Tag: Big Ten

Big Ten extends ban on organized team activities

The Big Ten announced an extension of the ban of all organized team activities through June 1 Monday.

Just when things are starting to get back to a path of normal in some states with reopening activities occurring, the Big Ten sends us all a reminder that this COVID-19 pandemic is far from over.

According to a release by the conference Monday, the order to suspend all Big Ten organized team activities has been extended through June 1. That’s an additional timeframe added to the order already in place to suspend all activities until the end of the academic year, which is quickly approaching for all schools in the conference.

This also includes the suspension of all on and off-campus recruiting activities that were originally shelved until further notice. That too will remain in effect.

The Big Ten Conference will continue to use this time to work with the appropriate medical experts and institutional leadership to determine next steps relative to the COVID-19 pandemic according to the release.

Watch: Notre Dame’s Top 10 Hockey Game-Winning Goals

Notre Dame’s hockey team didn’t have the chance for its season to be cut short because it was knocked out of the Big Ten tournament.

Notre Dame’s hockey team didn’t have the chance for its season to be cut short because it was knocked out of the Big Ten tournament before the coronavirus hit. But we all could use a little goodness in our lives right now, so the athletic department’s YouTube channel has been releasing a bunch of top 10 countdowns to help provide that goodness. As of this writing, the most recent list ranks game-winning goals in the NCAA tournament for the Irish. Relive the thrills here:

How summer cancellations will effect Big Ten football teams in 2020

As everybody knows today’s pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the sporting world. Whether the 2020 college football season will occur…

As everybody knows today’s pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the sporting world.

Whether the 2020 college football season will occur with fans in the stands, be able to start on time, or even be able to occur at all is yet to be seen. What we can project now, though, is how the almost-definite cancellations of summer practices and preseason camps will affect the Big Ten football teams if the season is indeed able to begin on schedule in early September. 

Preseason practices are a pivotal tool in order for college coaches to implement and practice new systems and prepare their teams for the upcoming season.

Probably the most important of these implementations is introducing a new quarterback to a team’s offensive scheme and, in some cases, to college football entirely.

Quarterbacks can study playbooks and watch film all they want, but nothing equates to on-field reps and practicing new plays with actual defenders in front of them.

This is where summer cancellations will have the biggest effect on the 2020 football season.

For top teams in the conference including Ohio State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Penn State who all return their starting quarterbacks from 2019, these cancellations will no doubt have an effect, but they will not have nearly as large of an effect as they will on the other teams in the conference who are facing turnover at the position.

The most notable of those teams are Iowa and Michigan State.

Were it a normal offseason and the two schools were able to have a full pre-season preparation period, there’s a chance that they wouldn’t miss much of a beat going into the season.

The talent difference between their departing quarterbacks and the incoming ones aside, summer practices and camps being cancelled will eliminate the chance for Iowa and Michigan State head coaches Kirk Ferentz and Mel Tucker respectively to groom their young quarterbacks and introduce them to college football–not to mention that Tucker is entering his own first year with the program.

Yes, a team like Wisconsin will lose out on valuable time to get redshirt freshman and former four-star recruit Graham Mertz ready for college-level play. But Ferentz and Tucker, as it seems at this point in time, may be forced to enter the season with players under center that aren’t adequately prepared to run their offense–again with Tucker being even more affected due to the fact that his entire team won’t have experience in his system. 

How this all plays out is yet to be seen, though if summer practices get cancelled and the season is able to start on time, expect Iowa and Michigan State to face an uphill battle in order for them to get their quarterbacks, and entire offenses, ready for football.

The Badgers are slated to face Iowa on November, 28 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

A way-too-early projection for who finishes at the top of the 2020-2021 Big Ten basketball standings

Sure, it is only April 12th. But without live sports, we need to speculate on what will happen when we finally get them back. In these uncertain times, we were deprived of of a finish to the college basketball calendar, and that makes next year all …

Sure, it is only April 12th. But without live sports, we need to speculate on what will happen when we finally get them back. In these uncertain times, we were deprived of of a finish to the college basketball calendar, and that makes next year all the more exciting. It is never too early to check out how next year’s Big Ten basketball conference will shake out. Here is BadgersWire’s first look at projecting next year’s regular season top three in the best conference in college basketball.

No. 1: Wisconsin Badgers (Last year: 21-10 (14-6) Co-Big Ten regular season champions) 

No, I swear there was no bias involved. This team should be the favorite in the Big Ten conference. The Badgers return 88% of their minutes from a squad that won the Big Ten regular season crown this past year. A plethora of Badgers played the best basketball of their season down the stretch. D’Mitrik Trice, Aleem Ford, Nate Reuvers, and Micah Potter each took their turns in the spotlight during Wisconsin’s eight-game winning streak in February and March. The best news? They are all coming back to Madison for one final ride. No team in the Big Ten has the kind of roster consistency that the Badgers do. While most Big Ten squads have new significant pieces that will decide their season or major questions surrounding the NBA draft, we know what we are getting in Madison. A trip to the 2021 Final Four in Indianapolis should be the goal for Greg Gard’s group.

No. 2: Iowa Hawkeyes (Last year: 20-11 (11-9) T-5th in the Big Ten) 

This ranking hinges mightily on the decision that looms for reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza. Anytime you have the prospect of losing a player that averaged 23.9 points per game and nearly ten boards this past year, that will have a major effect on your pre-season expectations. Garza has announced he will test the NBA Draft process while still keeping eligibility, via his Twitter account. Based on how the rising senior fairs in terms of the draft process and projected draft location, Garza will make a decision regarding whether or not he returns. The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award winner is not the only significant Hawkeye with questions, however. Losing starting point guard Jordan Bohannon to season-ending hip surgery in December meant that the Hawkeye senior could apply for a medical redshirt, and will be back for a second senior year. If Bohannon and Garza are both healthy and still Hawkeyes come this November, watch out.

No. 3: Michigan State (Last Year: 22-9 (14-6) Co-Big Ten regular season champions)

You can never count Tom Izzo and Sparty out. Without 2018-19 Big Ten Player of the Year Cassius Winston holding the keys to the car, things will get trickier for the Spartans on their quest to retain Big Ten supremacy. The key question for MSU next season is a similar one to the question surrounding Iowa and Garza: Will Xavier Tillman stay in East Lansing or go to the NBA? In the same fashion as Garza, the MSU big man declared for the draft while maintaining eligibility. A key difference between Garza and Tillman is that the Michigan State product has been consistently ranked as a late first-round selection, while Garza has rarely found himself on mock draft boards at all. If Tillman, who averaged 13.7 points and 10.3 boards this past season, returns, the Spartans have a foundation of Rocket Watts, Aaron Henry, and Tillman that will contend for a Big Ten crown. The addition of former Marquette player Joey Hauser will certainly prove significant given his immediate eligibility. Without Tillman staying though, it would be tough to see Michigan State repeating.

Luka Garza’s NBA decision could be very significant for the Badgers

The best player in the Big Ten Conference has his NBA decision looming

The Big Ten Conference is gearing up for another year on top of the college basketball world, and the Badgers have plans to be on top of the conference in 2021. A common theme among the way-too-early projections for college basketball rankings see Iowa playing second fiddle to Wisconsin in top-25 lists among a variety of major networks. The Badgers and the Hawkeyes have consistently been projected to be top-10 teams next season. Although no coach or player wants to focus on what other teams and players are doing, Iowa basketball recently made news that could have a major effect on Big Ten supremacy.

The battle for the Big Ten runs through Iowa City and Madison in 2021, although the path could be come much clearer for the Badgers given the results of a pending decision. Iowa star Luka Garza recently made headlines with a decision on his future. The 2019-20 Big Ten Player of the Year has decided to enter the NBA Draft without losing his senior season eligibility, per his Twitter account. “If it ends up not being the right time to make the move to the NBA, I’m excited about the potential of what my senior season as a Hawkeye could have in store,” Garza said via Twitter.

 

The Iowa center had a career junior season in which he averaged 23.9 points per game and 9.8 rebounds in an award-filled campaign. Garza would not only be the popular pick to repeat as Big Ten Player of the Year, but also the clear favorite to take home the Wooden Award for best college basketball player in the nation, an honor that he narrowly missed out on this year when Dayton star Obi Toppin took home the hardware. As the biggest pre-season threat to the Badgers repeating as Big Ten Champions, the Hawkeyes would certainly look extremely different without their best player.

So how does this decision work for Garza? According to NCAA rules he is now able to keep his eligibility through the draft process, and participate in workouts, the NBA Draft Combine and other events with teams. His name can still be entered in the NBA Draft pool, and given where he feels like he would fall Garza can make a decision on his future after the pre-draft process plays out. Another interesting element in his decision could be an NBA Draft process that looks extremely different. If the NFL Draft is any indication, the draft process in a global pandemic will certainly change drastically. Badger fans should keep their eye on Garza throughout his process, as the big man’s decision could have a major say in who wins the conference next season.

Sports Illustrated has the Badgers in its way-too-early top-25 for the 2020-21 season

Much has been written about the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s impressive finish to the 2019-20 season and what could…

Much has been written about the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s impressive finish to the 2019-20 season and what could have been had the team gotten the chance to play postseason basketball.

These queries are warranted, as the team’s No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and potential No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament had them in a great position to achieve the postseason success we haven’t seen from the program in the past two years.

Nevertheless, the team ending the season with a 21-10 record after an eight-game winning streak, paired with Brevin Pritzl being the team’s only notable departure and head coach Greg Gard getting ready to welcome in a stellar freshman class, has Badger fans’ hopes high as we enter the long offseason.

Well, Sports Illustrated’s released a way-too-early top-25 for the 2020-21 season yesterday and their ranking is enough to continue that optimism as they have the Badgers pegged in at No. 14.

For context, if Gard’s unit was to start the season at No. 14 it would be their highest preseason ranking since 2016-17 and their fourth-highest in the history of the program.

Furthermore, of the five times the team has received a top-15 preseason ranking they have made the tournament and won at least one game every single time, with one of those trips ending in the national championship defeat to Duke in 2015.

Other Big Ten teams included in Sports Illustrated’s early rankings include Iowa at No. 8, Michigan State at No. 11, Ohio State at No. 16, Michigan at No. 20 and Rutgers at No. 24.

The Big Ten-winning Badgers will have a long time to wait until that preseason ranking becomes official and the 2020-21 season tips off.

 

The official verdict on Greg Gard

I wrote in September about the beginning of Greg Gard’s tenure as the head coach of the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team and why the jury should still be out on what his beginning years should mean in terms of him as a coach, and in …

I wrote in September about the beginning of Greg Gard’s tenure as the head coach of the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team and why the jury should still be out on what his beginning years should mean in terms of him as a coach, and in terms of the program as a whole.

In total, the article says that momentum in sports is a real thing, and much of the regular and postseason success Gard had through his first four years were due in large part to the momentum carried over from the Bo Ryan era, and to the players that stuck around despite the former coach announcing his retirement.

These players–Nigel Hayes, Zak Showalter, Vitto Brown, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ–helped to continue the success experienced under Ryan as they helped lead the new unit under Gard to consecutive Sweet Sixteens in his first two seasons at the helm. 

Though under entirely different circumstances, this pattern of success is similar in a way to what was seen with the Dallas Cowboys in the mid 1990s when legendary head coach Jimmy Johnson retired after winning consecutive Super Bowls in 1992 and 1993 and Barry Switzer took over. Switzer went on to take Johnson’s unit to the NFC Championship in his first season, win a Super Bowl his second season and eventually get fired after missing the playoffs in his fourth season.

Now, all that being said, the article merely pointed out that the program, like the 1995 Dallas Cowboys, was not yet free from the direct influence of Ryan’s legendary tenure as coach.

Well, after this past season and what the team was able to accomplish in winning the Big Ten regular season trophy after overcoming tragedy in the offseason, having an incoming transfer not be able to play for the first month of the season and having one of their best players leave the program, the jury has finally reached a verdict on Gard: and it’s time he gets the praise he deserves.

Yes, the Big Ten Coach of the Year is adequate praise, but there were signs seen in windows of school dorms early in the season calling for the coach’s job. That time is over.

The season started with the team getting off to a 5-5 start as they waited for incoming transfer Micah Potter to become eligible to play. The team then continued to tread water in a loaded Big Ten Conference after Potter’s arrival and found themselves 13-10 with eight games remaining on the schedule. 

After a 70-52 loss at the hands of Minnesota, the team peeled off eight straight victories and finished the season as co-Big Ten regular season champions.

What was most impressive from that eight-game run was that for the first time since Ryan’s players graduated the team had an identity, one which was leading the team to victories against more-than-formidable Big Ten opponents, and one nobody would doubt had primed them for success in the conference tournament and a deep run in March Madness.

This identity was due in large part to the individual improvements made by juniors D’Mitrik Trice and Aleem Ford. Gard put the offense in Trice’s hands, the team played excellent defense, and Gard was able lead the team to clutch late-game performances. The overall way he was able to maximize the talents of the players he had, as the Badgers became the first team in Big Ten history to win the regular season crown without a single All-Big Ten first or second team player, proved his ability to lead.

So, after Gard’s first two Sweet Sixteen runs were led by Koenig and Hayes and his other tournament appearance by Wisconsin great (yes, great) Ethan Happ, this run was led by Trice, Ford, Potter, Brad Davison and Nate Reuvers–all players who have joined the program since Gard took over as head coach.

And although the team was robbed of playing postseason basketball, Gard being able to lead his guys to the program’s first Big Ten regular season title since 2015 was an impressive feat, especially given the roadblocks they had to face along the way.

It makes sense, looking back, that this season was an important one in Gard’s career given the team’s lack of postseason success the previous two years. Additionally, the program is now finally made up of only players he brought in and developed. Now that it’s over, even without the postseason being played, it’s clear that the job Gard did this year was an amazing one and is a positive sign for the future of the program.

Looking forward now, Gard is in line to welcome a nationally ranked top-20 recruiting class next year and arguably an even better one in 2021. That, paired with Brevin Pritzl being the only notable departure, points towards a bright future for Gard and the Badgers.

Ranking the best three wins of Wisconsin’s season

It was no easy task trying to decide between massive Wisconsin wins in February and March. That being said, these are the debatable top three wins based on circumstance, meaning, and how the Badgers played. Here are the BadgersWire rankings of …

It was no easy task trying to decide between massive Wisconsin wins in February and March. That being said, these are the debatable top three wins based on circumstance, meaning, and how the Badgers played. Here are the BadgersWire rankings of Wisconsin’s top three wins in 2019-20:

3. Wisconsin upsets Ohio State, 61-57 

There was nothing pretty about January 3rd in Columbus, but it’s always better to win ugly than to lose in style. Wisconsin came into the early-season Big Ten clash searching for their identity. UW had put together a couple nice early wins coupled with a disaster in Brooklyn at the Legends Classic, but had yet to come away with that signature victory. Ohio State came in as a 7.5 point favorite and at the time were ranked number five in the nation.

The Badgers battled with the Buckeyes and held a four point lead on the road at halftime. Ohio State hit back as Wisconsin knew they would to take control early in the second half. After UW chipped away, it was a late left corner three by Brevin Pritzl and an offensive rebound by Tyler Wahl coupled with incredible half court defense that gave Wisconsin their first signature win of the year.

 

2. Wisconsin wins a Big Ten regular season championship at Indiana, 60-56

The top two wins felt obvious, but deciding between them was no easy task. This was certainly a magical afternoon in Bloomington, and then later at the Kohl Center parade.

The Badgers finished their unthinkable run to a Big Ten crown by winning their eighth straight game. It was no easy task. Indiana needed a win as Archie Miller and his squad found themselves firmly on the bubble. The Badgers trailed by as many as nine in the second half, and once again fought from behind. Four of Wisconsin’s five starters scored in double figures, and Micah Potter, D’Mitrik Trice, and Brad Davison spurred a second half comeback fit for a champion.

NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin at Indiana
Mar 7, 2020; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nate Reuvers (35) shoots the ball over Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (4) in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

UW won this game at the defensive end more than anything. The Hoosiers did not eclipse 30 points in either half, and the Badgers locked down IU guard Devonte Green in the second half after his first half explosion.

This win was everything Wisconsin basketball was in 2020: defense, offensive balance, and a whole lot of heart.

1. Wisconsin overcomes major adversity against Michigan State, 64-63

The circumstances and timing of the win over Michigan State made it the most impressive win of the season. All of a sudden, this Badger team found themselves without their second-leading scorer in Kobe King and without Davison due to a suspension for a flagrant foul against Iowa.

They responded with the best half of Wisconsin basketball all year. The Badgers came out to a packed Saturday crowd at the Kohl Center and put on a show. UW led 43-27 at halftime. The second half felt like the longest twenty minutes of the season. Everybody in the gym knew that the Spartans had multiple runs in them. This, after all, was the most talented team in the Big Ten and most people’s preseason national championship favorite.

Slowly but surely, Tom Izzo and Sparty chiseled into the lead. Once again, solid Wisconsin defense held off Cassius Winston and the Spartan surge down the stretch. A trio of Trice free throws put the game on ice, and against all odds Wisconsin took down the preseason Big Ten favorite without two starters.

Former Lions star Chris Spielman auctioning ring to help fight against coronavirus

Former Ohio State and Detroit Lions star Chris Spielman is auctioning his Big Ten title ring to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Former Ohio State and Detroit Lions star Chris Spielman is going into his trove of memorabilia to help the fight against coronavirus.

The current FOX analyst and former linebacker has put his 1984 Ohio State Big Ten championship ring up for auction.

The opening bid is $2,500.

Per Spielman:

Chris Spielman’s Personal Ohio State Big Ten 1984 Championship Ring .

You’re bidding on my 1984 Ohio State Big Ten Championship ring. Every cent will go to help those that have been hurt by the COVID crisis, this is my promise to you!

Please be generous!

God Bless

Three Big Ten Breakout Candidates for the 2020-2021 season

After an incredible and unpredictable Big Ten season, let’s begin to look ahead to next season in the best conference in college basketball. Here are three names you should be looking out for, including a Badger name, that are likely to have career …

After an incredible and unpredictable Big Ten season, let’s begin to look ahead to next season in the best conference in college basketball. Here are three names you should be looking out for, including a Badger name, that are likely to have career years in 2020-2021.

Caleb McConnell — Rising Junior guard at Rutgers 

Caleb McConnell was an important role player on a Rutgers team that looked to break a lengthy postseason drought. Although the Scarlet Knights are retaining their two leading scorers in Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr, McConnell showed flashes that should form into more consistency next season. The 6-7 guard has NBA size and length at his position, and was able to get his buckets in a variety of ways. He improved his averages this year in rebounds, assists, and points. The Florida native averaged 6.7 points in just over 21 minutes, a number that could improve with more consistency. The size and the tools are there for the junior, he just has to put it all together.

Myles Dread — Rising Junior guard at Penn State

Myles Dread played his best basketball towards the end of the year, for a Penn State team that was firmly in the tournament picture. The 6-4 guard has the strength and foot speed to be an excellent defender, and scored in double figures through six of his last eight Big Ten games this season. Losing leading-scorer Lamar Stevens, the Nittany Lions need more offense from the likes of Dread and others. It’s the perfect opportunity for the Michigan native to step into a larger role offensively, and average double-figure scoring.

Aleem Ford — Rising Red-shirt Senior forward at Wisconsin

Aleem Ford took one major step forward this season, but there is still room to grow for the soon to be senior. The 6-8 forward found his stroke from the perimeter, and more than doubled his scoring average to 8.6 points per game this season. Look for Ford’s minutes to go up beyond the 25 he averaged this season. Another aspect of his game that will continue to open things up is the Georgia native’s ability to attack the rim and finish. Ford will likely continue to round out his offensive game next year.