The Big Ten has had good years, and it’s had great ones. But this year, everything seems just a bit off. The Big Ten could get eight teams into the NCAA Tournament, but at least six of the squads earning bids are nothing more than middle of the pack.
The Maryland Terrapins sit just above the cusp of Big Ten basketball mediocrity. At 26-5 heading into the conference tourney, the Terrapins have quality wins over the Wisconsin Badgers, Michigan State Spartans and a big non-conference win over the Iowa State Cyclones.
But after Maryland, is there any team you could see making a run? I’ve looked, and looked again, and from the massive breadth of 20-win, 10-loss teams, I see too many flaws. If I really have to choose from this second-tier group, I’ll take the Ohio State Buckeyes. They have good wins over Maryland and the Indiana Hoosiers, but in big tests against the North Carolina Tar Heels and Louisville Cardinals, the Buckeyes have fallen flat. But hey, at least they fought a tough schedule.
The Badgers belong by themselves as a No.1 seed in the tournament. As long as Frank Kaminsky stays healthy and hot from the field, he can carry Wisconsin when the tournament tension sets in. Wisconsin displays discipline that we haven’t seen from Michigan State and shoots in a way that separates them from Indiana.
Like Kaminsky, Wisconsin is just flat-out head and shoulders above the rest of the conference. And it’s the rest of the conference that has plateaued well before Wisconsin has hit their peak.
Jerry Landry is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow Jerry on Twitter at @Jerry2Landry, “Like” him on Facebook or add him on Google.