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SPORTS Tuesday 14 March 2017
Disrespected Big 10 can ‘make some noise’ in NCAA Tournament

STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — A
season of criticism for not
having elite teams has
made the Big Ten feel like
the Big Disrespected.
Perhaps that’s about to
change.
The conference has seven
teams in the NCAA Tour-
nament, second only to
the ACC’s nine.
After eighth-seeded Michi-
gan beat three fellow
NCAA-bound teams on its
road to the tournament ti-
tle, players have big hopes
for what the Big Ten can
do in the big dance.
“I definitely think the Big
Ten can make some noise
in (the) tournament given
that those teams play the
same way they did in this
tournament,” Wisconsin
forward Vitto Brown said
after losing to Michigan in
the Big Ten final Sunday.
Despite losing its only con-
ference tournament game
to Michigan, 13th-ranked
Purdue is a No. 4 seed, and
25th-ranked Maryland is still
a No. 6 seed after losing its
only game in home terri-
tory to Northwestern — in
the NCAA Tournament for
the first time in school histo-
ry as a No. 8 seed. Only No.
9 seed Michigan State will
be wearing dark uniforms
in the first round as Minne-
sota is a No. 5 seed, Michi-
gan a No. 7 and Wisconsin
a No. 8.
The much-maligned Big
Ten doesn’t have a domi-
nant team like Villanova in
the Big East or Kansas in the
Big 12, but that’s not nec-
essarily a weakness. This image shows the 2017 NCAA Division I men’s college basketball tournament bracket. Villanova took the overall top seed on
Selection Sunday, with Kansas, North Carolina and Gonzaga joining the defending national champions on the No. 1 line for the
“I think our league, it’s un- NCAA Tournament.
predictable and very good Associated Press
teams beat very good
teams every day,” Michi- didn’t look like an eighth The senior point guard also 24th-ranked Badgers’ in- Because upsets were the
gan forward Moe Wagner seed in winning four games pointed out that the Wol- side-outside games and norm in conference play,
said. in four days in conference verines can run with the patience make them diffi- the Big Ten on paper didn’t
“It’s going to be fun for and won’t look anything best of them, a challenge cult matchups. look as strong as in years
the Big Ten fans to watch like a traditional NCAA sev- they’ll face in the Midwest “Every team can impose past. But Brown considers it
this NCAA Tournament enth seed if it gets the same Region. a different obstacle,” said a “popular misconception”
because we have a lot of depth of offense from Der- Michigan isn’t the only one Walton, the tournament that teams beating each
teams in there and I think rick Walton Jr., D.J. Wilson, that can score in bunches. MVP. “I just think we’re re- other showed a lack of
they’re going to get a lot Zak Irvin and Wagner as it Northwestern showed it ally dynamic as a confer- competition, and rivals saw
of wins.” did last week. had firepower, and Min- ence, just with the different it as quite the contrary and
Wagner and the Wolverines Walton, who guaranteed nesota can push the pace playing styles. a good sign for success in
resemble that remark as to coach John Beilein dur- with point guard Nate Ma- I just don’t think we get the NCAA Tournament.
unpredictable after going ing their drive to Nebraska son. Sure, Wisconsin and enough credit. I think we “We all bring a different
from their plane skidding that Michigan would win Purdue have stereotypi- got labeled as the grind- aspect to the floor,” Wil-
off the runway Wednesday the Big Ten Tournament, cal Big Ten reputations as it-out, bully-ball guys. Nah, son said. “Since we played
to cutting down the nets as believes the team is trend- big teams that like to slow we got guys that can really against all of them, I think
Big Ten Tournament cham- ing upward at the perfect things down, but the 13th- put the ball in the basket we’re all dangerous.”q
pions Sunday. Michigan time. ranked Boilermakers’ and and are really talented.”