By Woodrow Carroll
Were it not for Purdue University’s 71-61 victory over Texas late in the day Sunday, March 20 in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) second round men’s basketball Division I game, the Big Ten Conference was looking at possibly its worst day in basketball history.
Purdue came to the rescue. The Big Ten record through two rounds was 9-7 and two schools, Michigan and Purdue, were alive in the Sweet Sixteen this week.
Five Big Ten Conference men’s basketball teams took to the court in Milwaukee in the second round seeking to advance to the regional semifinal. By the time the Purdue-Texas game was well under way, four Big Ten sides all ready had met defeat.
Nine Big Ten schools were included in the field of 68 for the 2022 NCAA men’s tournament on selection Sunday, March 13. With a large pool of Conference members, anything may happen and did!
In the only Big Ten game Saturday, March 19 Michigan, seeded No. 11, took out No. 3 Tennessee, 76-68, to reach the Sweet 16. Unfancied Michigan started with a victory, 75-63, against No. 6 Colorado State.
What do you make of Big Ten basketball this season? Illinois and Wisconsin finished tied for first place in the Conference each with 15-5 records. Iowa was only 12-8 in Conference,. yet, the Hawkeyes won the Conference tournament championship. In the Sweet Sixteen, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa are absent.
No. 4-seeded Illinois fell, 68-53 to No. 5 Houston. Then No.7 Ohio State lost, 71-61, to No. 2 Villanova.
No. 3 Wisconsin was edged, 54-49, by No. 6 Iowa State. The dark cloud hovering over the Big Ten continued when No. 2 Duke aced No. 7 Michigan State, 85-76. Only Purdue’s victory spared the Big Ten further ignominy.
Michigan will take the stage prior to Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen. The Wolverines face Villanova at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, March 24 in San Antonio.
Although Michigan will play a brand name in Villanova, Purdue will play a national virtual unknown in St. Peter’s at 6 p.m. Friday in Philadelphia. St. Peter’s men’s team are the Peacocks. The women’s teams are the Peahens. St. Peter’s calls Jersey City, N.J. Jersey home. Jersey City is in the New York City metro complex.
St. Peter’s has a modest enrollment of little more than 3,500. The Peacocks finished second to Iona in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. St. Peter’s, however, captured the Conference tournament championship to earn its NCAA berth and have made the best of the situation. St. Peter’s was seeded No. 15 and knocked off vaunted No. 2 seed, Kentucky, 85-79, in overtime, in its tournament opener. The Peacocks clearly opened a few eyes.
Baylor learned the hard way that the champion earns a target. The No. 1 seeded Bears, who defeated Gonzaga in the national championship game last season, lost 93-86 in overtime, to No. 8 North Carolina.
If top-ranked Gonzaga captures the national championship, it would be the program’s first.