Big Ten Basketball: 10 Things We've Learned from Conference Play so Far

After two weeks of conference play, the Big Ten looks a lot different than most fans would’ve predicted in mid-December. Michigan State is unbeaten in conference, Ohio State has lost twice, and the league title appears to be up for grabs.

One of the biggest surprises thus far has been Wisconsin’s dismal 1-3 start to the Big Ten season. With plenty of ranked teams left on their conference slate, the Badgers need to get it together quickly or risk seeing a promising season collapse.

Read on for more about Wisconsin’s troubles and the rest of the biggest storylines in the Big Ten thus far.

10. Even Tim Frazier Can’t Get Penn State Back to the NCAAs

After a rare appearance in March Madness, Penn State lost star PG Talor Battle to graduation, and with him their chance to make a return trip to the Big Dance.

The Nittany Lions as a team have done nothing to dispel that impression, even given a phenomenal performance by Battle’s replacement, Tim Frazier.

Frazier is averaging 17.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists a game, team-highs all.

Despite his best efforts, though, PSU has started 1-3 in conference play with performances like a 71-53 drubbing at Michigan in which Frazier had 20 points (with no teammate above nine) and four of the team’s six assists.

9. Purdue, for Once, Is All About Offense

With JaJuan Johnson’s shot blocking gone from the middle of the defense, the Boilermakers have been a good but not superlative team on that end of the floor. As a result, they’re far more vulnerable than usual to a bad offensive night.

When Matt Painter’s club shot 57 percent from the floor against Illinois, they beat a good team by 15, but when they dropped to 31 percent in their next outing, they lost at lowly Penn State by 20.

Ryne Smith is one of the nation’s best three-point shooters and Lewis Jackson is a fine point guard, but with only Robbie Hummel to provide scoring inside, this is going to be a volatile team throughout the Big Ten schedule.

8. Minnesota Is Better Than Its Record

It would be easy to write off Minnesota after a dismal 0-4 start in conference play, especially given that the Gophers’ best player (Trevor Mbakwe) is sidelined for the year with a knee injury.

However, Tubby Smith’s team has played a lot tougher than the results would suggest.

Minnesota has lost by two points to Iowa, five points at Michigan, and in double OT at Illinois.

If Ralph Sampson III (8.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game) and Rodney Williams (10.4 points, 5.9 boards, 1.6 blocks) can ever get hot on offense in the same game, Minnesota will be able to put a scare into even a heavily favored opponent.

7. Northwestern Will Be a Factor in the Final Standings

The Wildcats have started 1-3 in Big Ten play, but two of those losses are a one-point defeat by Illinois and a two-point OT loss on the road at Michigan last night.

At some point before the year is out, they’re going to hand one of the league’s top teams a very tough loss in Evanston.

Senior forward John Shurna is leading the team again with 18.7 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, and he’s found an able right-hand man in Drew Crawford.

The junior swingman is posting 17.3 points and five rebounds a night to keep the Northwestern offense clicking.

6. Brandon Paul Deserves More Credit

Sophomore Meyers Leonard has certainly made the most dramatic strides of any Illinois player, going from a barely-used reserve to the team’s leading rebounder and shot-blocker.

That said, junior guard Brandon Paul has stepped up as well, and his growth is just as big a part of Illinois’ impressive 15-3 start.

Paul’s historic 43-point outburst (third-best in school history) led the Illini past No. 5 Ohio State on Tuesday, but he’s far from a one-hit wonder.

He’s leading the team in scoring (13.8 points a game) and assists (3.2 a night) while even pulling down 4.7 rebounds per contest—second to Leonard on the roster—at all of 6’4”.

5. Cody Zeller Has Some Growing Up to Do

Indiana’s Cody Zeller has been one of the nation’s most sensational freshmen, averaging 14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game while leading Indiana to a 15-1 start. For all that, though, he’s still a freshman, and it’s showing early in conference play.

Indiana has played two road games in the Big Ten—losing badly at Michigan State and winning a shootout over Penn State—and Zeller had a total of 14 points and 7 boards in the pair.

He’ll travel better as he gets more experience, but for the time being, the Hoosiers will be vulnerable away from Assembly Hall.

4. Wisconsin Is in Trouble

After narrowly losing at North Carolina in November, Wisconsin looked like a serious threat to win the Big Ten. Now, the Badgers look like a team that will have to scramble just to feel sure of an NCAA bid.

2010-11 second-team All-American Jordan Taylor has continued to struggle, averaging 13.6 points and 4.5 assists per game (both down from last season), and the offense has been the worse for it.

Sunday’s dismal 59-41 loss at Michigan was just the latest indication that Wisconsin is not ready to compete with the big boys in the Big Ten.

3. Draymond Green Has Help

Michigan State is the Big Ten’s only team without a conference loss, and the Spartans’ 4-0 mark already includes a key win over Indiana.

Star forward Draymond Green has been the catalyst as expected—he’s averaging team highs of 15.9 points and 9.8 rebounds a night—but this season, he’s got some teammates who can play a little, too.

Keith Appling scored a career-high 25 points in the win over the Hoosiers, the high point of a season that’s seen the 6’1” sophomore double his scoring to 12.6 points a game and triple his assists to a team-leading 3.9 a night.

With backcourt mate Brandon Wood also scoring in double figures, Michigan State is no longer a one-man show.

2. Michigan Is Very Much in the Conference Title Picture

The Wolverines’ 4-1 start in conference play would be impressive enough by itself, but their one loss came by a scant two-point margin on the road in Indiana.

Sophomore Evan Smotrycz has provided a better post presence than expected (a team-high 6.6 rebounds a game), but the real key has been outstanding guard play.

Tim Hardaway and Trey Burke are combining for 29.7 points and 7.7 assists a game in John Beilein’s perimeter-heavy offense.

With few backcourt defenses in the conference capable of standing up to their onslaught, Michigan will be at or near the top of the standings right up to the end of the season.

1. Ohio State Is Mortal

With a healthy Jared Sullinger and a 13-1 record, Ohio State entered Big Ten play as the distinct favorite for the conference title. Four games and two road losses later, all bets are off in Columbus.

Sullinger has been just fine—he’s been performing as well as his 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game would suggest—but the perimeter defense has been a mess.

After allowing Indiana’s Jordan Hulls and Victor Oladipo to shoot 13-for-22 and Illinois’ Brandon Paul to blow up for 43 points, Ohio State needs to tighten up on the outside or lose a conference that was theirs to win…and with it, any hope of a No. 1 seed.