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The Week at a Glance

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Posted: Monday January 04, 1999 11:40 PM

Big fun in the Big Ten?

By Dan Shanoff, CNN/SI

Let's get the football thing out of the way right now: 5-0 in bowl games, with wins by (in ascending order of impressiveness): Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. Extra props to the Nittany Lions for confusing Kentucky's Tim Couch, the likely No. 1 NFL draft pick; to the Boilermakers for quieting the K-State Complainers; and the Badgers for confounding critics of their Rose Bowl-worthiness and literally running over UCLA. Any sneaky play by Ohio State for the AP half of the national title would be icing on the cake.

For Big Ten fans who only start following basketball when the bowls are over, here's what you've missed -- and this is not a misprint:

Seven Big Ten teams are in this week's coaches' Top 25: Purdue (7), Michigan State (12), Indiana (13), Minnesota (17), Iowa (19), Wisconsin (23) and Ohio State (25). Once-mighty Michigan, now carrying the unlikely tag of conference also-ran, isn't far behind. Illinois and Penn State are NIT-caliber and tough at home. Even Northwestern is on the up and up. Before the season, Wildcats coach Kevin O'Neill might have thought the seemingly mediocre Big Ten would allow for a decent building season. But with a combined non-conference record of 77-12 for the "Super Seven," it'll be a long year -- call it "The Season of Attrition" -- for all 11 teams.

Here's the rub: None is among the nation's elite. None can be considered a Final Four contender; however, considering the Big Ten's recent NCAA tournament history, that's no shocker.

Purdue 's 12-2 record belies a soft schedule. Michigan State is playing with no fire. Indiana dropped its league opener at Iowa, though the Hoosiers rebounded at home Sunday against Illinois.

The four other Big Ten teams in the Top 25 are pleasant surprises, but hardly Final Four contenders.

Minnesota has a solid nucleus with scoring sensation Quincy Lewis (22.3 ppg) and freshman blocked-shot king Joel Przybilla (4.3 bpg). In a season bound to be noted for parity at the top of the conference, the Gophers could sneak away with the league title.

Iowa has a cause -- this is likely to be coach Tom Davis' last season -- and a win at Kansas. The acid test will be next week's back-to-back-to-back road trips to Ohio State, Minnesota and Michigan State.

Wisconsin was lauded for "doing it with defense" during a 12-1 non-conference start. After two losses to start league play -- close ones to Michigan and Ohio State -- the praise transformed into "can't score on offense."

A spot in the coaches' poll is gravy for Ohio State , a team not expected to contend until next year. Second-year OSU coach Jim O'Brien can attribute his team's 12-3 start to the best backcourt in the conference, featuring one of his ex-Boston College kids, transfer point guard Scoonie Penn, and electrifying sophomore scoring guard Michael Redd.

What do all these spots in the Top 25 mean? Nothing, if the league doesn't back them up with a strong showing in March. File this away: The Big Ten will put six in the NCAA tournament, three will lose in the first round, two in the second and one in the Sweet 16. The seventh team (say, Ohio State), on the outside looking in, will win the NIT. Business as usual for a league that has had an unusual start to 1999.

 

The Games to Watch DePaul at Cincinnati, Jan. 6 On the Marquee: "C-USA present vs. future" Players to Watch: Cincinnati SG Melvin Levett, Cincinnati C Kenyon Martin, DePaul SG Quentin Richardson, DePaul C Lance Williams Michigan State at Wisconsin, Jan. 6 On the Marquee: "Who's for real?" Players to Watch: Wisconsin PG Ty Calderwood, Michigan State PG Mateen Cleaves, Wisconsin SG Sean Mason, Michigan State SF Morris Peterson Arkansas at Auburn, Jan. 6 On the Marquee: "Early SEC West showdown" Players to Watch: Arkansas PF Derek Hood, Auburn C Mamadou N'diaye, Auburn SF Chris Porter, Arkansas PG Kareem Reid

 

The Story Lines Auburn underrated After dropping SEC pretender Tennessee 90-62 last week, the Tigers continue their slow and steady climb up the Top 25. It shouldn't be so laborious. Weighed down by the lack of a preseason Top 25 ranking and unnecessarily skeptical voters, Auburn rightfully belongs in the Top 10. A win over Top 25 staple Arkansas this week will help. Postponed Knowing how momentum can radically shift over the course of a season, it's interesting to consider how many of last weekend's snow-postponed Midwest games could have a different outcome later in the year. Hot Minnesota (scheduled to play Purdue at home Jan. 2, postponed indefinitely), we're looking at you.

 

The Bandwagon UCLA Supreme in Pac-10 UConn Finally earning No. 1 hype Mother Nature Snow stopped unbeaten Cincy Clemson Last week: Rugged. This week: Ugly

 

The William Avery Watch Todd Warshaw/Allsport If Duke is to capitalize on its talent and return to the Final Four for the first time since 1994, the sophomore point guard -- an erratic reserve last season -- will have to mature into the starting lead guard. Can he abandon his trigger-happy tendencies and be the assist man that the Blue Devils need him to be? CNN/SI charts his progress throughout the season. Stats: Last game: Jan. 3 at Maryland Assists: 4 (Season: 87, 6.2 apg) Turnovers: 4 (Season: 36) FGs Made-Attempted: 5-11 (Season: 68-140, 48.6 percent) Result: Duke wins, 82-64 (Season record: 13-1) This Week: Jan. 6 vs. Georgia Tech, Jan. 10 vs. Virginia

CNN/SI Week at a Glance is released every Tuesday throughout the college basketball season.

 

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