Michigan is quietly setting themselves up to make some noise in the conference race. The Wolverines hammered Purdue, avenging a loss from just a week ago (not sure why both Purdue-UM games were scheduled so close this early in the year). Guard Dion Harris has been the key for Tommy Amaker, and he put in another 21 on Saturday.
The Wolverines are now 4-1 and set for a big Wednesday date at Wisconsin. The Badgers showed some mettle this weekend down at Illinois. Having struggled through two lackluster wins, playing on the road and against a team that really needed a win, it was a situation ripe for an upset. But Wisconsin got out of town with a seven-point win, thanks to Alando Tucker. Michael Hunt of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel makes the case for Tucker is the best hoops player ever at Madison.
Indiana won at UConn on Saturday, but this is a game that should get mixed reviews from the Hoosier faithful. UConn is not what they've been in recent years, coming into the game very young and unranked. Indiana was uncharacteristically destroyed on the boards, the reason an early 14-point lead evaporated in the blink of an eye. D.J. White was productive offensively, but non-existent on the glass. But give Kelvin Sampson's kids their due. It was still an environment that a team not really accustomed to closing out big wins could have folded in, but they made plays. No one made more then Roderick Wilmont, who poured in 23. Terry Hutchens of The Indianapolis Star tells us that Wilmont has no fear of failure.
IU and Michigan are each 4-1 in league play and lead the short list of possible dark horses to upset the Wisconsin-Ohio State applecart in the race for the championship. The Wolverines visit IU this weekend to cap off their critical week on the road.
Taking a look south to check up on the exiled General, Bob Knight's Texas Tech team upended fifth-ranked Kansas on Saturday. Tech is now 3-1 in the Big 12, good for a three-way tie for second. At 14-5 overall they are in the hunt for an NCAA bid. The Red Raiders did suffer a bad loss to Baylor recently that will stay up on the board and haunt them, but the win over the Jayhawks significantly advanced the cause for Knight to get his 28th NCAA Tournament appearance and move ahead of Dean Smith on the all-time list.
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