Big Ten Notebook: Johnson leads the way
Jeff House, Staff Writer
The regular season in the Big Ten Conference draws to a close this week. Let’s look at my final picks for the Big Ten major awards.
Player of Year: JaJuan Johnson, Purdue
Throughout much of the season everyone, myself included, anointed Ohio State’s sensational freshman Jared Sullinger as the guy to beat for Big Ten Player of the Year. There is no question Sullinger is a tremendous talent, possibly the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and as noted below, the top freshman performer in the conference. Sullinger is top five in the Big Ten in four categories [Reb (2nd), FG% (5th), OR (1st) and DR (2nd)] and has had several dominant games posting 15 Double-Doubles thus far. But, JuJuan Johnson knocked Sullinger off the POY block over the course of the season. Johnson remains top five in five Big Ten categories [Scoring (2nd), Reb (4th), Blocks (1st), DR (4th) and Min. Played (5th)] and posted nine double-doubles himself during the same time span. With no slight to David Lighty or William Buford, it is easy to say that with the one-two punch of E’Twaun Moore and JJ in West Lafayette, the difference of six double-doubles between Sullinger and Johnson is understandable.
Even though Sullinger has “struggled” and Johnson excelled down the stretch (JS averaging 13.7 ppg and 8.0 rpg during OSU’s 4-2 record over their last six games and JJ has scored 20 or more in 11 of his last 13 games) this is a season long award, not simply a “what have you done for me lately” award. Truly, that had no basis in my decision – my vote still went to JuJuan Johnson for his complete body of work. Johnson has consistently performed at a high level, taken on tough offensive and defensive assignments and been the conference’s most outstanding player leading Purdue to 13-3 conference record and a second place conference finish. Let’s not forget, this is a Purdue team that needed someone to step up after losing Robbie Hummel for the year in October. Johnson did that for the Boilermakers.
Coach of
Year: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
Runner
Up: John Beilein, Michigan
When evaluating all factors the best coaching job this season was
done in Madison, WI by Bo Ryan and his staff. Unless UDub
stumbles at IU or knocks off the Buckeyes in Bloomington in the
rematch of “the win,” the Badgers will end up 23-6 /
13-5 in the Big Ten and the third seed heading to
Indianapolis. The Big Ten does not release a complete
preseason prediction, only the top three, and Wisconsin was not
amongst the conference’s big three. In my initial
October entry (The Illini will lead the way) I placed the Badgers
no higher than fifth.
Three of Wisconsin’s current five loses are strange… @ Illinois, @ Michigan State and @ Penn State, but none of their losses are terrible and this team has improved and gotten stronger as the season progressed.
This was Bo Ryan’s finest coaching job largely due to something his team is NOT. The Badgers are not ranked amongst the top 100 teams in the country in four key statistical areas – FG percentage (109th), Points per Game (166th), Rebounding (296th) and Assists (118th) - yet some now they’ve won 23 games, knocked off the then Nation’s No. 1 team, they challenged for the regular season Big Ten title until the very end and are certainly a two or three seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament – all before the Big Ten Tournament even starts. That’s great coaching.
Don’t count Wisconsin out in Indianapolis either; this is not a team that anyone wants to play right now.
I’m sure you’re asking why not Thad Matta, why not Matt Painter?
Many times fans say, “well heck, they have JuJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore, Jared Sullinger, William Buford, David Lighty… those coaches are just going to win.” It’s simply not that easy. Because you have great talent doesn’t mean you automatically win. Also true, if you have great talent doesn’t mean the coaching job you do counts less than someone else’s and you won’t be selected as coach of the year. Both Thad Matta and Matt Painter have done a tremendous coaching job at their respective schools this season. Matt Painter having the Boilermakers among the nation’s elite with Hummel out is remarkable.
The Big Ten is one of the strongest conferences in the country, from top to bottom, in quality coaching. It’s been recognized all season the job that Tom Crean and Fran McCaffrey did at Indiana and Iowa, yet those teams will finish 10th and 11th respectively with three conference wins each. They are great coaches with strong staff’s and developing talent. The Big Ten is just that strong.
Rookie of Year: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
All-Conference team:
C - Jared Sullinger, (Ohio State)
F – JuJuan Johnson, (Purdue)
G – E’Twaun Moore, (Purdue)
G – Talor Battle, (Penn State)
F – Jon Leuer, (Wisconsin)
Defensive Player of Year: David Lighty, Ohio State
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BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BRACKETOLOGY
If the Big Ten tournament started today the seedings would be as
follows:
Ohio State
(14-2)
Purdue
(13-3)
Wisconsin (12-4)
Illinois (8-8)
Michigan State (8-8)
Penn State (8-8)
Michigan (8-9)
Minnesota (6-10)
Northwestern (6-11)
Indiana (3-13)
Iowa (3-13)
We ran down Day One in the Big Ten Tournament last week.
Let’s look now at Day Two….
Game 4: #1 vs. #9: Ohio State vs. Northwestern
HOUSE: Ohio
State
The Buckeyes have stumbled a little in their last six, dropping two
and falling out of the nation’s top spot. They also
struggled in late January on the road vs. the Wildcats –
beating them on a Jared Sullinger free throw with just seconds
remaining 58-57, a game that easily could have gone the other
way. But, it won’t be enough for Northwestern to pull
the upset in Indy. Northwestern’s hopes for a deep run
in the Big Ten tourney and a chance to earn that elusive NCAA bid
will be over.
Game 5: #4 vs. #5: Illinois vs. Michigan
State
HOUSE: Michigan State
Even though Michigan State has lost three of their last four
I’m taking the upset here. The Illini split with Sparty
during the regular season with each team winning on their home
court. The latest contest in mid-February went to MSU
61-57. Kalin Lucus was tremendous, but will need a little
more help this time to make life easier for Coach Izzo and
company. That win should lift this squad’s confidence
going into the rubber match. MSU is very talented and if
their defense and rebounding pick up, they will be a very dangerous
team in this tournament.
Game 6: #2 vs. #7: Purdue vs.
Michigan
HOUSE: Purdue
Penn State slid up one spot from my seventh seed pick to the sixth seed. The new 7 vs. 10 game on day one will be Michigan vs. Indiana, with Michigan advancing to meet the No. 2 seed Boilermakers.
John Beilein has gotten the most out of the youngest team in America. There is legitimate argument for Beilein being named Big Ten coach of the year. October rumblings that Beilein should be ousted should be over after the Wolverine’s posted a 19 or 20 win season and most probably a trip to the NIT after being predicted in the bottom three in the preseason. This has been an amazing coaching job.
Winners of seven of their last 10 games the Wolverines are playing their best basketball right now. A December 23-point pounding by Purdue in Ann Arbor is great motivation, unfortunately for the Maize and Blue, Purdue is the conference’s hottest team right now winning 10 of their last 12.
It will be a grind it out affair and Beiein’s boys will fight, scrap and give them selves a chance, but in the end the Boilermakers will advance.
Game 7: #3 vs. #6: Wisconsin vs. Penn
State
HOUSE:
Wisconsin
With PSU squaring off on day one vs. Iowa they will advance to meet No. 3 seed Wisconsin for a chance to go to the conference’s final four. This is my MAJOR upset potential game. Any time Talor Battle is on the floor there is a potential for a 30+ point game. PSU can beat nearly anyone on a neutral court with that production. If Battle has a little help and with the Nittany Lions improvement down the stretch they have at chance, but it will not be enough to knock off one of the conference’s most dangerous teams right now. The two squads spilt their meetings with Talor Battle lighting up the Badger defense for 20 second-half points in the Penn State win. It was the first time Battle ever won vs. the Badgers. Look for the Badgers to really lock him up early, be physical with him and establish that someone else on the Nittany Lion roster is going to have to beat them.
There you have it! I’ll jump on later in the again soon with my Big Ten Final Four predictions… stay tuned!
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