B5Q Blogopean Union: college basketball is back

Good morning! This is going to be a daily(ish) post that discusses the goings on of the rest of the Big Ten Conference, and the country as needed. Much like the European Union, the Big Ten is a loosely confederated group of entities that sometimes have the same goals (like free movement of people between countries or not winning national titles in football or basketball) and sometimes accept new members that they later regret (Estonia or Rutgers).

We hope that you will use this post to comment on things happening around the conference and also as a sort of daily open thread to discuss breaking news or argue about Spotted Cow.

• It’s always exciting to realize your dreams!

Hughes had two blocked shots, one hit and finished at -1 in just under 10 minutes of ice time in his NHL debut. The Bruins beat the Penguins 6-4.

• Zack Baun is having a great season so this all tracks. The Butkus Award is given to the top linebacker in college football in case you can’t keep all of your awards straight.

• College basketball starts tonight! That is exciting!! The Badgers play No. 20 Saint Mary’s and the Champions Classic between Kentucky, Kansas, Duke and Michigan State tips off at Madison Square Garden too. After there was a cat on the field during MNF this is going to be a pretty big week for sports.

• Losing to Purdue in the first round of the B1G Tournament had an adverse effect on Wisconsin’s RPI ranking. WHO COULD’VE GUESSED?!?!

Wisconsin sits at No. 17, the second highest B1G team behind No. 11 Rutgers.

• The Badgers won every conference award for last week (except freshman of the week) so here are some highlights of them kicking ass and taking names.

The Sett will be posted later this morning with a full breakdown of the Badgers week ahead as well as these two wins.

• Winning trophies is fun. The Badgers should try and win three of them this month imo

• The Badgers take on North Florida tonight at 7 p.m. CT in Madison to open their season as well. Things are looking up for them and this should be a season of marked improvement.

• Some highlights of your 50 time (!!!) B1G men’s cross country champions.

• Going into the big B1G West game this weekend, Iowa is missing a number of players that would be key contributors.
• Everything is fine for Iowa. Totally fine. Fine.
• It’s funny how football schedules end up working out. PSU thought they’d have a couple of easy games coming up before playing Ohio State and now Minnesota is undefeated and ranked No. 13 and Indiana is 7-2.
• Purdue is inching closer to having to play a CB at QB this season.
• MICHIGAN IS CHEATING! I’d say, at a minimum, they should be banned from every NCAA Tournament moving forward and possibly disband the entire university.
• After watching them systemically dismantle my favorite team, yeah sure, I can see Ohio State winning the national title.
• Pat Fitzgerald has publicly threatened everyone with the prospect of more Northwestern football next year. Put him in jail tbqh. Or just read this.
• Illinois has their biggest game of the Lovie Smith era this weekend. Battle for bowl eligibility against a depleted Michigan State team. Sounds...awful.
• Minnesota can lose to Penn State and, well, nothing really changes.
• Have you heard that Michigan State is preseason No. 1 in basketball? Well, they are!