Joe Paterno, arguably the greatest coach in sports history, passed away at the age of 85 from complications related to lung cancer.

Paterno was at Penn State since 1950, and was the head coach since 1966. That type of loyalty to a program will likely never be repeated by any coach today or in the future. Paterno could have chased millions in the NFL, but he ultimately decided to remain at Penn State for his entire coaching career.

Before I get to the unfortunate happenings of the past few months, let’s look at a few of the many accomplishments of “Joe Pa” during his time at Penn State.

• 3-time Big Ten Coach of the Year
• All-time leader in Bowl Wins (24)
• 2-time National Champion (1982, 1986)
• 2007 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
• All-time FBS leader in wins (409)

Off the field, he donated several million dollars to the university  and even has a library, Paterno Library, named after him at Penn State. He was a major influence in the lives of his players, which is evident by all of them who are speaking out in the media. All of them only have positives to say about their former coach, as he was an inspiration in their lives.

Coach Paterno’s downfall came in early November, when former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was arrested on numerous counts of sexual abuse of young boys. This came after a grand jury investigation earlier in the year, where it was found out that assistant coach Mike McQueary saw one of these incidents, and reported it to Paterno.

It was said that Paterno informed his superiors, AD Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, who was the head of the university’s police. The general public could not believe this news. First off, people were enraged at the actions of Sandusky, who is simply a sick human being. He has the right to a fair trial, but all indications suggest that he is guilty of the crimes he is charged with. Why else would it matter if Joe Paterno reported the incident if it never happened?

The focus then shifted from Sandusky to the superiors at Penn State, including Paterno. He told those above him, but he did nothing to follow up on the situation. Many cited a “moral responsibility” to report such sickening activities directly to the police. The lack of a follow up by Joe Pa is what ultimately led to the Penn State Board of Trustees relieving him of his coaching duties on November 9th.

The actions after his being let go proved that the majority sided with Paterno and disagreed with the decision to let him go. Students at Penn State began to rally, and small “riots” broke out. This type of activity is unacceptable, but it showed the overwhelming support for Paterno at the university. Hundreds even gathered at his house, which is located right near campus.

Some members of the media will say that the students supported Paterno because they are young and refuse to see the bigger picture, but that is not true. They saw a legend, maybe even a reason why they chose to come to Penn State, being forced out due to the actions of another man. The fact that Sandusky committed the crimes seemed to be lost in the days following his arrest, as the bulk of media attention was devoted to the news surrounding Paterno.

Paterno may have overlooked the severity of the situation, but he did not commit a crime. It is unfair for anyone to say what they would do in such a situation, especially considering the magnitude of the situation. One could say that they would go right to the police, but we do not know what exactly went down in the conversations between the coaches and superiors at Penn State.

The pain of the entire situation at the university may have ultimately led to the passing of a man that fought for over 60 years at his beloved Penn State. He died of lung cancer, but his fighting spirit was without a doubt damaged by the events surrounding Sandusky and the resulting fallout.

If there was still any doubts about whether Paterno would be remembered for what he did do, and not for what he didn’t do, those doubts were erased after his passing. Coaches and former players from all over the country only had positive things to say about Coach Paterno. His statue right outside of Beaver Stadium was surrounded by hundreds of students who were paying their respects to the man who influenced their lives, even though they may never have met him.

Time will tell how Paterno will be remembered, but nothing can ever take away his accomplishments in the game of college football. He is Penn State. People associate the university with Paterno, and this will continue to hold true for years to come.

The truth will come out in the case of Sandusky, and Paterno will still not have committed any crime. Hopefully, everyone will remember who actually committed the crimes and who was put in a tough position by them.

Things will eventually blow over, whether that takes months or years I cannot say with certainty, and Paterno will regain his place as the greatest coach who ever lived.

Not for what he didn’t do, but for what he did do.

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.

IU-Penn State Gameday Info

• Date: Sunday, January 22nd
• Time: 12:00 ET, 11:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Tom Hart and Dan Bonner
• Point Spread: Indiana by 14.5
• Over-Under: 141
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 80-61 with 94% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Penn State
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Penn State Preview

Despite Penn State’s record, the Nittany Lions should come into this one with some confidence after playing well in the first matchup between these two teams and upsetting Illinois at home this week.  Cammeron Woodyard came up big against the Illini with 17 points, while star guard Tim Frazier had 12 points and nine assists.

These teams met in Happy Valley just two weeks ago with the Hoosiers using a barrage of three-pointers to squeak out a six-point victory.  That was actually the last time the Hoosiers won, and some of the contributing factors to their recent swoon were on display even in a winning effort.  IU allowed Penn State to grab 42.4 percent of their own misses, forced just nine turnovers, and had 17 turnovers of their own.  Gaudy 16-of-24 shooting from beyond the arc ultimately save the day for the Hoosiers with Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth combining for 12 triples and 50 total points.

For Penn State in that game, Tim Frazier led the way with 21 points, although he needed 23 shots to get them.  Jermaine Marshall scored 20 points for the Nittany Lions, and four other players had at least eight points.

While other players have stepped up at times for Penn State, Tim Frazier is essentially the offense.  He comes in averaging 17.9 points, 6.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.4 steals, all of which lead the team.  He doesn’t shoot particularly well from deep, instead relying on his quickness to get into the lane to score, find open teammates, or draw fouls.  Frazier ranks first in the nation in assist rate and draws 6.8 fouls per 40 minutes, which he has converted into 146 free throws.  The Hoosiers have struggled to stop dribble penetration recently, so the defensive effort on Frazier will be critical.

The other player who has been hot lately is Woodyard, who has scored 39 points in his last two games.

Through Thursday’s games, Penn State has the lowest effective field goal percentage in conference play, ranking 10th in three-point shooting and 12th on two-pointers.  With so many missed shots though, they continue to excel on the offensive glass, ranking third in league games with a 35.1 offensive rebounding percentage.  The Hoosiers have had issues with cleaning the defensive glass in recent games, and it’s an area they need to be particularly concerned about against the Nittany Lions.

Defensively, Penn State ranks 12th in effective field goal percentage and free throw rate.  They have consistently allowed opponents to get clean looks from beyond the arc, which IU was able to exploit in the first matchup.  However, PSU also is second in league play in turnover rate, which should be a concern for IU given how careless they have been with the basketball of late.

For Indiana, one of the lone bright spots during the losing streak has been the play of Cody Zeller, who has averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds during that stretch.  The Hoosiers need to continue to find ways to get him the ball and run the offense through him.

The Hoosiers definitely needs Christian Watford to get back on track.  Since hanging 25 on Michigan, Watford is just 10-of-38 (26.3%) from the field with 12 turnovers in four games.  Verdell Jones and Jordan Hulls have also struggled during the three-game losing streak, with Jones going 5-of-18 (27.8%) from the field and Hulls hitting just 4-of-17 (23.5%) from long range.  This is definitely a game where the Hoosiers will need their veterans to step up.

With a number of players struggling, keep an eye on Will Sheehey’s playing time.  He’s averaging just 16 minutes since returning from an ankle injury, but he has posted 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in those three contests.

Quite frankly, this is a must-win game for the Hoosiers who gave away the game against Nebraksa with a flurry of second half turnovers and poor defensive rebounding.  Not only is this a huge game for IU in terms of stopping their losing streak, but it’s also critical for a team that has allowed losing streaks to snowball over the last few seasons.  Right now, the team looks fragile mentally and is missing the aggressiveness that became their calling card earlier in the season.

The keys to the game will be containing Frazier off the dribble, protecting the defensive glass, and limiting turnovers.  If the Hoosiers can do those things, they should be able to get back on track and gain some confidence heading into a tough road game in Madison on Thursday.

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Listen to Andy Sunday on The Assembly Call. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyBottoms.

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.)

Here’s a look at the schedule for the two-day event.  I also wrote a preview for Run The Floor, which focuses more on advanced metrics and is a bit snarkier since the Managing Editor there is an ACC guy.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Games on Tuesday, Nov 29th

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#15 Michigan at Virginia – 7:00 EST (ESPN2)

Expect this one to be played at a painfully slow pace, but the tip time is early enough that it shouldn’t put you to sleep. Virginia is among the most efficient teams on the defense end, while Michigan is just outside the Top 25 in offensive efficiency, so something has to give.

The Wolverines have played better competition thanks to their time in Maui, while the Cavaliers recently returned from the Paradise Jam where they rebounded to win two games after a disappointing loss to TCU in the tournament opener.  UVA big man Mike Scott could give Michigan some trouble inside, but both teams are largely perimeter-oriented in terms of their personnel.

Tim Hardaway Jr. will be the best player on the floor, but I also like the contributions Michigan is getting from veterans Zach Novak and Stu Douglass as well as freshman point guard Trey Burke.  Still, the Wolverines have struggled to defend the three-point shot, and Virginia excelled from long range last season.

The other red flag has been Michigan’s propensity to put their opponents on the free throw line, and their 13th-ranked free throw rate suggests the Cavaliers will be able to take advantage of that deficiency.  I expect a close game, with Virginia having the slight edge based on concerns about Michigan’s defense.

• Prediction: Virginia

Northwestern at Georgia Tech – 7:15 EST (ESPNU)

Both of these teams participated in the Charleston Classic with Northwestern winning the tournament and the Jackets finishing 1-2.  It’s worth noting they played one of those games without leading scorer Glen Rice Jr., who was wrapping up a three-game suspension.  At 17.7 points per game, Rice leads five Georgia Tech players averaging over 8.0 points, but they aren’t getting much outside of those five guys.

Defense has been the Yellow Jackets’ calling card so far, but they will be tested by the duo of John Shurna and Drew Crawford, who have combined to score better than 40 points per game so far.  Keep an eye on how freshman point guard Dave Sobolewski handles Georgia Tech’s defense, as that will go a long way toward deciding the outcome.

The other area to monitor is Northwestern’s ability to limit second shots.  The Jackets have posted a strong offensive rebounding percentage and could give the Wildcats trouble on the glass.

• Prediction: Northwestern

Illinois at Maryland – 7:30 EST (ESPN)

For a number of reasons, the Terps are forced to play mostly young and/or inexperienced players, which has them off to a 3-2 start.  They lost two of their three games in Puerto Rico, to Alabama by 20 and to Iona by 26.

Maryland Sophomore Terrell Stoglin is emerging as a star with 20.2 points per game.  His shooting percentages have dropped across the board, but he’s the clear focal point of the offense with nearly twice as many field goal attempts as any of his teammates.  Maryland’s efficiency numbers have been absolutely brutal on both ends of the floor, leaving little reason for optimism there.

The Illini are also young, so neither team has a clear advantage in that regard.  Junior guard D.J. Richardson is off to a good start with 13.5 points per game to go with 40.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.  Inside, soph big man Meyers Leonard is posting 12.3 points, 6.8 boards, and an impressive 3.2 blocks per game.  In a game with two relatively inexperienced teams, Illinois’ defense and inside play should be the difference.

• Prediction: Illinois

Miami (FL) at Purdue – 9:00 EST (ESPN2)

Had injuries not ravaged the Miami frontcourt, this would be a tougher matchup for Purdue given the composition of their team.

As it stands, the Canes are 4-1 while relying heavily on their talented backcourt of Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott, who combine to average 30.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.  Miami is shooting just 40 percent from the field, which is not a good sign against a Purdue defense ranked in the Top 15 for defensive efficiency.

The Boilers picked up solid wins over Iona and Temple in Puerto Rico before falling to Alabama in the championship, but the best news is that Robbie Hummel looks healthy after missing last season with a knee injury.  He is pacing the team with 19.3 points per game while hitting 46.7 percent from deep.  Sharpshooter Ryne Smith has been red hot for most of the season, and Lewis Jackson has been terrific at the point.

Look for Kelsey Barlow to lock down either Grant or Scott and for the Boilers to emerge victorious.

• Prediction: Purdue

Clemson at Iowa – 9:15 EST (ESPNU)

I won’t blame you if you don’t go out of your way to watch this one.  Clemson has losses to College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina, while Iowa just lost at home by 15 to Campbell.

The Tigers have four players averaging at least 9.8 points, led by guard Andre Young with 14.4 points per contest.  Clemson has been solid defensively, but they haven’t been impressive on offense, particularly in terms of getting to the free throw line.  Of course, they’re only making 64.5 percent once they get there, so maybe it’s by design.

Meanwhile, Iowa has eight players scoring at least 7.2 points per game, and as a team they are hitting over 39 percent from deep.  Like Clemson, they have struggled to get to the stripe, but they have really struggled defensively, and their opponents have routinely shot a high percentage from the field.

• Prediction: Clemson

#4 Duke at #2 Ohio State – 9:30 EST (ESPN)

This is easily the marquee matchup of the event’s first day.

The Blue Devils should have plenty of confidence coming off of their win in Maui.  Duke is hitting a ridiculous 45.9 percent from beyond the arc so far, led by Seth Curry at 57.1 percent and Andre Dawkins at 44.7.  They are two of the five Blue Devils scoring in double figures, but there hasn’t been a ton of production from others with the notable exception of Tyler Thornton’s two huge three-pointers to seal the win over Kansas.  Duke has been adept at getting to the free throw line, and they have been better than I expected on defense.

As for the Buckeyes, they have been outstanding on both ends of the floor, as evidenced by Pomeroy Ratings in the Top Five for both offensive and defensive efficiency. Jared Sullinger has picked up right where he left off with 18.8 points and 10.7 rebounds along with 63.3 percent shooting from the field.

Like most teams in college basketball, Duke will have a hard time containing him on the inside.  William Buford complements Sullinger outside where he’s averaging 17.7 points and hitting 50 percent from deep.  Throw in point guard Aaron Craft, who is one of my favorites guys to watch, and you have a really intriguing backcourt matchup between these two squads.

Ohio State has struggled with its long-range shooting, but its defense should be enough to disrupt Duke on offense.

• Prediction: Ohio State

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ACC/Big Ten Challenge Games on Wednesday, Nov 30th

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Indiana at North Carolina State – 7:15 EST (ESPN2)

While many predicted a rebuilding year for Mark Gottfried and the Wolfpack, they have played fairly well so far and came back from a healthy second half deficit to knock off Texas on a neutral floor.  After serving a three-game suspension to start the season, C.J. Leslie has been impressive with 16.7 points, 5.7 boards, 2.3 steals, and 2.3 blocks while hitting 63.0 percent from the field.  He leads six players scoring in double figures, including point guard Lorenzo Brown who is dishing out 6.5 assists per game as well.  While N.C. State has done a nice job taking care of the ball, they have struggled to hit and defend shots from beyond the arc.

The Hoosiers are off to their best start in years, thanks in large part to their hot shooting both inside and outside the arc.  Seven players are averaging at least 7.0 points, led by freshman phenom Cody Zeller with 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest. The biggest difference for IU has come on the defensive end where they have seen a sharp increase in their turnover rate.  They have also done a much better of job of not putting opponents on the line while getting there with much more regularity on offense.

This will be another solid road test for the Hoosiers but one they seem poised to pass based on their defense and outside shooting.

• Prediction: Indiana

Penn State at Boston College – 7:15 EST (ESPNU)

Unless you attended one of these schools or both of the other games are at commercial breaks, you probably aren’t tuning in for this one.

Both teams lost virtually everyone from last season’s rosters and are in full blown rebuilding mode this year.  Both teams have also been woefully inefficient offensively, with Boston College being the worse of the two on the defensive end.

With 19.1 points per game, Penn State guard Tim Frazier is the only Nittany Lion scoring in double figures, and he’s also pacing the team with 7.1 assists.  Freshman Patrick Heckmann leads BC with 13.8 points per game, but tons of questions remain on the roster, particularly once you get past their top four scorers.

Penn State’s offensive rebounding could be the difference in this one, but in the end, I simply can’t write any more about this game.

• Prediction: Penn State

Florida State at Michigan State – 7:30 EST (ESPN)

Like the previous matchup, these two teams are pretty similar.  The difference is that they both aren’t terrible, at least not on both ends of the floor.  These squads are built around defense and rebounding, while both struggle to put points on the board.

Seven Noles are scoring at least 7.0 points per game, but the team is shooting just 31.7 percent from beyond the arc.  The Spartans are actually worse, hitting just 23.8 percent of their triples.  They have also been unable to find a true point guard, which has led to an ugly turnover rate.  Draymond Green is averaging a double-double with 12.7 points and 11.2 rebounds, but his shooting has been poor and he’s trying to do too much on offense.

Aside from the battle on the glass, keep an eye on Florida State’s ability to get to the free throw line.  The Noles have a decent free throw rate, while Michigan State is putting opponents on the line with regularity.  Ultimately it’s hard to see Sparty solving their shooting woes against a team ranked 10th in effective field goal percentage defense.

I’m pretty sure it’s ok to plagiarize yourself, so as I said in my Run The Floor piece: In short, these two teams are mirror images of one another, which is ironic since watching either one play offense will make you want to break a mirror and start cutting yourself with the shattered pieces.  This one is a toss-up, so give me the home team!

• Prediction: Michigan State

Virginia Tech at Minnesota – 9:15 EST (ESPN2)

The Hokies gave Syracuse a scare in the NIT semi-finals before squeaking out a two-point win over Oklahoma State in the consolation game.  Their strength lies in the backcourt with Erick Green and Dorenzo Hudson leading the way with over 29 points per game between them.  Freshman wing Dorian Finney-Smith has impressed early in his career and is averaging 10.3 rebounds through six games.  On offense, the Hokies have struggled with turnovers but have done a nice job of getting to the stripe.

For Minnesota, the recent loss of forward Trevor Mbakwe is devastating in every possible way, as everything they did well on offense resulted from his relentlessness inside.  The Gophers are still searching for answers in the backcourt, but juco transfer Julian Welch played well in the Old Spice Classic.

Since the Hokies have struggled to force turnovers, it seems unlikely they will be able to take advantage of Minnesota’s biggest weakness, and without Mbakwe the Gophers will struggle to exploit Va Tech’s weakness on the offensive glass.  Instead, they will end up shooting more from the perimeter, where the Hokies are at their best on defense.

• Prediction: Virginia Tech

Wake Forest at Nebraska – 9:15 EST (ESPNU)

On the surface, this would appear to be another matchup of two teams picked to finish in the bottom of each league.

OK, that’s actually what it is, but I do think Nebraska could surprise a few teams in the Big Ten.  They have a pair of talented guards in Bo Spencer and Dylan Talley, who are averaging a combined 28.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists, to go with Jorge Brian Diaz inside.  Outside of solid shooting, their offensive efficiency numbers aren’t impressive, as they struggle to get to the line or grab offensive boards.  The Huskers also don’t force many turnovers, but otherwise they’ve been solid defensively.

The Demon Deacons are coming off of a 8-24 season and just went 1-2 in the Old Spice Classic.  C.J. Harris and Travis McKie each score better than 19 points per game and pace the offense.  Outside of the 6-foot-7 McKie, Wake isn’t getting much from its frontcourt.  They are doing a woeful job on the offensive glass and an equally poor job on the defensive boards, while their opponents are routinely shooting a high percentage from the field.

Look for the Huskers to take advantage of Wake’s poor defense to pick up the victory.

• Prediction: Nebraska

#7 Wisconsin at #5 North Carolina – 9:30 (ESPN)

This will be an interesting contrast in styles to close things out. The Badgers play at one of the slower paces in all of college hoops, while North Carolina wants to get up and down the floor.

Wisconsin is the top team in terms of limiting opponents’ effective field goal percentage and offensive rebounding, while the Heels have struggled to defend the three-point shot over their last few games.  The Badgers have Jordan Taylor (11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.8 apg) and a bunch of guys no one has heard of, while UNC’s roster is full of McDonald’s All-Americans and lottery picks, led by Harrison Barnes (17.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), John Henson (15.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.0 bpg), and Tyler Zeller (13.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg).

After being outplayed by UNLV on Saturday night, I will be interested to see how North Carolina responds.  They forced shots and got dominated on the glass by the Rebels, and they were unable to prevent penetration on defense, which led to a number of kick-outs for three-pointers.  That could be bad news against a Wisconsin team hitting better than 47 percent from downtown.

The Badgers were tested by BYU on Saturday before going on a second half run to win by 17 points, but going into the Dean Dome and winning is a pretty tall order.  Their defense will keep it close, but they will need big shooting days from Ben Brust and Josh Gasser to spring the upset. Given UNC’s defense so far, that isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem.

• Prediction: North Carolina

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

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.

*****

Bravo Buckeye student body. Bravo.

We have seen so many things recently that are absolute antithesis of what I always grew up believing college sports and sports in general are supposed to be about; it’s nice to see a pristine example like this that reminds us of those seemingly long lost ideals.

(Granted, let’s see if Ohio State student body follows these sage words of advice, but at least the intent is there from the leadership. And maybe letters like this are common occurrences on college campuses in these types of situations. I don’t know. Regardless, it doesn’t take away how impressed I am by this one.)

Big hat tip to MSF’s own Amanda Lawson, who found this and posted it on her Facebook wall. It makes me proud to know that I work with people here at MSF who appreciate class and sportsmanship as much as I do.

And as a fan and alum of the Big Ten, it makes me proud to know that these young people are among the future leaders of society who currently comprise the conference.

Again, well done OSU.

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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.

Ohio State-Penn State Game Info

• Ohio State-Penn State location: Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OH
• Ohio State-Penn State Kickoff Time: Saturday November 13^th, 3:30pm EST
• Ohio State-Penn State TV: ABC Regional
• Ohio State-Penn State Announcers: Brent Musberger, Kirk Herbstreit, and Erin Andrews.
• Ohio State-Penn State Line: Ohio State -17, Over/under n/a (via Betus.com)

Ohio State-Penn State Game Preview

Penn State (6-3, 3-2 in the Big Ten):

• Last Week: 35-21 win against Northwestern
• Coach: Joe Paterno (400-112-3 career, 45^th year)

Congratulations to Joe Paterno on getting his 400^th career win. More impressive might be his ability to still remember things like their ENTIRE football schedule. Minutes after last week’s victory over Northwestern he fired up the home crowd yelling, “Let’s go beat Ohio State!” Penn State started 0-2 in the Big Ten but the Northwestern victory gives them three in a row.

Starting again this week at quarterback is former walk-on sophmore Matt McGloin, who took over after Rob Bolden who was held out with a concussion and most recently was benched after the second drive of the game. But Bolden will not be benched and is expected to get some snaps, especially if McGloin cannot shine on the road against Ohio State’s third ranked pass defense nationally. Joe Pa’s only victory in Ohio Stadium came against Pryor and the Buckeye’s in 2008 and he is looking to make it two in a row there and career win number 401.

More on Matt “The Office” McGloin (from Scranton, PA). He has 551 passing yards this year, seven touchdowns and one interception. But that was against statistically bad pass defenses of Minnesota, Michigan, and Northwestern. Rob Bolden was thrown into a tough situation to start as a true freshman so we saw McGloin getting a shot at some point with Rob’s concussion or not. Terrelle Pryor said he had never heard of McGloin but that’s probably because Penn State wanted him in his recruiting process and never would mention a potential walk-on as his competition.

#9 OHIO STATE (8-1, 4-1 in the Big Ten):

• Jim Tressel (237-79-2 career, 102-22 at Ohio State, 10th year)
• Last Week: Bye

Ohio State starts a tough November off with Penn State at home, on the road against Iowa, and back home again against Michigan. Coach Tressel always puts emphasis on proving themselves in November if they have any shot at a conference title and a good bowl bid. This November should be no different.

Penn State is just 8^th in the Big Ten in rushing defense, so I expect the Buckeyes to pound the ball with Boom Herron on this warm November Saturday. Quite possibly getting Herron’s second consecutive 100 yard rushing performance. The offensive line has really hit it’s stride on run blocking since the Big Ten conference schedule has started. Even in the loss to Wisconsin that was the most productive part of the offense, while the pass blocking was sub par.

While the Buckeyes and Lions have had some epic battles recently I think Penn State is too young and over matched on the road in Columbus. The bye week should also prove to be much needed rest to dominate the Big Ten the rest of the way this year.

Ohio-State Penn State Prediction

Ohio State has won 6 of the last 8 meetings in the series and have looked dominate at home overall this year. Remember and look below, fade my spread picks if you are a degenerate gambler.

Ohio State-Penn State Prediction: Ohio State 31 Penn State 13.

Ohio State-Penn State Spread Pick: Ohio State -17

KVB is 7-1 straight up and 2-6 against the spread on Ohio State this year.

* – Joe Pa and Tressel photo credit: SEAN SIMMERS, The Patriot-News

The 2010 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament preview post is live.

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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

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:

• #4 seed Michigan defeated #3 seed Purdue 76-67
• Chicago, IL

1999 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Michigan State defeated #11 seed Illinois 67-50
• Chicago, IL

2000 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Michigan State defeated #4 seed Illinois 76-61
• Chicago, IL

2001 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #6 seed Iowa defeated #4 seed Indiana 63-61
• Chicago, IL

2002 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Ohio State defeated #9 seed Iowa 81-64
• Indianapolis, IN

2003 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Illinois defeated #8 seed Ohio State 72-59
• Chicago, IL

2004 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Wisconsin defeated #1 seed Illinois 70-53
• Indianapolis, IN

2005 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Illinois defeated #3 seed Wisconsin 54-43
• Chicago, IL

2006 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Iowa defeated #1 seed Ohio State 67-60
• Indianapolis, IN

2007 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Ohio State defeated #2 seed Wisconsin 66-49
• Chicago, IL

2008 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Wisconsin defeated #10 seed Illinois 61-48
• Indianapolis, IN

2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #3 seed Purdue defeated #5 seed Ohio State 65-61
• Indianapolis, IN

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.

Oh, and as for being behind Bobby Bowden? Joe Paterno, as of this posting, now sits atop the list of NCAA D1 college football coaches with 379 wins. Bobby Bowden has 377.

Can Joe Paterno get win number 380 this weekend? All signs point to yes except one: Michigan has beaten Penn State nine straight games, by an average victory margin of two touchdowns. But if there was ever season for the streak to be broken, this is it. The Penn State Nittany Lions are clicking on all cylinders, outscoring their seven opponents this season 317-77. Michigan, on the other hand, led by Midwest Sports Fans whipping boy and certified egomaniac Rich Rodriguez, has been outscored by its six opponents 113-149.

So Penn State is averaging 45.3 points per game (good for 7th in the nation) while the Wolverines and their offensive genius of a coach are racking up a whopping 18.8 points per game against the likes of Toledo and Miami (Ohio). (Actually, Michigan underperformed their average against these historic football powerhouses, scoring a combined 26 points while going 1-1.)

All you whiny Michigan fans can come in here making excuses about they lost all those seniors, and they are playing a bunch of freshman, and they are adjusting to a new coach, and blah blah frieking blah. This preview is not a 5-year projection for Penn State and Michigan. It is a preview and prediction for this weekend, in Happy Valley, against a Penn State team that is actually playing competent football. Do you really think that Steven Threet and Sam McGuffie can go into a Happy Valley blackout and compete with Penn State?

Nine straight victories might suggest using caution. However, eyes that watched the games and seen these two teams play wonder if the Big Ten conference should just invoke a mercy rule and not subject the proud Michigan program to the beatdown that awaits them in Happy Valley on Saturday. Penn State’s top two running backs, Even Royster and Stephfon Green (the name is spelled correctly, don’t worry), come into the game averaging better than six yards per carry each. And how about their offensive balance? Penn State averages 488 yards per game, 235 on the ground and 253 through the air. What do you take away? Umm…you take away any chance that Michigan might have of getting their third win of the season.

Joe Paterno has proven throughout his coaching career that when fans and the media doubt him, he has an uncanny ability to rise to the occasion. He stands behind his players, perhaps to a fault sometimes; but I have to think that the trust he builds with each individual player also compels them to take it up a notch when their coach is taking a beating in terms of the opinions outside the Penn State locker room.

This offseason was filled with turmoil for Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions. So far, the season on the field has been filled with nothing but good old fashioned butt whoopings administered by a Nittany Lions team that appears poised to knock Ohio State from their perch as owners of the Big Ten penthouse.

While I am officially guaranteeing a Penn State victory over Michigan this weekend (suck it Rodriguez), I’m not ready to anoint Penn State the 2008 Big Ten champs just yet. They still have to travel to Columbus next weekend to take on an Ohio State team that is still very good but flying under the radar after the ass kicking by USC. Obviously, the winner of that game controls their own destiny for the remainder of the season.

I have to say, as a college football fan who grew up in Big Ten country, I am happy to see Joe Paterno finding success in the twilight of his career. I don’t know enough about the off-field issues to pass judgment on them, but I do know that Joe Paterno has given his life to college athletics and to grooming young men at Penn State University. I firmly believe that no one explicitly “deserves” anything on an athletic field — you go out and earn it. However, Joe Paterno certainly deserves the success that his Nittany Lions are earning on the field this Fall.

And on Saturday against Michigan, that success will all be contained in one very concise statement leading to the showdown at the Horseshoe: 8-0

Yes indeed, the Nittany Phoenix has risen again.

[tags]joe paterno, penn state nittany lions, college football, michigan wolverines[/tags]