a little bittersweet for me as an IU fan. This season’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament will most likely mark the first (and hopefully only) time that Indiana comes in as the #11 seed. As IU fans, we all understand that It is the price we have to pay for the era of the lying-cheating-bastard-who-shall-not-be-named, but it does not make it any easier to handle.
Still, there will be a twinge of excitement come March 12th when the Hoosiers tip off against whoever the #5 seed winds up being in this topsy-turvy season of Big Ten basketball. Maybe Devan Dumes and Matt Roth can get hot from the outside and the Hoosiers can pull off an upset. Not likely, I know. Still, the Hoosiers will have a definite home-court advantage playing in front of their fans in Indianapolis, and after last season’s heartbreaking loss to Minnesota on a wild last-second shot, the Big Ten Tournament owes us one.
Anyway, enough pipe-dreaming from me. Onto the particulars of the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament:
- Dates: March 12-15
- Location: Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
- TV: Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS Sports (see below)
- StubHub Tickets: Buy Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Tickets
- StubHub Tickets:2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu, March 12 | #8 Minnesota def. #9 Northwestern 66-53 | 12:00 ET | Big Ten Network |
| 2 | Thu, March 12 | #7 Michigan def. #10 Iowa 72-45 | 2:30 ET | ESPN2 |
| 3 | Thu, March 12 | #6 Penn State def. #11 Indiana 66-51 | 5:00 ET | ESPN2 |
| 4 | Fri, March 13 | #1 Michigan State def. #8 Minnesota 64-56 | 12:00 ET | ESPN |
| 5 | Fri, March 13 | #5 Ohio State def. #4 Wisconsin 61-57 | 2:30 ET | ESPN |
| 6 | Fri, March 13 | #2 Illinois def. #7 Michigan 60-50 | 6:30 ET | Big Ten Network |
| 7 | Fri, March 13 | #3 Purdue def. #6 Penn State 79-65 | 9:00 ET | Big Ten Network |
| 8 | Sat, March 14 | #5 Ohio State def. #1 Michigan State 82-70 | 1:40 ET | CBS |
| 9 | Sat, March 14 | #3 Purdue def. #2 Illinois 66-56 | 4:00 ET | CBS |
| 10 | Sun, March 15 | #3 Purdue def. #5 Ohio State 65-61 | 3:30 ET | CBS |
And let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and count down the past Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champions: 1998 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
1999 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2000 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2001 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2002 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2003 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2004 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2005 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2006 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2007 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2008 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:
Who will this year’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament? At this point, it looks like a major toss-up. Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Penn State have looked capable of winning it at different points this season. And if history is any indicator, a dark horse may emerge once the balls get rolled out on March 12. Four times in the brief ten-year history of the Big Ten Tournament, a team seeded #8 or lower has played in the championship game. The lowest seeded team to ever win the Big Ten tournament, however, is #6 seed Iowa in 2001. So the smart money would go on one of the teams listed above.
Either way, I’m sure it will be an exciting weekend — and the only chance for Indiana to crack this year’s field of 64. No, it isn’t likely. But you better believe Hoosier Nation will be out in droves on March 12th hoping their undermanned Hoosiers can pull off an unlikely first round upset.
(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans)
Coming into the 2008 college football season, Joe Paterno was one win behind Bobby Bowden (as of March 1, 2008 at the date of linking) on the all-time NCAA Division 1 college football coaching wins list. He was also at the center of a firestorm surrounding off-field issues with members of his Penn State Nittany Lions football team, as chronicled ESPN’s Outside the Lines. The controversy, combined with the Nittany Lions pedestrian 9-7 Big Ten record over the 2006 and 2007 seasons, led to whispers coming into the 2008 season that it might be time for Joe Paterno to step down.
You remember these whispers. They were the same ones that cropped up after the 2004 season when Paterno and the Nittany Lions were reeling after posting losing records in 4 out of 5 seasons, culminating with back-to-back 9th place finishes in a Big Ten conference not known for its depth of competition. But in 2005, the winning tradition was resurrected in Happy Valley as the Nittany Lions went 11-1 and finished 3rd in the nation after an Orange Bowl victory.
Once again, Joe Paterno has proven to be an immortal coaching phoenix. Joe Paterno, the Nittany Phoenix, has risen from the ashes once again to lead a Penn State team that currently sits at 7-0 (3-0) and ranked 3rd in the nation as they prepare to take on the hapless Michigan Wolverines in Happy Valley this weekend.
