By PAUL GOTHAM
Relegated to afterthought in conversations about the nation’s strongest conference, the Big Ten has proven it where it matters most — on the court.
Seventh-seeded Michigan State and one-seed Wisconsin will give the Big 10 two spots at the Final Four table.
“We had great teams, Maryland, Michigan State, obviously, no one was able to extend themselves, everyone was just kind of beating each other, and it was a grind throughout the season,” Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker said earlier this week. “I don’t think the Big Ten was down, I just think it was‑‑ different type of balance this year, but it’s big for us for the Big Ten to have two teams in the Final Four and I think it will give us validation.”
“I’m proud of the Big Ten, being a Big Ten guy, for what we’ve accomplished this year and the number we got in,” Michigan State’s Tom Izzo said. “I think they were deserving. The seedings, who knows. Wisconsin has always been a one seed in my mind, and had a tough route going through Arizona. Now they’ve got an even tougher one going through Kentucky. But if there’s a team that can do it, I think they’re built for that.”
The Big Ten is no stranger to getting multiple teams to the Final Four. This year will mark the eighth time B1G has had more than one team on the sport’s grandest stage.
“Obviously it’s big for the conference to have two teams representing them,” Dekker added. “But I think someone made a good point saying teams make Final Fours, not conferences, so in a way it’s right and wrong but it’s great to have two Big Ten teams in it. People are not going to say we didn’t have a good year.”
The Big Ten and Big 12 shared the honors of getting the most bids to this year’s tournament with seven. As a conference, B1G takes a record of 11-5 into Saturday’s semi-finals. Thanks to NBC Sports for compiling the records.
The Atlantic Coast Conference, with six teams in the tournament, boasts the best conference record at 15-5. All six ACC representatives won a tournament game with five teams (Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Notre Dame) advancing to the Sweet 16.
The Big 12 – largely touted as the “deepest” conference in the country finished 5-7 – only Oklahoma and West Virginia advanced to the second weekend of the tournament. Many analysts lauded the overall play in the SEC which earned five bids. Remove Kentucky’s four wins and the other four teams scratched two victories.
Considering Miami went 10-8 in ACC conference play and won the NIT, maybe the Hurricanes should have made it seven ACC teams in the NCAA Tournament.
This year marks the first year since 2005 that the Big Ten has sent two teams to the Final Four. The conference also turned the trick in 1976, 1980, 1989, 1992, 1999 and 2000. On five occasions the ACC, Big East and SEC have all sent two or more teams to the national semi-finals in the same year. In 1985 three Big East teams (Georgetown, St. John’s and Villanova) reached the Final Four. The Big 12 has accomplished the feat twice.
“Sure, we’d like to have an all Big Ten final,” Izzo stated. “That would be awesome for both of us. But I think for the most part there’s a friendship there. There’s a respect there. I’m looking forward to watching them play and seeing how they do.”
Leave a Reply