ESPN Men's Basketball

Until he misfired during a Final Four loss against Kansas (9 points), forward Deshaun Thomas had been the best player –-- arguably -- on the Buckeyes' roster throughout the NCAA tournament.

The left-hander’s versatility fueled Ohio State’s run to New Orleans with performances that raised his NBA stock.

But Thomas announced Friday that he’s decided to return to school for another year. And that call automatically keeps the Buckeyes in the national title hunt for the 2012-13 season, even with Jared Sullinger turning pro and William Buford graduating.

I think they’re a solid top-10 squad. Aaron Craft is back to harass opposing guards. And there’s potential among young players who didn't get a ton of minutes this season.

If former McDonald’s All-America center Amir Williams blossoms in the offseason and starts to fulfill his potential as a sophomore, the Buckeyes could make another strong run in the NCAA tournament.

But Thomas will be the focus of Thad Matta’s system. And I think his skill set will allow Ohio State to spread the floor and take full advantage of Thomas’ abilities, which we saw during the NCAA tourney.

While the Thomas announcement solidifies Ohio State’s position entering next season, the rest of the Big Ten is one giant question mark.

The league has the potential to send multiple teams to the Big Dance. But depending on who goes pro by the April 29 deadline (after April 10, any early entrant who applies for the NBA draft will lose his collegiate eligibility), it might not pack the same punch it did during the 2011-12 campaign.

Indiana and Michigan could join Ohio State in the preseason top 10, but that all depends on a few decisions that will be made in the coming weeks/days.

If Cody Zeller and Christian Watford return, the Hoosiers could compete for the national championship. Tom Crean is bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Zeller will be a Wooden Award candidate and preseason All-America center. If Watford builds on his Sweet 16 performance against Kentucky (27 points), he could be one of the best forwards in the conference.

Michigan needs Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. to return. Burke, however, is more vital to John Beilein’s plans. With highly rated prospects Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson Jr. coming to Ann Arbor for the 2012-13 season, the Wolverines will add productive scorers who can contribute right away if Hardaway goes pro. But what will they do if they lose Burke? He might be the best point guard in the country if he comes back for his sophomore season. Without him, Michigan will still possess a talented, young roster. But the Wolverines could end up in Atlanta with Burke leading the way.

Minnesota also faces an uncertain future. The Gophers could be a borderline top-25 squad if preseason all-Big Ten forward Trevor Mbakwe returns. He missed most of last season after suffering a knee injury, but the NCAA recently granted the Big Ten’s No. 1 rebounder during the 2010-11 season a sixth year of eligibility. He’s expected to return -- assuming the Gophers have a scholarship for him. Tubby Smith has already reached the 13-scholarship limit, with two recruits joining the team next season. So Minnesota’s situation could get complicated, too.

Smith has asked the NCAA to allow the team to use a 14th scholarship next season. There’s also a chance that a player will transfer; five have left the program since 2009. But there are no guarantees right now for Mbakwe or the Gophers.

The Big Ten will be talented next season even if the aforementioned stars leave for the NBA.

But right now, it’s hard to project the league’s potential without knowing if its best players will stick around for another season.

The Minnesota coaching staff believes the Gophers can make a push up the Big Ten standings during the 2012-13 season.

Their run to the NIT championship game gave young standouts Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins a chance to shine on a national stage.

Junior Rodney Williams, one of the most athletic players in the country, averaged 19.2 ppg in five NIT games.

And the team learned recently that Trevor Mbakwe, the Big Ten’s rebounding champ during the 2010-11 season, will be granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing the bulk of the 2011-12 campaign with a knee injury. Mbakwe, an NBA prospect, is expected to return.

There’s just one problem.

The Gophers don’t have a scholarship for the talented 6-foot-8 forward, who could be the difference between a Gophers team that finishes in the top-half of the league, and one that ends the year at the bottom of the conference again. With two recruits joining the team next season, the squad has reached its scholarship limit of 13 without Mbakwe.

A source close to the program told ESPN.com Friday that the Gophers petitioned the NCAA for an extra scholarship to remedy their current dilemma, and that the team hopes the NCAA will make a way for Mbakwe to play on scholarship since it had already given him another year of eligibility.

There’s also a chance that someone will leave the program prior to the start of next season. That’s become a common development under Tubby Smith.

Since 2009, five players have transferred out of the program. Even Mbakwe considered a move to Memphis at one point.

During an end-of-year news conference Thursday, covered by Minneapolis Star Tribune beat writer Amelia Rayno, Smith didn’t rule out the possibility that the Gophers could find that additional scholarship for Mbakwe, assuming he returns, through “attrition":

The circumstances of Mbakwe's return remain unclear. With two incoming freshmen -- Wally Ellenson and Charles Buggs -- the Gophers would be at their scholarship limit of 13 without accounting for Mbakwe. Smith said the team sent a letter to the NCAA on Thursday essentially trying to get an extra scholarship for Mbakwe.

The team could hear back from the NCAA by next week. In the meantime, a spot could open up by what Smith termed "attrition." He was planning to meet with players as a group later Thursday, followed soon by individual meetings. Smith said he "wouldn't be surprised" if one or more players were considering transferring -- which would open up a scholarship for Mbakwe and potentially for Arizona State's Trent Lockett, a Hopkins [Minn.] graduate who is expected to transfer.

"You never know what will happen. I could have two or three [players] come to me and say, 'I'm not happy ... I didn't play enough minutes,' " Smith said. "They all think they deserve more. And when I tell them they deserve less, that's where the crossroads is. When we come to the fork in the road -- like Yogi Berra said -- we're going to take it." (From the Star Tribune)

With the Gophers, you just never know.

Next year, the Gophers will have the pieces to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season if Mbakwe returns.

Right now, however, that’s a solid “if” considering the scholarship situation.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Thoughts from Wisconsin's 68-61 overtime win at Minnesota:

Overview: Wisconsin point guard Jordan Taylor was on a mission Thursday night. The Twin Cities native had never won at The Barn in his four-year career.

But he was determined to get his first W at Williams Arena in his final opportunity.

The senior went 4-for-4 from the 3-point line in the first half and scored 14 points as the Badgers took a 32-24 lead into the break.

Taylor hit another big 3 with 17 minutes to play that opened a double-digit lead (37-26) for the Badgers, who went 7-for-11 from beyond the arc in the first half.

The Gophers put up a fight down the stretch and closed the gap to 51-46 with 4:10 on the clock on a Rodney Williams layup. Freshman Andre Hollins cut Wisconsin’s lead to two points with 2:10 to go. Austin Hollins tied the game with a pair of free throws with 1:02 to play, all during a seven-minute scoring drought for the Badgers.

The Gophers had a chance to win the game on the final possession but missed their final two shots in regulation. In overtime, the Badgers found success at the free throw line and outscored the Gophers 17-10 in the extra period.

Star of the night: Jordan Taylor scored 27 points in his final game at The Barn, once again showing local fans what they lost when the state’s former Mr. Basketball chose to play for Bo Ryan’s squad. Even though he was quiet down the stretch, his strong start sparked the Badgers, and he hit key free throws in overtime.

Things to know: This is a major rivalry in this region. Three of Bo Ryan’s starters are from Minnesota. But the Badgers had lost their previous two games at The Barn.

Stat of the night: The No. 22 Badgers failed to score for the final 7 minutes, 44 seconds of regulation. After making seven of 11 3-point attempts in the first half, the Badgers made two of 12 after halftime.

What it means: With the Badgers having lost to Ohio State on Saturday and traveling to East Lansing, Mich., to play the Spartans next week, Wisconsin needed a win Thursday. A loss would have set up the serious possibility of another three-game losing skid. For a team that’s playing for a seed -- in both the NCAA and Big Ten tourneys -- and still trying to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive, Thursday’s game was crucial.

With three of their next four home games against nationally ranked teams, the Gophers can stay on the bubble and potentially play their way into the tournament, which would be a remarkable development for a young team that lost its best player (Trevor Mbakwe) to a season-ending knee injury in November. They also could tumble down the standings. You just never know with a team that depends on so many young players.

How many NCAA tourney bids will the Big Ten receive? Five seem safe at this point, but beyond that is anyone's guess -- especially after Illinois' home loss to Northwestern on Sunday.

1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes went to Madison and beat the Badgers at their own plodding game Saturday. Thad Matta's squad isn’t just the best team in the Big Ten right now. It’s arguably the top squad in the country based on the way it’s played during its five-game winning streak. The Buckeyes could really pull away from the rest of the field with a win against Michigan State Saturday.

2. Michigan State: Spartans fans can exhale now. Draymond Green scored 14 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in a 64-54 win over Michigan Sunday, days after leaving the team’s road loss at Illinois with a knee injury. The Spartans get a shot at Ohio State Saturday in Columbus. And they possess the physical style to stifle the Buckeyes.

3. Wisconsin: Can’t knock the Badgers for putting up a 40-minute fight against an Ohio State team that’s been the league’s best squad for weeks. A few late mistakes cost the Badgers. Their challenges from the 3-point line (18.5 percent against the Buckeyes) continue to hurt a team without an inside force. But they’re going to challenge every team in the Big Ten with their stingy defense.

4. Michigan: Yes, the Wolverines had their fourth conference loss of the season Sunday against Michigan State. No, they’re not out of the Big Ten title race. The Wolverines get Ohio State, Purdue and Illinois at home in the coming weeks. And they play Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern and Penn State on the road. The Wolverines, however, continue to suffer inside with their limited frontcourt depth.

5. Indiana: The Hoosiers have won three of their past five games. Saturday’s 78-61 win at rival Purdue served two crucial purposes for Tom Crean’s program. It saved Indiana from a 5-7 Big Ten record and it snapped its four-game road losing streak in conference play. Only two of Indiana’s final seven games will be played outside of Bloomington.

6. Illinois: The Illini followed Tuesday’s 42-41 home win over Michigan State with a 74-70 loss to Northwestern Sunday … in the same arena, Assembly Hall in Champaign. Really? You try to figure out this up-and-down Illini team because I can’t.

7. Purdue: The Boilermakers have lost three of four. And they play Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State and Indiana in their last eight Big Ten games. Why are those opponents significant? Because they all have the inside threats that can expose Purdue’s void in the paint.

8. Minnesota: The Gophers have won five of their past seven games. After losing their best player, Trevor Mbakwe, to a season-ending knee injury in November, they could easily be at the very bottom of the Big Ten standings.

9. Iowa: The Hawkeyes are 3-2 at home in 2012. Fran McCaffery’s team has won two in a row. That’s certainly an accomplishment for this rebuilding team.

10. Northwestern: The Wildcats entered the season amid ongoing hope that this would be the first time the program makes the NCAA tournament. That’s not going to happen this season.

11. Penn State: The Nittany Lions have the worst record in the Big Ten at 2-9. But there’s just something about State College. Big Ten teams always seem to encounter trouble when they play there. Plus, Tim Frazier (18.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 6.3 apg) is one of the top players in the league. That’s why they avoided the No. 12 slot.

12. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers’ introduction to the Big Ten hasn’t been a smooth one. And that’s too bad because Bo Spencer (15.3 ppg and 3.5 apg) is a special player and he deserves more praise.

1. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott told ESPN.com late Thursday night that the league will review the overtime scuffle between Oregon State and Arizona. Don’t be surprised if there are some suspensions since the Pac-12 tends to be aggressive. Arizona’s Kyryl Natyazhko and Oregon State’s Joe Burton were ejected. Natyazhko was out of line in his reaction. He had to be held back. Arizona’s Kyle Fogg started the mess by woofing at OSU’s Jared Cunningham after a dunk. But credit Arizona’s Sean Miller here for trying to quickly restore order before it escalated too much. OSU’s Craig Robinson also kept his players cool.

2. Minnesota coach Tubby Smith was criticized locally last week because of the Gophers' failure to excite or go deep in March. The Gophers turned around and had the best outing of their season with a road win at Indiana in vaunted Assembly Hall. The Big Ten record doesn’t show it (1-4), but Smith had to reconstitute this team without Trevor Mbakwe (ACL). The Gophers have remained competitive. Indiana can’t be faulted too much for a home loss. Remember, this is still a young team that is learning to play with high expectations.

3. It will be interesting to see how Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin uses Jarnell Stokes against Kentucky on Saturday. The highly-touted incoming freshman was deemed eligible by the SEC this week. Martin has his Vols playing as hard as any team in the SEC, and Stokes hasn’t been privy to Martin’s coaching or the tough practice schedule. Stokes is a talent, but he’ll have to buy in defensively and, of course, effort-wise going forward to make a major contribution. Martin is managing this transition quite well so far in Knoxville.

Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and John Calipari couldn’t do it. Jared Sullinger, William Buford and Thad Matta couldn’t, either.

But somehow, a Minnesota squad that had lost its first four Big Ten games this season – and 13 of its past 14 – pulled off a 77-74 upset of No. 8 Indiana on Thursday night in Bloomington, Ind.

“It feels great. We were 0-4 going into Indiana. To get the win, it’s a huge win,” Austin Hollins (career-high 18 points), the son of Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, told ESPN.com. “We play in a really tough league. I don’t think [we were] thinking about 0-5. We were thinking that anything can happen in any game. … We had to keep our heads up and keep our confidence up.”

Both the Wildcats and the Buckeyes, ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, at the time, lost at Assembly Hall earlier this season. The Hoosiers were undefeated at home entering Thursday’s game.

A Gophers team playing without one first-round draft pick on its roster and competing sans its best player (Trevor Mbakwe suffered a season-ending knee injury in November), however, bullied the Hoosiers on the boards (16 offensive rebounds) and strangled the No. 1 3-point shooting team in the country. The Hoosiers had made 48 percent of their 3-point attempts entering the game but connected on just 4 of 18 against Minnesota (their starters were 1-for-12).

Even Cody Zeller’s career-high 23 points weren’t enough to help the Hoosiers avoid their sixth loss in eight games against the Gophers.

“We played solid [defense]. We got up in their faces. We switched when a switch was needed,” Hollins said. “We really focused on it in practice. We came out here and executed on defense.”

It was Tubby Smith’s first true road win against a top-10 team as Gophers coach and his sixth overall against a top-10 squad.

By now, you’ve read the box score, so you know the numbers.

But you might not know the recent history.

Every time that Smith has taken his Gophers to the state of Indiana to face the Hoosiers, a dramatic matchup has ensued.

Days after suffering a double-digit loss to the Hoosiers in Bloomington, the Gophers beat a nationally ranked Indiana squad in the 2008 Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis via Blake Hoffarber’s turnaround buzzer-beater (the shot earned Hoffarber his second ESPY nomination).

Two years later, Verdell Jones (who chose the Hoosiers over the Gophers) hit a jump shot to seal Indiana’s three-point victory in overtime at Assembly Hall.

And last season – after officials decided to proceed with the game in the middle of an ice storm that shut down Bloomington – a nationally ranked Gophers squad fell to a Hoosiers team that ultimately won three Big Ten games.

Rodney Williams said Minnesota’s recent rivalry with the Hoosiers, especially last season’s road loss, was on his mind entering Thursday’s matchup.

“Me personally, I had that in the back of my mind a little,” the junior forward (12 points) said. “My freshman year, it was a really close game as well. This is one of the toughest places in college basketball to play. The loudest gym I’ve ever been in. It was getting so loud that the rim was shaking.”

For the Gophers, the victory might help them salvage their season. For the Hoosiers, the game was a lesson on the consistent toughness that league play demands.

For those who’ve followed this matchup in recent years, it was simply the norm.

The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of the night's best basketball action. It needs to start getting more sleep.

Illinois 81, Minnesota 72 (double overtime): This double-overtime thriller said more about Minnesota’s heart than Illinois’ talent. The Gophers were down 48-35 midway through the second half. And then, Tubby Smith applied the full-court press and an ‘80s Detroit Pistons defense in the halfcourt. That changed everything.

The Illini were rattled as their lead dwindled. Minnesota completed a 10-0 run after 7-footer Elliott Eliason forced a Meyers Leonard turnover that Andre Hollins converted on the other end to cut Illinois’ lead to three.

With a chance to put their foot on Minnesota’s throat, the Illini relented against the Gophers’ attack. They’re third in the Big Ten in turnovers per game (13.9) and they committed 21 Tuesday.

Julian Welch had a chance to extend Minnesota’s lead late in regulation but he missed the front-end of a one-and one and Leonard hit a pair of three throws after he was fouled. The first overtime was shaky for both teams. Both had a shot to avoid a second extra period, but Welch missed an easy layup and Sam Maniscalco took an ill-advised three-pointer with time on the clock.

But the Illini pulled away in the second overtime. So what? The bigger issue is that they nearly blew a 13-point lead in home conference game against a team that’s playing without its best player (Trevor Mbakwe is out for the year with ACL injury).

I came away from this game impressed, again, by Minnesota’s tenacity. The Gophers are young at most positions. They had no business putting up that kind of a fight in Champaign, Ill., the first Big Ten road game for a chunk of the players on that roster. If the Gophers can steal a few away from Minneapolis, they’re going to be OK in the Big Ten.

But where’s Illinois’ edge? I think Leonard is a stud and he’s surrounded by talent. The Illini, however, need to develop a little bravado so that they take advantage of teams when they have the opportunity. Didn’t happen against the Gophers. They’ll pay for similar lapses in the future.

Notre Dame 72, No. 22 Pitt 59: The postgame buzz of this upset centered on one question: “What’s wrong with Pitt?” The Panthers suffered their second consecutive loss, their third of the season, in the Big East opener for both squads.

Two of the losses came at home against a pair of midmajors -- Wagner (Friday) and Long Beach State (Nov. 16). The Panthers had won 58 consecutive home games entering the loss to the 49ers.

In Pitt’s third loss Tuesday, Notre Dame took over in the second half. The Fighting Irish connected on 18 of 25 shots in the second half. They shot 50 percent from the field, including a 5-for-8 mark from the three-point line after halftime. Sophomore guard Alex Dragicevich (he scored 17 of his career-high 22 points in the second half) played as 1993 Dan Majerle.

So the Panthers fell to a hot Notre Dame squad that treated the bucket like … a big ‘ol bucket. It rarely missed late. Plus, the Fighting Irish have won 28 consecutive home games.

But Pitt entered the season amid Final Four talk. They returned All-America candidate Ashton Gibbs and attracted a recruiting class anchored by Canadian standout Khem Birch. Right now, however, they’re not even a Top-25 team. They were 1-for-14 from the three-point line Tuesday. They hit 2 of 15 threes in their 59-54 loss to Wagner Friday.

Tray Woodall’s groin/abdominal injury was a major setback for a squad with limited backcourt depth. Woodall returned Tuesday, but he failed to score. Gibbs played a ton of minutes in Woodall’s absence and that seemed to wear him down, something Dixon said he feared. Birch’s decision to leave the program a few weeks ago didn’t help, either.

But Pitt’s problems are extensive. The Panthers possess the 159th-ranked defense in Pomeroy’s adjusted efficiency ratings. They entered the week with the Big East’s worst turnover margin.

If the Panthers don’t correct their problems soon, they’re going to end up in a battle just to make the Big Dance.

Everywhere else: Wisconsin welcomed Nebraska to the Big Ten with a 64-40 whipping. Ryan Evans went 9 for 11 from the field and scored 22 points. The most promising stat line for the Badgers, however, was Jordan Taylor’s 15 points and five assists. That’s the kind of production they’ll need from the preseason All-America going forward. … Georgia needed overtime to dismiss a 4-9 Winthrop squad 92-86... Jordan Tolbert recorded 27 points in Texas Tech’s 74-58 win over CS-Bakersfield … BYU easily defeated CS San Marcos, which sounds like some party school on a Spanish island. The Cougars hit 50 percent of their shots in the 79-51 win. Bad day for the Cal State system, I guess.

1. Pitt’s inability to score more than 60 points in the past two games is befuddling. The Panthers were playing a possible NEC contender, note possible, in Wagner and then played one of the Big East's bottom third teams in Notre Dame. Yet the Panthers couldn’t crack 60 points and lost both matches. The Panthers were 1-of-14 on 3-pointers against the usual porous Irish defense Tuesday. Travon Woodall was back from an injury and struggled -- 0-for-5 overall, 0-for-3 on 3s. Still, this is a Panthers team that shouldn’t be this offensively challenged. The Panthers were 2-of-15 on 3s against Wagner with Ashton Gibbs shooting 1-of-7 on 3s. The trend will mean that Pitt will slip down to the muddled middle of the Big East for only the second time in Jamie Dixon's eight seasons unless something drastically changes. Pitt has finished in the top two five times, and finished fourth, fifth and seventh -- in 2008 -- once.

2. Minnesota lost to Illinois in double overtime in the Big Ten opener for both teams Tuesday night. But Gophers coach Tubby Smith may be doing his best coaching job -- at the U. The Gophers were thin in experience heading into the season. Losing Trevor Mbakwe to a season-ending knee injury last month should have devastated them. Granted the schedule was soft in many spots but the Gophers still went into that Big Ten opener at 12-1. The Gophers still have a long way to go to ensure a postseason berth but to be this competitive, and playing with this much confidence with such an inexperienced crew, is a credit to Smith and these players.

3. A URI news release says coach Jim Baron will re-evaluate senior guard Jamal Wilson's status in a week after he was suspended indefinitely. But a source with direct knowledge inside the Rams’ program doesn’t expect Wilson to return based on a series of missteps. Wilson may be averaging 17.5 points a game but the Rams have won just one game this season and are one of the biggest disappointments in the country. The Rams are leaning heavily on freshmen since the upperclassmen have been subpar. Baron, who normally has had URI competitive in the A-10, despite not making the NCAAs during his previous 10 years, has two years remaining on his contract. It’s hard to say if he’s under any heat since cash-strapped URI would have to come up with money it may not have to make a change.

Here's my attempt at ranking the Big Ten teams:

1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes finished off South Carolina essentially without Jared Sullinger, who was hampered by a foot injury. They’re a solid team without him. But to maintain this post, they need Sullinger to get healthy fast. The Big Ten’s contenders are coming, and they’re far more competitive entering conference play than it appeared they'd be in mid-November.

2. Indiana: The Hoosiers passed their first test since becoming a ranked team with a win Saturday over Notre Dame in Indianapolis. Cody Zeller scored 21. His 6-foot-11 frame and skills that go with it make the Hoosiers Ohio State’s greatest threats in the Big Ten. Seasons 2008-09 through 2010-11 just called and they can’t believe what I just wrote.

3. Michigan State: The Spartans are rolling. They’ve won nine in a row. I’d love to see this Spartans squad matched up against North Carolina and Duke right now. It’s just a different team compared to the one that lost to those ACC powers in back-to-back games at the start of the season. Draymond Green (15.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg) is playing like an All-America candidate.

4. Wisconsin: The Badgers bounced back from a Dec. 3 home loss to Marquette with four straight wins. That streak included a win over UNLV and a road victory over UW-Milwaukee. The Badgers have the best scoring defense in the country. Bo Ryan’s system still works.

5. Illinois: The Illini’s offensive inconsistency finally caught up with them Saturday in Chicago, where they accrued only 48 points in a loss to UNLV. Memo to the Illini: That 7-footer in the paint (Meyers Leonard) didn’t get enough touches down the stretch in that game. They’ll learn. It was just their first loss of the season.

6. Michigan: Trey Burke’s talent is undeniable. He’s averaging 13.1 points and 4.7 assists per game as a freshman. But it’s his poise and leadership that should really scare Big Ten opponents.

7. Minnesota: The biggest surprise in the Big Ten. The Gophers didn’t collapse after they lost Trevor Mbakwe to a torn ACL in a loss to Dayton last month. That was their last loss. They’ve won five in a row, as juco transfer Julian Welch (10.3 ppg) has blossomed into a leader for the team.

8. Purdue: Saturday’s 67-65 loss to Butler in Indy exposed one of Purdue’s greatest weaknesses: its limited interior. Robbie Hummel has recovered well from back-to-back ACL tears. And Ryne Smith and Lewis Jackson offer solid support. But in the oversized Big Ten, the Boilermakers need some beef inside. They could use a midseason trade.

9. Northwestern: The Wildcats had a close call against Central Connecticut State on Saturday (they won 70-64). But they’ve only lost once: a blowout against Baylor at home. This is still a hard team to peg based on its soft nonconference schedule. But Big Ten play is coming. We’ll find out soon if the Wildcats are ready for their first-ever trip to the Big Dance.

10. Nebraska: Bo Spencer (16.1 ppg) is a special player. He’s mature and the bright lights of the Big Ten won’t intimidate him, considering the time he spent in the SEC. But this is a deep league. So the Cornhuskers will need more than a one-man operation to climb the conference’s standings.

11. Penn State: The Nittany Lions have lost three of four. But Tim Frazier (17.4 ppg, 7.2 apg) is the one bright spot for this struggling team.

12. Iowa: Fran McCaffery’s rebuilding phase is apparently going to take some more time, especially considering the depth in the Big Ten. But if he ever gets discouraged, he should call Tom Crean. These rebuilding projects don't show results right away.

Playing without two starters in its lineup, Minnesota still managed to secure a 58-55 victory over Virginia Tech Wednesday in Minneapolis, part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

But according to the Big Ten, an official’s crucial backcourt violation call in the closing seconds was the wrong ruling and the referee who made the call will be disciplined because Robert Brown, who tried to catch the inbounds pass, never established possession.

“The Big Ten Conference announced (Friday) that it has disciplined a men's basketball official for misapplying a rule in the final seconds of the Virginia Tech-Minnesota game played on Wednesday evening,” the statement read. “The misapplication of Rule 4 Section 3, back court/front court, occurred with 9.9 seconds remaining in regulation.”

Down 56-55 with 9.9 seconds on the clock, Virginia Tech’s Dorian Finney-Smith tossed the ball to Brown on the inbounds. Brown bobbled the pass and the ball crossed halfcourt. An official blew the whistle, signaling a backcourt violation.

But Rule 4, Section 3, Article 6 of the NCAA rulebook says, “After the throw-in ends, an inbounds player in the front court, who is not in control of the ball, may cause the ball to go into the back court.”

The Gophers regained possession after that call and Julian Welch knocked down a pair of free throws to seal the victory.

It was a crucial game for the Hokies, who’ve fallen into the “snubbed” category for the NCAA tournament multiple times in recent years. A road loss to a Minnesota squad that played without starters Ralph Sampson III and Trevor Mbakwe could hurt their resume in March.

So the frustration that the call spurred among Hokies fans is certainly understandable.

The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of last night's best basketball action. It didn't sleep well last night, and it asks your preemtpive forgiveness for any typos or dumb mistakes. It will definitely try to take a nap before it watches The Throne.

No. 5 North Carolina 60, No. 7 Wisconsin 57: Wisconsin did everything right. Bo Ryan's team averages 60 possessions per game; this game had exactly 60. The Badgers never turn the ball over; they turned it over on just 6.7 percent of their offensive trips Wednesday night. The Badgers aren't big on getting to the foul line, and they aren't a great offensive rebounding team. Instead, they eschew offensive boards in order to get back on defense, and that trait was evident in how infrequently North Carolina was able to embark on its patented fast breaks. The middling marks in those two categories can be forgiven. Wisconsin was never going to outrebound North Carolina. Better to turn away and get back on defense, pronto. That worked, too.

The only thing Wisconsin did wrong -- the only thing it was noticeably worse at than in its six impressive wins that preceded Wednesday's trip to Chapel Hill -- was shooting. That's it. In its first six games, Wisconsin's average effective field goal percentage was a sterling 56.7 percent. On Wednesday night, it was 42.2 percent. There's your game right there.

That this game was as close as it was is a testament to Wisconsin's defense, the leveling effects of Ryan's clock-eating slow system, and UNC's struggles on the offensive end. Frankly, the Tar Heels' inability to grab this game by the scruff of its neck early is a bit disconcerting. A team with that much talent and experience should be able to impose its will on teams like Wisconsin, which can never hope to match up athletically. Instead, it took until the second half, right around the time Harrison Barnes started demanding touches (and just a few minutes before Roy Williams took off his jacket and screamed "let's go" in that "let's go, we're better than this, get it together" sort of way) for UNC to look like the aggressor.

The Tar Heels deserve credit for affecting so many of the Badgers' shots. Surely UNC's length had as much to do with Wisconsin's off night as anything else. But they don't get credit for much of the rest. In many ways, this could have -- maybe even should have -- been a second-straight loss, and at home to boot. Instead, the Tar Heels escaped.

Michigan State 65, Florida State 49: Those who tuned in to Wisconsin-UNC hoping for offense didn't get a ton of it, but the so-so scoring rate and slow pace of the night's marquee finale still seemed like an offensive explosion next to the game that preceded it.

A low-scoring, physical affair was to be expected in East Lansing, Mich. Florida State is the nation's most efficient (or anti-efficient, I guess) defense two years running, and Michigan State has, for its occasional troubles on the offensive end, played truly repellent defense early in the year. The only difference between these two teams was quality scoring from an emerging go-to guard. That guard's name is Keith Appling, a sophomore who posted a career high with 24 points (and tied his career high seven rebounds) and made the biggest shots down the stretch when Florida State had stymied MSU enough to pull within one around the 10-minute mark. Appling is a legitimate breakout candidate; he represents an overhaul from the defensive-apathetic days of former Spartans Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers. Appling can score, but he's also one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, and he rebounds, too. There's very little in his game to dislike.

Of course, it also helps that Florida State is, once again, Florida State. The Seminoles can defend. Boy, can they ever. Their offense, on the other hand, is about as bad as their defense is good. This has been the story for the past two seasons under Leonard Hamilton, and it doesn't look much like changing now. When FSU can keep opposing teams under a point per possession, as they've been doing all year, they're in OK shape. But if an opposing player gets hot, or the opposing team can defend and score competently (radical concept, I know), the Seminoles are bound to struggle.

Indiana 86, NC State 75: When Indiana had finally sealed the first non-Evansville true road win of the Tom Crean era -- a few seconds after guard Victor Oladipo punctuated the victory with a double-clutch reverse dunk -- Indiana forward Christian Watford flung the ball underhand and ran to celebrate with his teammates. It felt like an overwrought celebration for a Nov. 30 win over a team that hasn't gone to the NCAA tournament since the NBA created the one and done rule (2006). Casual fans may have been confused. Why so excited?

The answer is simple: After three years of horrible basketball, and a constant string of promising first-half performances followed by debilitating late-game collapses (especially in 2011; there's a reason why a team ranked No. 75 in KenPom went 12-20 overall), the Hoosiers finally sealed the deal on the road. For a while, it looked like Indiana would let the game fall away: When NC State took a seven-point lead with 7:47 left, it appears turnovers and fouls and all-around shaky defense would doom IU in the closing quarter of yet another game. When IU was able to battle back and eventually finish the game in high-flying fashion, it provided a signal that this team -- with brilliant freshman Cody Zeller and hyper-efficient guard Jordan Hulls leading the way -- was ready to re-enter something resembling college hoops normalcy.

At the end of the season, when Indiana looks back, it won't remember the NC State win for its effect on the RPI, or what it said about how good they were as of Nov. 30. They'll remember the NC State game as the first time in a long time the program was able to stand on the other guy's turf, take a few punches and emerge victorious all the same. That's why Watford threw the ball in the air. In so many intangible, hard-to-define ways, maybe this win really was that big.

Everywhere else: I'll let an early-morning tweet from none other than ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas tell you why you should probably go back and check the tape of that 94-88 double-OT UNLV win over UCSB: "UNLV's Mike Moser had 34 points, 10 rebounds in OT win at UCSB. Orlando Johnson had 36 points and 10 boards for the Gauchos. Strong." That pretty much sums it up. ... Creighton's 85-83 win at San Diego State left no doubt about the BlueJays' toughness, writes ESPN.com blogger Kevin Gemmell. ... In a resilient performance, Minnesota won its first game without Trevor Mbakwe, and Myron was on hand to check it out. ... Gonzaga shot 6-of-15 from three; Notre Dame shot 2-of-14, and that wasn't the only reason the Zags coasted to an easy win over the Tim Abromaitis-less Irish. ... Northern Iowa got a quietly solid 69-62 win at Iowa State. ... Nebraska lost at home to Wake Forest thanks to an uncontested layup with three seconds remaining, which can only be described as a deserved loss. ... Pittsburgh stayed out of trouble and got an 11-point win in the Pittsburgh city rivalry. ... Kansas cruised against Florida Atlantic. ... and Utah State moved to 3-3 after a surprising home loss to the now 5-1 Denver Pioneers who also, it should be noted toppled St. Mary's 70-58 last week. Interesting.

MINNEAPOLIS -- When forward Trevor Mbakwe tore his ACL on Sunday, Minnesota's hopes of winning its Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup against Virginia Tech on Wednesday – or any game, really – seemed to dwindle.

But adversity rarely arrives alone. During the past three seasons of Gophers basketball, it’s come in truckloads.

So it was only fitting that Minnesota’s tenure without Mbakwe – the senior will miss the rest of the season after suffering the injury during a loss to Dayton in the Old Spice Classic final in Orlando, Fla. – commenced with more bad news. Starting center Ralph Sampson III was sidelined with an ankle injury Wednesday.

And yet, a Minnesota starting lineup that featured two freshmen, a 6-foot-7 power forward who hadn’t played the position full-time since high school, a junior-college transfer making his first start for a major Division I program and a sophomore who’d suddenly become one of the team’s key veterans managed to thrive.

The Gophers regrouped and adjusted without Mbakwe and Sampson in the lineup and toppled the Hokies 58-55 in a game that wasn’t decided until the final seconds. The Gophers now have a 5-8 record in the Challenge.

Rodney Williams, the team’s new power forward, scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Julian Welch, who played junior-college ball last season, manned the starting point-guard slot and recorded 15 points. Redshirt freshman Elliott Eliason finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Freshman Andre Hollins and sophomore Austin Hollins – no relation – combined for 3 steals.

“It took a full team effort. Once we heard that [Trevor] was going down, we came to practice the next day and we found out that Ralph wouldn’t be playing, either. Everybody just took it upon themselves to get two really good days of practice in. And we came out ready today,” Williams said.

Erick Green scored his last bucket (he had a game-high 25 points) with 23 seconds left, giving the Hokies a 55-54 lead. But a Jarell Eddie foul put Welch on the free-throw line. He hit both shots and the Gophers gained a 1-point edge.

Then, Robert Brown bobbled the inbounds pass and crossed midcourt on Virginia Tech’s next possession, a backcourt violation. It was a crucial turnover. Welch was fouled and went to the line and hit two more free throws as the Gophers stretched their lead to 3 in the closing seconds. Green’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.

The two-thirds-full Williams Arena vibrated as the Gophers dismissed their circumstances and bounced the Hokies back to Blacksburg, Va., in the latter’s first true road game of the season.

Virginia Tech suffered a loss that could haunt coach Seth Greenberg’s squad down the line. The Hokies shot 37.7 percent from the field. They committed a dozen turnovers. And although the Gophers only hit 2 of 13 3-pointers, Virginia Tech couldn’t contain them inside, where they scored 65 percent of their points.

When the college basketball world learned about Mbakwe’s season-ending injury Monday, the consensus was that Minnesota’s NCAA tournament aspirations were shot. Some even projected a finish at the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

Both remain possibilities.

The Gophers might be riding the temporary emotions sometimes spurred by a major setback. So it will take a few games before we know who these Gophers – playing without a potential All-America the rest of the season – really are.

But their quick turnaround during their biggest nonconference matchup suggests that they possess the mental fortitude to reinvent themselves in time to salvage the season.

They’ll never be who they could’ve been with Mbakwe in the lineup. But they’re clearly not ready to wave a white flag on their season. And that’s a good sign for a young team transitioning to its new identity.

“This group of guys, we all stayed together, we got the stops we needed,” Williams said.

Mbakwe delivered a pregame speech that inspired players. Welch wouldn’t reveal the details of Mbakwe’s message. He said its contents were “team confidential.”

What’s not a secret, however, is that the Gophers have more battles in their future. And they’ll have to continue to find ways to win without their best player, who’s just a cheerleader now.

1. Kentucky, which has elite freshmen Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague, could have been the biggest beneficiary if the NBA had changed the draft rule to two years out of high school. But ESPN’s Ric Bucher reported Tuesday night that the rule is likely to stay the same for the next two seasons. Wildcats coach John Calipari isn’t surprised that the rule isn’t going to change. “The players association isn’t going to give it up,’’ Calipari said. “I want it to go to two years but that ain't happening in my opinion.’’ Meanwhile, Calipari reacted to the Wildcats being No. 1 by conducting his two longest practices since the season began. Calipari said he went longer than two hours Monday and Tuesday. “We had to go up and down for Marquis Teague so he can recognize when he should make the easy plays.’’

2. Minnesota’s Trevor Mbakwe could have the possibility of pursuing a medical hardship. But at least one Gophers assistant doesn’t see it occurring. Mbakwe considered looking at the NBA last year but decided to come back to the Gophers. This major setback means he’ll likely look longer at providing financial backing for his family as soon as he’s healthy. The Gophers may go through the process of him possibly getting a year back but no one is now holding their breath that he will return for 2012-13. His loss means Rodney Williams had better board. And the Gophers are going to be much more guard-oriented.

3. Memo to coaches: There is no need to have a game on the way to a tournament or on the way home. History has shown it’s never a good idea to stay on the road like that after a tournament or in advance of one. Michigan State lost at Hawaii on the way to Maui one year and North Carolina did the same to Santa Clara. Now Saint Louis has fallen at Loyola Marymount on the back end of winning the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif. The Billikens were ranked No. 25 after the tournament win. Losing to LMU shouldn’t dampen any thoughts about SLU being a challenger to Xavier in the A-10. But it was an unnecessary defeat on the road.

For my predictions and analysis of the six Big Ten/ACC games on Tuesday, click here. Let's preview Day 2 of the Challenge:

Indiana at North Carolina State, 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Indiana wins, 82-80
Why: It would appear, based solely on statistical output through six games, that Indiana is easily better than NC State. Sure, Indiana has dominated a slate of cupcake opponents, with its only notable win coming over what appears to be a thoroughly mediocre Butler team Sunday, but they've looked good doing it. The Hoosiers are ranked No. 20 in adjusted efficiency after their first six games. The addition of touted freshman center Cody Zeller has made this team more balanced, more likely to retrieve its own misses and less susceptible to constant (dumb) fouls. The emergence of guards Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey has given the Hoosiers viable slashing and perimeter scoring options. And yet, doubt remains. Before a win at Evansville this season, Indiana had yet to win a true road game in the Tom Crean era. And NC State is not Evansville. Sure, this team is improved. But is it improved enough to beat a (finally) well-coached and talented NC State team? The Wolfpack hung with Vanderbilt for 40 minutes and rallied in the final minutes to beat Texas 77-74 at the Legends Classic. Can they do it on the road? I'll guess yes, but I have no clue. The jury is still out.

Penn State at Boston College, 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Boston College wins, 62-59
Why: How bad are Steve Donahue's Eagles right now? The losses -- to Holy Cross, UMass, St. Louis and New Mexico -- are one thing. The margins -- 86-64, 82-46, 62-51, 75-57 -- are another. (Strangely enough, the only respectable margin of defeat came against St. Louis, the only top 25 team on the docket. Weird.) The Eagles appear to have joined Wake Forest and the usual batch of candidates in the "worst power-six team in the country" race. Penn State, for its part, is in a similar rebuilding phase, but at least the Nittany Lions have a go-to player (Tim Frazier, averaging 19.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game) and have shown the ability to hang with teams of the caliber of, say, Holy Cross. Then again, Penn State did look thoroughly ugly in a 65-47 loss at Saint Joseph's Saturday, so who knows? One thing's for sure: This is the worst matchup of the Challenge. I hate to pile on, but yeah. It's bad.

Florida State at Michigan State, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Prediction: Michigan State wins, 59-55
Why: This one is all about capital-D Defense. Florida State is probably the nation's best defensive team and they have been for the past two seasons. They're off to a rousing start on that end of the floor in 2011-12. Michigan State, meanwhile, didn't flash much offensive touch in its season-opening losses to Duke and North Carolina, but the Spartans did show an ability to get stops on a per-possession basis. They're ranked No. 6 in defensive efficiency thus far while Florida State is ranked No. 4. Thus, predicting a low-scoring affair is not exactly rocket science. Frankly, it's tough to find the difference here. Perhaps home court can provide it. Perhaps having the best player on the floor, as Michigan State does in forward Draymond Green, can help, too. Green's versatility and ability to handle the ball in spots outside the paint could give the Spartans a little more room to work their offense. But with big FSU forward Bernard James patrolling the paint, that room is always going to be minimal. In any case, it won't be pretty. But it should be fun.

Virginia Tech at Minnesota, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Virginia Tech wins, 73-60
Why: That seems like a large margin of victory for a team like Virginia Tech to maintain over a team like Minnesota. The Hokies aren't that good, are they? Well, probably not. But they have been more impressive than expected early in the year, giving Syracuse a serious run in the first half of their 69-58 loss in the NIT Season Tip-Off last week before bouncing back to drop Oklahoma State 59-57 a night later. Even so, this expectation is more about Minnesota. On Sunday night, in an 86-70 loss to Dayton in the Old Spice Classic, Gophers forward Trevor Mbakwe tore his ACL. He will be out for the year. It's hard to describe how devastating this injury is. It's devastating to Mbakwe -- it is likely to end his collegiate career -- but it's devastating to Minnesota, too, as Mbakwe was the bruising, dominating centerpiece of a team that after two straight seasons of personnel defections and untimely injuries had almost no margin for error or loss. It's going to be difficult to move on without Mbakwe. Expecting the Gophers to do so by Wednesday seems borderline unfair.

Wake Forest at Nebraska, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Nebraska wins, 75-65
Why: After one of the worst years in program history, Wake Forest remains a work in progress. An 84-56 loss to Arizona State -- a 2-4 team that itself has lost to Pepperdine, New Mexico, Fairfield and DePaul -- is evidence enough. In another year, even a bad Wake team might stand a decent chance at Nebraska, but it would appear the Cornhuskers are a little bit more game this season. Nebraska got a pretty impressive little win at USC (in double-overtime, no less) on Nov. 14, and their only negative result thus far is a reasonable home loss to Oregon. Do guard Bo Spencer (16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game) and company have enough to get to the NCAA tournament this season? I'm not sure. Do they have enough to handle Wake at home? It would seem so.

Wisconsin at North Carolina, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Prediction: North Carolina wins, 68-65
Why: Tough break for Wisconsin. After all, if you're going to play North Carolina in Chapel Hill, it might as well be when the Tar Heels are ranked No. 1 overall. As it is, the Tar Heels lost to UNLV Saturday night, losing their No. 1 ranking in the process. What's worse, any hope the Badgers had of catching UNC on one of those less-engaged, let's-just-coast kind of nights -- which is rare in the first place -- is essentially zero now. Chances are, this is North Carolina's win. The Tar Heels have more talented at nearly every position and they’re taller and faster and more athletic. Wisconsin is many things, but athletic and fast are not included.

What the Badgers are -- and why this game may be a bit closer than most expect -- is everything a Wisconsin team should be. The Badgers are deliberate (another word for “slow”), which is deserved when you average the fewest number of possessions per game in the country. They are excellent defensively, ranked No. 1 in opponents’ effective field goal percentage and No. 1 in opponents’ offensive rebounding percentage and, as you might assume, No. 1 in overall defensive efficiency. They are excellent offensively, ranked No. 4 in effective field goal percentage and No. 2 in 3-point field goal percentage. Led by Jordan Taylor and complemented by a batch of just-right shooters and role-player types, the Badgers do almost everything well.

Of course, it's still early, and Wisconsin has yet to try to contain a team with North Carolina's explosive fast-break offense. The Badgers may have some issue keeping the Tar Heels in check. They will have to make shots and prevent long rebounds. They will have to control the pace of the game by running down the shot clock to its final seconds. But these are all things the Badgers do already. If North Carolina's athleticism forces the Badgers into bad shots, they'll have no chance. But if the game is in the 60s in both pace and points, Wisconsin can keep it close.

1. Memphis coach Josh Pastner said assistant coach Luke Walton will coach his last game for the Tigers at Miami on Dec. 6 before returning to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, now that the NBA lockout is ending. Pastner said Walton wants to continue playing and fulfill the final two years of his contract with the Lakers. Pastner said he has no regrets of adding Walton to the staff, knowing full well that he might lose him if the lockout were to end. He said Walton was at a high school game recruiting last weekend and will go to another one this week. Pastner said he will look to make a full-time hire in the spring.

2. Minnesota will see if it can get a medical hardship for Trevor Mbakwe, who is out for the season with a right ACL tear. Mbakwe had already sat out a year upon transferring from Marquette. The Gophers will likely lean even more on a starting lineup with Ralph Sampson, Rodney Williams, Austin Hollins, Julian Welch and Andre Holllins. The Gophers can’t catch a break. Minnesota lost Al Nolen last season to a foot injury that ended up crushing the Gophers. Minnesota was getting beat by Dayton prior to Mbakwe going out Sunday in Orlando. But once he was done so too were the Gophers.

3. The A-10 has done a tremendous job of rotating contenders for Xavier and Temple to deal with throughout the course of the season. Richmond has had a turn. Now it’s Saint Louis which will chase for the A-10 title. But if Xavier’s win over Vanderbilt in overtime Monday in Nashville is any indication, then the Musketeers will be tough to catch. Xavier continues to show incredible toughness in tight-game situations, turning that game around late, guarding well and making key shots. Xavier has quite a difficult schedule with Purdue, at Butler, Cincinnati, Long Beach State to open the Diamond Head Classic and Gonzaga before the A-10 starts.