ESPN Men's Basketball

This morning, my man Myron Medcalf honed in on the Indiana Hoosiers. He spoke with coach Tom Crean about Cody Zeller's similarities to Andrew Luck -- which go deeper than "they're both really good" -- and the massive preseason expectations the Hoosiers will face in the run up to the 2012-13 season. Crean is handling the preseason expectations how you'd, ahem, expect -- by trying to instill some perspective in his players, who he believes aren't "caught up" in the hype for next season:

"When you’re immersed in it, you stay in your own reality. And our reality is we’ve got a long way to go to get where we want to go. We’re going to have upwards of eight freshmen and sophomores on this team next year. Obviously, one of them is Cody [Zeller] but still, he’s only going to be a sophomore. And the bottom line for us is we’ve got to get a lot of guys meshed into this team."

Of course, he's right. That goes not only for Indiana's chances of competing for a Final Four spot or a national title, but also for winning the Big Ten, which will again be the nation's best conference in 2012-13.

Indiana is the early favorite to win the league, but it's hardly a guarantee. At least two other teams, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines, are fully justified in having Big Ten title aspirations. Both teams will arguably have as much talent on their rosters as the Hoosiers.

As expected, Ohio State lost Jared Sullinger to the NBA draft, and shooting guard William Buford graduated this spring. But the Buckeyes -- thanks to Thad Matta's excellent 2011 recruiting class -- have big-time players waiting in the wings.

Center Amir Williams was infrequently used in his freshman season, but was the No. 4 center in his recruiting class. He should be ready, after a year of Sully apprenticeship, to take on big minutes and a major role on both ends of the floor. Swingman Sam Thompson could experience a similar sophomore boost, and point guard Shannon Scott will take on a bigger share of minutes playing behind and alongside starting point guard Aaron Craft. Sophomore small forward LaQuinton Ross missed his entire freshman season due to academic issues, but he could play a role as well.

Plus, the remaining starters are awfully good. Deshaun Thomas is one of the nation's most versatile scoring threats who rounded out his game throughout an excellent sophomore season, while Craft remains the nation's best perimeter defender, bar none. Offense may be a struggle for these Buckeyes early in the season, but their sterling ballhawking defense, a trademark of Matta's teams at OSU, isn't going anywhere.

Michigan will be no less talented. Coach John Beilein got the best news of his offseason when he learned that Big Ten Freshman of the Year (media) Trey Burke would eschew the NBA draft and return to school. Burke is a fantastically intelligent, savvy player, and his efficiency statistics (he posted a 105.3 offensive rating in 2012) will only get better as he improves his outside shooting and cuts down on the turnovers that occasionally marred his proclivity (as evidenced by his 28.7 percent assist rate) for the art of the dime. Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. could be one of the nation's most polished perimeter scorers as a junior.

Beilein will mesh his leftover talent -- from a team that won a share of its first Big Ten title since the mid-80s, no less -- with the two best recruits of his Michigan tenure. Glenn Robinson III, the son of former NBA star Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson (we agreed we are calling Robinson III "Little Big Dog," yes?) is ranked No. 18 overall in the class of 2012. He has drawn raves from ESPNU's scouts for his "freakish athleticism" and ability to score from the perimeter, off the dribble and in the mid-range. His longtime friend and fellow incoming freshman, power forward Mitch McGary, was once considered the second-best prospect in the class of 2012. He's slipped since then, but only to No. 27 overall in the class, and he promises to be a force in his first season for the Wolverines.

The loss of shooters Stu Douglass, Zack Novak and Evan Smotrycz, and the addition of Robinson and McGary (as well as the return of forward Jon Horford from injury) present Beilein with an interesting but altogether welcome problem: These Wolverines won't be a typical Beilein team. They will attack the glass and pound the paint far more often, if only out of necessity. And with all those weapons, they'll be very difficult to stop.

Then there's Michigan State. The Spartans lost their heart and soul in senior forward Draymond Green, but the rest of the picture is bright: Point guard Keith Appling is back, as are forwards Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix. Impressive freshman guard Branden Dawson saw his season end after tearing an ACL in early March; his return will be tentative throughout the year. The good news? Tom Izzo beat out Indiana and Purdue to land the No. 2-ranked shooting guard in the class, Gary Harris, and will add three top-100 players (power forwards Kenny Kaminski and Matt Costello and small forward Denzel Valentine) to a team positively brimming with big, tough, athletic players. If the Spartans can do without Green -- and that's a valid question, given how much he meant to this program -- and rebound the ball at a similar rate as in 2012, they're legitimate Big Ten contenders, too.

Then there are the usual suspects: Wisconsin is Wisconsin, and Bo Ryan still hasn't finished worse than fourth place, or missed the NCAA tournament, in any season of his 11 seasons at the school. Minnesota will get Trevor Mbakwe, one of the nation's most bruising power forwards (now on his sixth-year medical redshirt season), back from last year's season-ending ACL injury. Purdue coach Matt Painter will bring in three top-100 players (center A.J. Hammons, shooting guard Rapheal Davis and point guard Ronnie Johnson, all three of whom hail from Indiana), an influx of size and young talent to build around. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery hauled in his best recruiting class, including Iowa native Adam Woodbury, the No. 10-ranked center in 2012. Northwestern has Drew Crawford and a spate of solid guards to put around senior transfer Jared Swopshire, an athletic former Louisville forward who could be a perfect fit for Bill Carmody's Princeton system.

You get the idea. Not all of these teams will contend for the Big Ten regular-season title. But most of them will. At the very least, the conference is sure to have a deep spate of teams determined to make any path to the Big Ten crown less a sprint than a drawn-out, physical scrum. Remember when Kentucky went undefeated in its league, with a massive efficiency margin to boot? Yeah. That ain't happenin' here.

Indiana is the favorite, and an obvious pick to get to the Final Four, and for good reason. But before the Hoosiers can turn their attention to the glories of March, they'll have to test their mettle for months on a twice-weekly basis against the best league in the country. That can be a good thing, or a bad one. It can be galvanizing experience, or a humbling one. Either way, nothing will come easy.

1. Our Top 25 poll will generate plenty of buzz, but it left out a few teams that deserve mention. Don’t sleep on Murray State, which returns Isaiah Canaan and coach Steve Prohm. I’ll be stunned if Murray doesn’t make its way back into the Top 25. I also really like Minnesota again. The Gophers should be a real tough out with a healthy Trevor Mbakwe, Rodney Williams and a returning perimeter. And Cincinnati should be in the mix in the Big East with a core returning that played exceptionally well down the stretch.

2. SMU athletic director Steve Orsini can now lock in on finding a replacement for Matt Doherty after having to deal with his basketball selection committee responsibilities. Orsini knows that he has to find the right coach, not necessarily the big name. He wants to make sure the Mustangs are competitive in the Big East in 2014. I’m not sure if he has a shot, but Texas ties are important and that’s why Marquette assistant, and former Texas Tech guard, Tony Benford is an intriguing name who can recruit talent from the area.

3. Jim Christian’s move from TCU to Ohio is a classic case of a coach getting ahead before he’s out. Christian had the Horned Frogs extremely competitive in the MWC this season. TCU is now off to the Big 12. Christian returned to the MAC and took the Ohio job, a team that will be the early-season conference favorite despite the coaching change. But now the Horned Frogs have to do what Orsini is doing in the Metroplex, make the right hire for a new conference and necessarily chase the big name. Texas ties will be even more critical with the Big 12 beckoning next fall.

Chasson Randle and Aaron Bright each score 15 as the Cardinal cruised past Minnesota 75-51.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Michigan did not expect the test it encountered against Minnesota in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament Friday.

But the Gophers weren’t prepared for Trey Burke, either. The Big Ten freshman of the year scored 30 points in a 73-69 win over Minnesota to advance to a Saturday matchup against the winner of Friday’s game between Ohio State and Purdue. Burke did whatever he wanted when he wanted to do it against the Gophers.

“Well, the coaches just tell me to take whatever the defense gave me. We [saw] that in the first half. They had a little trouble guarding the pick-and-roll action, so the top of the key was kind of open for an 8-foot jump shot,” Burke said after the game. “Towards the second half, they were kind of making me not use the screen, so it allowed us to be able to get down in the lane and shoot lay-ups. And a couple times they had pinched in, and that's when I hit the shooters on the wing. Like we say, we knocked down big shots when it mattered.”

The Gophers, a 10-seed, took a nine-point lead on a Rodney Williams' dunk with 4:33 to go. An upset was brewing at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

But Michigan clicked in the final minutes and sent the game into overtime -- Minnesota is the only team that’s ever played in two overtime games in a single Big Ten tournament -- after Evan Smotrycz hit a 3-pointer with 19 seconds to play. The Wolverines proved to be too tough in overtime.

Burke scored six points in the final 32 seconds (a layup and four free throws) to seal the win.

For Michigan, Friday’s game was a challenge that could help it prepare for the NCAA tournament.

“Sometimes you like to see your team go through … a little trouble like that to see how they're going to respond and see how tough we are. I think we passed the test today,” said Zack Novak. “We played a team that was fighting for their lives. They came to play and they played very well. And for us, we didn't do some of the things that we typically do. To be able to come out of this game with a win is huge, and that's what you gotta do at this time of the year.”

INDIANAPOLIS -- Reaction from Michigan's 73-69 overtime win over Minnesota in a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal game.

Overview: The Gophers led by as much as nine during an ugly first half that ended with Minnesota leading 23-20. The Gophers had a 20-10 rebounding advantage in the first half but only shot 33 percent from the field. Trey Burke scored 13 of Michigan's 20 points before halftime.

In the second half, the two teams traded buckets until the Gophers, a 10-seed, surged late and took a nine-point lead with less than four minutes to play. But Michigan would not go away.

Evan Smotrycz hit a late 3 that tied it with seconds on the game clock and ultimately sent the contest into overtime. Minnesota became the first team to play two overtime games in a single Big Ten tournament. They needed overtime to dismiss Northwestern on Thursday, too.

Friday’s game was a two-point affair with a minute to play in the extra period. But Burke’s layup with 33 seconds to go extended Michigan’s lead to four. The Wolverines went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the final 22 seconds of the game to seal the victory.

Turning point: Julian Welch hit back-to-back 3s that gave the Gophers a 52-45 advantage with 5:11 to play. Then, Rodney Williams flew down the court for an impressive dunk that drew “oohs” from the crowd at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and put the Gophers up by nine (54-45) on Minnesota’s next possession. Game over, right? Wrong. Michigan sent the game into overtime with a late push. Burke’s layup with 33 seconds remaining in overtime was just enough to give the Wolverines the four-point cushion it needed to finish off the Gophers.

Key player: Burke carried the Wolverines Friday. He scored 30 points and went 11-for-14 from the field.

Key stat: Michigan shot 24-for-49 from the field (49 percent).

Miscellaneous: The Wolverines were outrebounded 31-22 against Minnesota … The Gophers committed 16 turnovers … Freshman Andre Hollins scored 21 points one day after recording 25 against Northwestern.

What’s next: Michigan will play the winner of Friday night’s Purdue-Ohio State matchup in the semifinals Saturday. The Gophers will have to wait and see if they’re in the NIT. They did not make it last year. This could be their second consecutive year without a postseason.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The top dogs arrive Friday, which creates a variety of interesting matchups for the second day of the Big Ten tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Here’s the rundown of Friday’s games:

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Iowa (noon ET, ESPN) -- The Spartans arrive without the services of Branden Dawson, who suffered a torn ACL at the end of Sunday’s loss to Ohio State. That injury could affect the Spartans’ seed. They have to prove that they’re not a dramatically different team without the talented freshman. They’re facing an Iowa team that’s been picked as a sleeper by many. The Hawkeyes finished off a spent Illinois team Thursday, but they’ll have a much tougher test Friday. In their only matchup of the year, Michigan State beat the Hawkeyes 95-61 on Jan. 10. But the Hawkeyes have been a better team in recent weeks, proven by February wins over Indiana and Wisconsin.

No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Indiana (25 minutes after Michigan State-Iowa, ESPN) -- The Hoosiers won their first Big Ten tournament game since 2006 when they beat Penn State in the opening round. But it was bittersweet. Senior point guard Verdell Jones suffered a serious knee injury that could end his year. But the Hoosiers were resilient after Jones went down. That’s a quality they’ll need against Wisconsin on Friday and during the NCAA tournament. The Badgers hope to improve their seed in the Big Dance via the conference tournament. Jordan Taylor struggled early, but he found a rhythm during Big Ten play. The Badgers could win this tournament, especially if they play with the same vigor that led to an upset at Ohio State a few weeks ago. They defeated Indiana 57-50 on Jan. 26 in their only meeting this season.

No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 10 Minnesota (6:30 p.m. ET, BTN) -- Most figured that Northwestern would be involved in this game, fighting for an at-large bid. But the Gophers beat the Wildcats in overtime Thursday behind freshman Andre Hollins’ explosive performance (25 points), despite competing without an injured Ralph Sampson III. Minnesota coach Tubby Smith has had success in Indy throughout his tenure. In his first year with the program, the Gophers upset a nationally ranked Hoosiers team in the first round of the 2008 Big Ten tourney. In 2010, they beat Purdue and Michigan State on their way to the Big Ten tourney title game. Michigan secured a piece of the Big Ten regular-season title with a strong effort down the stretch. The Wolverines have one of the top young players in America, freshman Trey Burke, who earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors from media members. They’re talented enough to win the Big Ten tournament and to make noise in the NCAA tourney. The Wolverines beat the Gophers 61-56 in Ann Arbor on New Year’s Day in their only previous meeting.

No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 6 Purdue (25 minutes after Minnesota-Michigan, BTN) -- The last time these two teams met, the Buckeyes earned an 87-84 victory Feb. 7 in Columbus, which was the only meeting between the teams this season. Ohio State's William Buford was a beast in that game, but the Boilermakers held their own. They advanced to Friday’s matchup with an easy win over Nebraska in the opening round, when they hit 51 percent of their 3s. They’ll need similar success from the field against the Buckeyes, who played like the team most thought they’d be this season during their upset win against Michigan State on Sunday. Ohio State is the most talented team in the Big Ten. If the Buckeyes can just find some poise, they can win the Big Ten tournament and fulfill their postseason potential.

INDIANAPOLIS -- On Thursday night, the Northwestern Wildcats didn’t talk like an NCAA tournament team. They didn’t look like one, either.

Somewhere within the vicinity of the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the NCAA selection committee will finalize its bracket in the coming days. And the Wildcats should not be included.

They had their chance to impress and they squandered it.

“I don't know. Hopefully, I won't be disappointed on Sunday,” said Northwestern star John Shurna. “But I guess we'll just have to wait and see. We'll be playing next week, and we like to compete no matter who we're playing against.”

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a sucker for good storylines, too.

Northwestern fans around the world will celebrate the program’s first-ever bid if it happens. The buildup to NCAA tournament No. 1 will consume all of Evanston, Ill. The players within the program certainly put in the work to position themselves for a shot at history leading up to the Big Ten tournament.

But decisions have to be made without consideration of TV story packages. The selection process should answer only one question: Who’s earned it?

And the Wildcats had to do more in Indianapolis to prove that they’d earned a ticket. Instead, they lost to Minnesota for the second time this season.

They led 61-57 with three minutes to play. But they missed three shots and committed two crucial turnovers in the final minutes of regulation. They then lost 75-68 in overtime.

I am not biased toward any particular program. But I do believe the best should earn bids.

And it’s hard to see how that team -- which had to make a statement following an 8-10 record in Big Ten play and a 1-10 record against the RPI’s Top 50 -- gets into the field of 68 after that performance Thursday.

Minnesota freshman Andre Hollins, who averages 6.7 ppg, scored 25 against the Wildcats. That was the sort of clutch performance that would have made more sense for a Northwestern player based on the circumstances. But Northwestern fumbled down the stretch.

In my opinion, the Wildcats got an F on the eye test against the Gophers. They had something to prove and didn’t play like they knew it in crucial stretches.

They didn’t execute like a tournament team desperate for résumé-boosting victories.

This is not just about Northwestern. This is about the entire field.

This is about Drexel, a team that's lost two games since early December. This is about Tennessee, a team that’s won eight out of nine. This is about competition.

Teams deserve credit for their full body of work. Northwestern’s portfolio put the Wildcats in a pool of schools with similar arguments for NCAA tournament invites.

But if the selection committee aims to create the most competitive bracket, then it should rewatch NU’s effort Thursday night. It warrants scrutiny.

Every “must-have” performance within the bubblesphere does.

I watched the Northwestern-Minnesota game from press row at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. And I did not see a team that belonged in the Big Dance.

Perhaps the selection committee has already penciled in the Wildcats as a tournament team. Well, that’s why we have erasers.

This is a great story. And it’s easy to root for a Northwestern team that has never participated in the NCAA tournament. History can be quite cruel.

But that shouldn’t factor into the decision to say yea or nay to the Wildcats on Selection Sunday.

They were presented with an opportunity to make a statement on national TV on Thursday. And the Wildcats ultimately offered an argument against their first bid.

“I'm still here. It's hard. It's disappointing, tough … but, you know, you come back,” Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said after the game.

Northwestern’s resilience has been well-documented in recent years. The Wildcats have approached NCAA tournament status in the past. But players admit they’ve never felt this close to a bid.

That determination is commendable. The annual conversation about if “this is Northwestern’s year” is a familiar one for fans of any program that’s struggled year after year.

But this can’t be about sympathy. It has to be about quality.

And that means Northwestern -- just 8-12 since mid-December -- is an NIT team.

That might not seem fair to Northwestern or its supporters. But it’s fair to the game and it’s fair to other teams that will prove their worth in the coming days, something the Wildcats didn’t do in their brief stay in the Big Ten tournament.

INDIANAPOLIS — Reaction from Minnesota's 75-68 overtime victory over Northwestern:

Overview: Northwestern entered its first-round matchup against Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament Thursday needing a win, maybe multiple victories, to earn its first-ever NCAA tournament invitation. But the Wildcats never made it past the Golden Gophers, suffering a loss that damaged their hopes of dancing for the first time.

The Gophers jumped out to a 15-5 lead less than seven minutes in, but the Wildcats were 9-for-20 from beyond the arc before halftime, which helped them climb back into the game and take a 36-34 lead at the break.

Andre Hollins hit a big 3-pointer with 5 minutes to play that tied the game at 57. And he scored on a crucial drive with 55.2 seconds to play that established a 61-61 tie; that shot ultimately sent the game into overtime.

In the extra period, the Gophers played big. Austin Hollins hit a 3-pointer with just under three minutes on the game clock that put Minnesota ahead 68-64. Yet Northwestern was within one in the final 90 seconds of overtime before another Andre Hollins layup extended the lead to three.

A Rodney Williams dunk with 27.9 seconds to go put the Gophers ahead by five.

The two teams split their two conference games, with the Gophers taking a 75-52 victory in Minneapolis on Jan. 22 and Northwestern returning the favor in a 64-53 win in Evanston, Ill., on Feb. 18.

Turning point: Andre Hollins’ 3-pointer near the five-minute mark started a final push by the Gophers, who ended up sending the game into overtime. They were looking for a catalyst in the final minutes and they found one in the freshman.

Key player: Last year, Andre Hollins was a star prep in the state of Tennessee. On Thursday, he looked like a young collegiate star as he carried the Gophers with clutch shots and big plays. He scored a game-high 25 points and went 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.

Key stat: The Gophers outrebounded the Wildcats 41-24. Both teams shot 42.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Miscellaneous: The Gophers played without injured center Ralph Sampson III … The two teams were 16-for-35 combined from beyond the arc in the first half.

What’s next: The Gophers will face Michigan on Friday night. Northwestern will sweat on Selection Sunday as it awaits its postseason destination.

Finally, there's serious movement in the Big Ten Power Rankings. And it mostly centers on Ohio State’s recent struggles and Iowa’s … surge? Without further ado, the new Big Ten Power Rankings:

1. Michigan State: Tom Izzo is certainly in the national coach of the year conversation. And Draymond Green is the Big Ten’s player of the year. The Spartans have won a slice of the Big Ten title, and with a victory at Indiana on Tuesday, they would earn the outright conference championship. A loss against the Hoosiers, however, would set up a possible three-way tie for first in the Big Ten, with Ohio State traveling to East Lansing on Sunday.
2. Michigan: The Wolverines’ Saturday loss to Purdue snapped a four-game winning streak for Michigan. And it was its first home loss of the year. The Wolverines don’t control their own fate, but with a little help and road wins over Penn State and Illinois this week, they could grab a share of the Big Ten title.
3. Wisconsin: The Badgers bounced back from a midweek loss to Iowa by outplaying Ohio State in Columbus on Sunday. They held Jared Sullinger to eight points, his second-lowest tally of the season. And down the stretch, they were the tougher team.
4. Ohio State: Columbus, we have a problem. The Buckeyes have lost three of their past five games. And Sullinger is struggling (17 points combined in past two games). This Buckeyes squad has Final Four talent, but I'm not sure it has Final Four poise. This team panicked on its final possessions against the Badgers. Do the Bucks have the necessary leadership to make a run in March?
5. Purdue: The Boilermakers needed a signature victory to feel more secure about their at-large hopes. So they played with passion during a 75-61 win at Michigan this weekend. Matt Painter continues to find a way with this team. Despite limited size, limited depth and off-court issues, the Boilermakers are an NCAA tourney team.
6. Indiana: The Hoosiers were never going to live up to the hype that commenced after December victories over Kentucky and Ohio State. But you have to step back and take a look at what’s happened in Bloomington this season. A team that won three Big Ten games last season is comfortably in the field of 68 and has amassed 22 victories. The Hoosiers crushed Minnesota on Sunday (69-50 in Minneapolis), avenging an earlier loss to the Gophers.
7. Northwestern: Wildcats fans, prepare to send towels my way so I can wipe the egg off my face. Weeks ago, I was confident that the Wildcats wouldn’t sniff the NCAA tournament. But here they are, right on the bubble. If they beat Ohio State and win at Iowa this week, how could the selection committee leave them out? A .500 conference record isn’t sexy, but look around the country. They wouldn’t be the only team with questions surrounding their postseason résumés. Plus, the Wildcats can secure another major win in the Big Ten tournament. There’s a first for everything, right?
8. Iowa: Yep, it can happen. It hasn’t happened. But it can. The loss at Illinois on Sunday was disappointing, but the Hawkeyes (7-9 in the Big Ten) can play their way into the field of 68. If they win their next two and get to the Big Ten final, the selection committee would have to consider them. Reminds me of the 2009-10 Minnesota team I covered, one that upset Purdue and Michigan State in the conference tournament and earned an at-large berth that season.
9. Minnesota: This was supposed to be the week that the Gophers solidified themselves as a team with a legit argument for the NCAA tournament. But they unraveled during a must-win home game against Michigan State. And they were crushed by Indiana on Sunday. This squad overcame the November loss of Trevor Mbakwe to a knee injury, and it’s been in a position to earn an at-large berth in recent weeks. But it continues to squander crucial opportunities. Time has run out for Tubby Smith’s team.
10. Illinois: The Fighting Illini needed Sunday’s win over Iowa, a win that snapped a six-game losing skid for Bruce Weber’s team. With matchups against Michigan and Wisconsin ahead, the Fighting Illini can give their at-large résumé at least a fighting chance.
11. Penn State: The Nittany Lions pushed Northwestern, a desperate bubble team, to the brink Saturday during a 67-66 loss. They’ve lost a lot of games, but they’ve never given up under first-year coach Pat Chambers.
12. Nebraska: You can rearrange the bottom four in a variety of ways, but some team has to fill this spot. The Cornhuskers’ Big Ten debut hasn’t gone so well, as evidenced by their 34-point performance at MSU this weekend. But at least they’ll have an opportunity to spoil some team’s postseason aspirations in the Big Ten tournament.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Seeking clemency from an infuriated Tom Izzo, Michigan State guard Keith Appling walked toward the sideline with the perplexed look of a child whose plan to steal a cookie had ended with a broken jar.

With 6:23 to play in Michigan State’s 66-61 victory at Minnesota Wednesday night, Appling fouled Andre Hollins as he shot an off-balanced 3-pointer. The freshman hit all three of his free throws and extended Minnesota’s lead to seven points.

Izzo wanted an explanation.

He demanded more answers just two minutes later, when the guard hacked Julian Welch on a jump shot. Welch hit his free throws, too.

“I just asked him what he was doing. There was almost no excuse for it,” Izzo told ESPN.com after the game.

Appling chuckled when asked if Izzo’s plea was really that PG.

“I don’t even remember,” said Appling, who finished with 13 points and five assists.

Regardless, the sophomore didn’t let the mishaps -- he’d picked up a technical foul for hanging on the rim after a dunk in the second half -- linger in his psyche. Appling and the Spartans had a game to win.

And with 32.2 seconds on the game clock, Appling stepped to the charity stripe with a chance to give Michigan State its first lead since the start of the second half.

The same player who’d been responsible for five Gophers free throws due to silly fouls. The same player who’d drawn a technical foul. The same player whom Izzo had just scolded was in a position to redeem himself.

Appling made both free throws and Michigan State took the 60-58 lead. He added to Michigan State’s advantage with four more free throws in the final seconds. Austin Thornton added a pair, too, solidifying the final 66-61 tally and helping the Spartans escape the Barn with a win.

“I just had to keep it in the back of my mind that the game’s on the line and we want to win the Big Ten championship,” Appling said. “It starts here and I’ve gotta knock down free throws.”

Added Izzo: “To have enough courage to step up to the line after that and knock down free throws says a lot about him.”

So much is made of Michigan State’s physicality. But when that wasn’t enough against the Gophers, the Spartans relied on their intellect and poise, two key factors in their current standing as the Big Ten’s best team, down the stretch.

They didn’t care about the substandard effort that had plagued them most of the night (they were 9-for-25 from the field, 0-for-4 from beyond the arc in the second half). Or the perplexing first-half offense that allowed the Gophers to stay close (5-for-20 on 3-pointers, despite entering the game with a league-low 190 attempts).

They just knew that they needed a victory to stay on top of the Big Ten and maintain their position as a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

They committed one turnover after halftime. They forced four Gophers turnovers in the final 2:33 of the game. They ended the night on a 16-7 run.

The final two weeks of the regular season are one large minefield for the squads who’ve essentially secured March Madness invitations and a gold mine for the teams that haven’t.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi billed Wednesday’s matchup as a “win and they’re in” game for the Gophers. Minnesota played like a team convinced that its NCAA tournament dreams rested on its performance.

They outrebounded the Big Ten’s top rebounding team (31-22). They hit 50 percent of their shots in the first half. And for 18 minutes in the second half, they had a lead over the No. 6 Spartans.

“Boy, we sure did play undisciplined,” Izzo said after the game. “I feel very fortunate to win it.”

But the Spartans have Draymond Green, the Big Ten player of the year frontrunner who helped his young roster remain calm in a hostile environment. He also muscled his way to the rim for a game-tying bucket with 1:42 to play.

“At a point like that, I’m not kicking it out,” said Green, who scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, recorded five assists and finished with four steals. “Just gotta get a bucket some type of way or get fouled.”

It’s easy to look at Michigan State’s struggles against a 5-10 Big Ten team and question its postseason potential.

The Spartans, however, were mature enough to handle adversity against a desperate squad on the road. And with a few weeks remaining before Selection Sunday and so many teams fighting for NCAA tournament invites, that’s an accomplishment.

“There has been times where things weren’t going our way. And usually when you have an inexperienced team, they crack,” Green said. “And it’s my job and [Austin Thornton’s] job and [Derrick Nix’s] job, guys who’ve been there, to keep leading these guys and let them know how it has to be down the stretch. I think everybody was mentally tough. … Everything was mentally tough about this game and that’s how we were able to pull it out.”

Reaction from Michigan State's come-from-behind 66-61 victory at Minnesota:

Why it happened: The Gophers led Michigan State for the majority of the second half. They were tougher and more physical. Surprising. Down the stretch, however, the Spartans woke up.

Back-to-back buckets by Brandon Wood cut Minnesota’s edge to 58-56 with 2:27 to play. Joe Coleman was flagged for a double-dribble on Minnesota’s next possession and Draymond Green muscled his way to the bucket on the other end to tie the game. The Spartans took a 60-58 lead on a pair of Keith Appling free throws with 32.2 seconds to play, giving the Spartans their first lead since the start of the second half.

The Gophers scored three points in the final 3:21 of the second half. The Spartans closed the second half with a 16-7 run. Michigan State was 17-for-23 from the charity stripe.

First Half: The Gophers held their own against the surging Spartans in Minneapolis. The Gophers had the rebounding edge against one of top rebounding teams in the country (15-14). They shot 50 percent from the field (2-for-9 from beyond the arc). But the Spartans took a 31-30 edge into halftime after shooting 46 percent from the field. Green had 12 points before halftime. The Spartans shot 16 treys in the first half (5 for 16).

Stars of the Game: Green continued his pursuit of the Big Ten player of the year (he’s the front-runner in my book) with another outstanding effort. He finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. For Minnesota, sophomore Austin Hollins carried the scoring load with 17 points.

Turning points: The Gophers led the Spartans 51-47 with 6:58 to play when Appling fouled Andre Hollins at the 3-point line. The freshman hit all three free throws to extend Minnesota’s lead to 54-47. But a late Minnesota turnover led to Green’s game-tying layup on the other end with 1:38 to play.

What it means for Minnesota: The Gophers missed a chance to boost their at-large résumé. They’re just not an NCAA tournament team right now. And unless they finish with a dramatic rally (Indiana and Wisconsin are next), they’ll miss the NCAA tourney for the second year in a row.

What it means for Michigan State: It was a tight victory. The Spartans nearly squandered this one. But they won. And as far as their bid for a No. 1 seed is concerned, that’s all that matters.

After a wild Tuesday night that saw a 1-seed contender go down at home and bubble fortunes affected all over the country, Joe Lunardi is here with a brief update to his Bracketology rundown.

TOP SEED PAIRINGS

EAST/Syracuse vs. WEST/Duke (1 vs. 4)
SOUTH/Kentucky vs. MIDWEST/Michigan State (2 vs. 3)
* Duke now a No. 1 seed with Missouri's loss.

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (9)
Big Ten (7)
Big 12 (6)
SEC (5)
ACC (4)
Mountain West (4)
Atlantic 10 (3)
Pac-12 (3)
West Coast (3)
Conference USA (2)
Missouri Valley (2)

BUBBLE BATTLES

Last Four In
Xavier
Texas
Northwestern
Colorado State

First Four Out
UCF
South Florida
NC State
Miami

Next Four Out
Oregon
Saint Joseph's
VCU
Minnesota

Doug Gottlieb looks across the country at the teams on the bubble and what they each need to do to make the Big Dance. For a conference-by-conference look at the current bubble picture, check out Eamonn Brennan's Bubble Watch.

The Big Ten proved to be the king of college basketball conferences this weekend with a variety of upsets, near-upsets and tough efforts by some of the league’s bubble teams. Doesn’t make it any easier to rank this league, though.

1. Michigan State: The Spartans keep rolling. They toyed with the Badgers on Thursday. They fought off a motivated Boilermakers squad Sunday. And with just four games remaining on their Big Ten slate, it’s hard to see the Spartans stumbling and squandering the Big Ten title. And they’re probably a team that deserves a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tourney.

2. Michigan: The Wolverines kept their conference title hopes alive with a crucial win over the Buckeyes. They’re undefeated at home. And although he’s just a freshman, Trey Burke (17 points, five assists against the Bucks) is a gamer who’s equipped to lead the Wolverines on a run in March.

3. Ohio State: The Buckeyes don’t look like the same crew that recently rattled off six straight wins. They took a major hit against the Spartans last weekend. And their loss to Michigan on Saturday put a serious dent in their Big Ten title hopes. It’s easy to look at Jared Sullinger's recent struggles (14 turnovers in his last three games, including 10 in the loss to the Spartans last weekend), but William Buford has failed to record double-digits in three of his team’s four Big Ten losses. Buford, the team’s second-leading scorer, finished with six points in Saturday’s loss in Ann Arbor.

4. Wisconsin: The Badgers are certainly an NCAA tournament team. If they play a team that’s equally interested in the grind-it-out style that makes Bo Ryan’s system go, then they’ll have a chance to advance in March. But I don’t know how they’re going to keep up with some of the nation’s more talented offensive squads if their scoring droughts continue (five scoreless minutes in the first half of their loss to Michigan State).

5. Indiana: Sunday’s road loss to the Hawkeyes interrupted a three-game winning streak for the Hoosiers. With Cody Zeller inside and the confidence that comes from knowing that they’re the only team in the country that’s cracked the Kentucky Code, the Hoosiers have the potential to make noise in March. Their struggles away from Assembly Hall, however, warrant doubts.

6. Northwestern: A few weeks ago, I wrote that the Wildcats would not crack the field of 68 on Selection Sunday. Northwestern had offered few reasons to consider another postseason path. But I’ve certainly been proven wrong in recent weeks. The Wildcats never quit after losing three consecutive games in late January. They’ve won four of six, and if you ask Joe Lunardi, they’re in the Big Dance right now. A victory over Michigan on Tuesday would be huge.

7. Purdue: In stretches of Sunday’s loss to Michigan State, the Boilermakers took on the “play through adversity” mantra that sometimes fuels inspired performances. But in the end, MSU was too tough and the Boilers lacked the firepower to build on a 38-35 halftime lead. The D.J. Byrd/Kelsey Barlow drama could change Purdue's postseason outlook.

8. Iowa: Sunday’s win over nationally ranked Indiana was another sign of progress for Fran McCaffery and his staff. Next season’s task: win on the road (five straight losses). Some squad from the bottom of the league is going to score an upset in the Big Ten tournament. The Hawkeyes are on that list.

9. Minnesota: The Gophers are certainly on the outside of the bubble right now, but a victory over Michigan State on Wednesday could push Minnesota back into the discussion. The Gophers don’t have a magic number, just a need to score some additional signature victories in the coming weeks when they’ll play the Spartans, the Hoosiers and the Badgers.

10. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers’ 23-point win over Illinois on Saturday was an embarrassment for the Illini but a major boost for a squad that’s struggled all season. Is it too late to save Doc Sadler's job?

11. Penn State: The Nittany Lions’ loss to Wisconsin in Madison was Penn State’s ninth consecutive road loss. This is another team that’s been solid in stretches at home but unable to duplicate any sliver of that success away from State College, Pa.

12. Illinois: I don’t care about the Illini's record. I don’t care about nonconference wins or their past victories over the Spartans or Buckeyes. That performance against Nebraska this weekend -- an 80-57 loss when they knew what was on the line -- put the Illini at the bottom of these power rankings. They’re the worst team in the league right now for a lot of reasons. But on Tuesday in Columbus, they have a crucial opportunity to revive their at-large hopes and potentially save Bruce Weber’s job. Don't count on it.

Here's an abbreviated rundown of Joe Lunardi's Bracketology outlook after Saturday's games. Come back to ESPN.com on Monday morning for Joe's complete bracket.

TOP SEED PAIRINGS
EAST/Syracuse vs. WEST/Kansas (1 vs. 4)
SOUTH/Kentucky vs. MIDWEST/Missouri (2 vs. 3)

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN (projected bids in parentheses)
Big East (9)
Big Ten (7)
Big 12 (6)
ACC (5)
SEC (5)
Atlantic 10 (3)
Mountain West (3)
Pac-12 (3)
West Coast (3)
Conference USA (2)
Missouri Valley (2)

BUBBLE BREAKDOWN (with odds to remain in field)

Last Four In
Seton Hall (55 percent)
Miami (Fla.) (50 percent)
Texas (50 percent)
Northwestern (40 percent)

First Four Out
NC State (45 percent)
Central Florida (30 percent)
Colorado State (30 percent)
Minnesota (30 percent)

Next Four Out
Oregon (30 percent)
Saint Joseph’s (25 percent)
VCU (25 percent)
Illinois (30 percent)