NCAA Basketball: Can the Big Ten Finally Win an NCAA Title?

It has been 12 years since the Big Ten conference has had anyone sit atop the final rankings in college basketball.

Not since the 1999-2000 season has a member of the nation's oldest intercollegiate conference won a national title. That team was Michigan State.

Since then, the basketball power conference has taken a backseat as the ACC, SEC, Big East and Big 12 have all won national titles.

However, the Big Ten may finally be back.

Last weekend, Big Ten member Indiana sent reverberations around the country, as the Hooisers upset No. 1 Kentucky, 73-72, on a three-point basket at the buzzer by Christian Watford. Watford's buzzer-beater was a welcome sight for not only Indiana, but also for the Big Ten.

The conference has taken a hit the past few seasons, but if last weekend was any indication of things ahead, the Big Ten is in good shape.

Currently, six teams are ranked in the latest Associated Press Top 25: Ohio State (2); Wisconsin (14); Indiana (18); Illinois (19); Michigan (20); and Michigan State (21). The conference is also ranked No.1 in the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) ratings by several outlets.

The question now is: Can the Big Ten finally win a national title?

Indiana's upset of Kentucky was not just an eye-opener as far as the result; more surprising was the way the Hooisers exposed the Wildcats. Indiana outplayed Kentucky in every phase: rebounding, shooting (60 percent shooting from the three-point line) and out-hustling the more talented Wildcats.

While Indiana upended Kentucky, Ohio State lost at Kansas (78-67); however, the Buckeyes were without All-American big man Jared Sullinger. Sullinger, who had missed the previous two games, returned on Wednesday and recorded a double-double (12 points and 10 rebounds) in Ohio State's 82-58 win over South Carolina Upstate.

The Big Ten registered an 8-4 series win over the ACC in this year's Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Ohio State delivered the biggest win with an 85-63 blowout of then-No. 3 Duke. Meanwhile, Wisconsin lost a hard-fought 60-57 game to then-No. 1 North Carolina.

It was the Big Ten's third consecutive Challenge victory over the ACC.

Talent has never been a problem for the Big Ten; the problem has been early deflections to the NBA.

An exodus of early entrants has robbed the conference of its talent in recent years. This past draft  claimed Darius Morris (Michigan) and Jereme Richmond (Illinois) as early entrants. In 2010, Evan Turner (Ohio State) and Manny Harris (Michigan) defected. Ohio State's B.J. Mullens was a first-round pick in 2009; and Eric Gordon, an Indiana guard, went in the first round of the 2008 draft.

Two of the Big Ten's best, Sullinger and Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor, returned this season.

Sullinger (17.2 ppg and 10.2 rbg last season) returned to Columbus 25 pounds lighter, in hopes of leading the Buckeyes to an NCAA title this season. Ohio State (32-2 a year ago) was the top overall seed in the 2011 NCAA tournament, but lost to Kentucky 62-60 in the Sweet 16. Sullinger and Taylor were selected first team on many preseason All-America teams.

Other players that have stood out so far are Michigan guard Tim Hardaway, Jr. (son of the former NBA great); William Buford (Ohio State); Michigan State forward Draymond Green (16.3 ppg and 9.7 rbg); Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota); and Purdue's Robbie Hummel (18.3 ppg), who is finally healthy after missing all of last season because of a knee injury.

Players, of course, are the heart of any conference, but for the Big Ten, it is the head coaches that make the conference one of the country's best.

Tom Izzo (Michigan State) and Thad Matta (Ohio State) are two of the nation's best. Izzo, in his 17th year, is the Big Ten's dean of coaches. With 391 wins and counting and six NCAA Final Four appearances (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2010), Izzo looks to lead this year's Spartans to a second title.

Meanwhile, Matta, who lost in the 2007 NCAA Championship Game to Florida, hopes to award Buckeye fans this season with a championship.

While both Izzo and Matta are two of the game's best current coaches, Minnesota's Tubby Smith and Indiana's Tom Crean are often overlooked.

Smith, who won an NCAA title (1998) with Kentucky, has led Minnesota to an 11-1 record. Crean, who belongs to the coaching tree of Izzo, led Marquette to the Final Four in 2003. This season, Crean has led the Hooisers to a 9-0 start.

Indiana has won five NCAA titles, but have not been to the tournament since 2008. The win over Kentucky will look good on their resume if the Hooisers are a bubble team come March.

Last season, the conference sent seven teams to the NCAA tournament: Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois and Penn State.

Look for the Big Ten to send either seven or eight teams to the tournament this season.

However, Ohio State gives the conference its best chance of curing its 12-year jinx and finally winning an NCAA title.