The train you hear rolling down the track is the biggest week in Ohio State’s (15-5, 5-4) season. On Tuesday night, Purdue (17-4, 6-2), winner of six straight steams into Value City Arena and on Saturday night the Buckeyes play Minnesota (18-3, 6-3). Win both and the Buckeyes earn their place at the bar with the Big Ten’s upper tier.  Two losses, however, and the Buckeyes find themselves knee deep. (more…)

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Don’t look now, but look where Bo Ryan is looking: around the corner.  In the midst of a five game swoon that could become six should the Badgers lose to Northwestern in Welsh-Ryan on Saturday, Ryan has integrated freshman Jordan Taylor in a rotation that already has come to rely on two sophomores, Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil.  And in Minnesota, Tubby Smith righted the good ship Golden Gopher with textbook defense at the expense of Illinois. (more…)

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With the conclusion of the non-conference slate of games comes a moment of solitude where we acknowledge the blossoming of last season’s promise into this season’s reality.  Outside the shadow of Mount Nittany, it may be a mild surprise that Conference’s best backcourt thus far comes from Penn State. The reign of Talor Battle and Stanley Pringle, however, may be short-lived as the Big Ten is loaded with talented guards. (more…)

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