posted on Saturday, March 15, 2008 6:20 AM by mike.hlas

Big Ten Committing Crime Against Basketball

Maybe Big Ten men's basketball teams just play the world's best defense.

And maybe the conference's tournament is only a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea.

Heading into Saturday's semifinals, the show it the league was putting on in Indianapolis wasn't fit for a state that thinks it invented, molded and perfected basketball. It wasn't fit for many states, really.

Michigan went 11 minutes without a field goal against Iowa Thursday, but it didn't matter because the Hawkeyes went 16 minutes without a basket against the Wolverines. Then Michigan shot 20 percent from the field against Wisconsin in scoring 34 points Friday. Wisconsin shot 34 percent and won easily.

Illinois was 8-of-20 from the foul line and made 23 turnovers, and still beat Purdue in Friday's quarterfinals.

Minnesota was the better-shooting team in its win over Indiana Friday, with a blistering 33.4 percent from the floor.

In the first five games of the tourney, 43.6 percent was the best any team could muster.

Meanwhile, Tennessee beat South Carolina 89-87 in an SEC quarterfinal that was what basketball looks like when it is played with a little pep and athleticism. Duke and North Carolina each scored 82 points in ACC quarterfinals. It's not defense isn't in vogue in the SEC or ACC, you know.

But today (Saturday) is another day. Illinois plays Minnesota in a Big Ten semifinal this afternoon, and I can't wait. Both played last night, so you know their legs will be weary. And since neither is all that wonderful to begin with, oh, what a mess this thing could be.

SATURDAY ADDENDUM

Illinois' 54-50 win over Minnesota was everything I expected and less. The UCLA-Stanford Pac-10 final that followed on CBS featured basketball that was so much better, with UCLA winning 67-64.

I didn't see a second of it, but Arkansas' 91-90 victory over Tennessee in the SEC semis Saturday must have been something else.

Speaking of the SEC tourney, it's wonderful that no one got hurt in the Georgia Dome Friday night when a tornado did some (apparently) minor damage there during the quarterfinals. Not to make light of what could have been a true tragedy, but maybe the basketball gods were telling the conference not to play its tourney in a football stadium.

I've attended NCAA games played in the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, and the now-gone Kingdome in Seattle. None were fit for basketball, and neither are any other domed stadiums. Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, where the Big Ten has made its postseason tourneys home, is the gold standard for basketball venues.




  |    Login or Join to Post Comments

Comments

# re: Big Ten Committing Crime Against Basketball

Sunday, March 16, 2008 5:28 PM by SONofBUFO
Dear Mr. Hlas, don't you get tired of ripping the hawks and the BIG 11 down? I think everyone realizes the Hawk basketball program is in a rebuilding phase. Instead of concentrating of the positives, such as the excellent recruiting class coming in, the relative youth of the current team, and the fact that we are recovering from the Alford effect, you continue to be a hater.

The fact that you continue to spout nonsense about how well our ex-coach is doing, instead of talkin HAWK smart, tells me you should be covering desserts in the womens section(no offense to women everywhere).

Now I read this current diatribe about how bad Iowa and Michigan looked in the tournament game. I am not sure if you noticed, but niether the Hawks or the Wolves were exactly at the top of the Big Ten win list.

Regardless of what you may think, the Hawks rule!!! I don't care if your male or female, participate on the gridiron, or on the sculling team, your awesome!! I don't care if your a girls Field Hockey player, or your into softball, baseball, and yes, even Basketball, you all ROCK, so keep up the good work. Play with respect, graduate!, and make us all proud your representing Iowans on the field of play. Remember, regardkless of what Mr. Hlas keeps spouting, winning is just one of the possible outcomes in any game.

In closing, I salute all Hawkeye fans, although I think we need to start bringing it on a bit more, stay true to the Hawks!

GO HAWKS!!







# Bufo Bufo Bufo

Monday, March 17, 2008 12:19 AM by mike.hlas
Always good to hear from you.

I enjoy desserts as much as anyone.