Weekly Big 10 Picks

I apologize for being late in my weekly predictions, but I have made my long-awaited arrival back to Ripon. My Badger game analysis will be up sometime tomorrow.

Tuesday
#24 Illinois vs. Ohio State- After two dormant years, the Fighting Illini are finally back. Illinois looked great in their 15 point win over Michigan last week but couldn’t close out Michigan State in the second half of their 63-57 loss. Ohio State had a solid week that included wins over Indiana and Michigan. This is a good sign for a team that has slightly struggled since losing David Lighty. This is a hard game to pick, but I have to go with the Illini’s combination of size and perimeter shooting in this one… Illinois 73-67.

Penn State vs. Michigan- The Bryce Jordan Center is no longer a neutral court that Big 10 teams can just come into and pickup a conference win. Penn State has become the dark horse of the Big 10 and has given scares to just about every team they’ve played. Michigan needs to rebound after losing twice last week and will need a big game out of Deshawn Sims to get the win. Penn State 66-64.

Wednesday
#7 Michigan State vs. Northwestern- Michigan State has won its 11th straight game and currently has a 28 game win streak at home. Northwestern picked up their first Big 10 win of the year against Minnesota, but have struggled on the road all season long. Michigan State 77-58.

Thursday
#19 Minnesota vs. #18 Purdue- Minnesota goes back to “The Barn” after a huge road victory over Wisconsin and than a setback at Northwestern. This game will all depend on which Minnesota team shows up. Purdue 77-69.

Saturday
Penn State vs. Iowa- The big three- Cornley, Pringle, and Battle get the nod in this one. Penn State 68-60.

Michigan vs. Northwestern- Michigan lives and dies with its success from beyond the arc. Until the Wolverines can receive a consistent inside threat, they'll continue to be a shaky pick week in and week out. In an ugly shoot-out… Michigan 66-60.

Sunday
Indiana vs. #19 Minnesota- It’s become a weekly favorite of mine to predict Indiana’s games. It’s just too easy. Minnesota 66-50.

Ohio State vs. #7 Michigan State- This may be one of the better matchups of the week. BJ Mullens has started to live up to the hype and Michigan State is the hottest team in the Big 10. Michigan State 84-77.