B5Q Blogopean Union: basketball is back and it feels good to feel bad again

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.

• The men’s cross country team is racking up some more postseason awards.

• Robbie Hummel mentioned Micah Potter’s “situation” during the broadcast last night and apparently the final ruling is yet to be made.

• ::thinks about it for a second:: More like SLAM Dekker amirite?!?!

• Dekker brings up an interesting discussion. Who would your starting five be?

• Was there no one in the football offices that had access to a women’s basketball schedule?

And then they went out and kicked North Florida’s ass!

• There are two B1G teams and two SEC teams in the first CFP rankings. The Badgers are higher than they are in the AP poll. SO YOU’RE TELLING ME THERE’S A CH ::gets internet disconnected::

• Those bears are as big as Cole Caufield.

• #analysis

• Purdue is down a bunch of QBs. Here is Hammer & Rails’ spring report on one of the ones who isn’t hurt currently.
• RUTGERS VOLLEYBALL IS THE SECOND HOTTEST TEAM IN THE CONFERENCE!
• Northwestern won’t fire offensive coordinator Mick McCall even though they very much should. BUT SAY THEY DO! Here’s who should replace him.
• P.J. Fleck is going to be in your life for a lot longer now.

• BRUTAL news for Indiana.

• The Hater’s Guide to the B1G which was...pretty nice to Wisconsin?
• B1G Basketball Scoreboard (losses in bold because we are here to laugh at misfortune):

No. 7 Maryland 95 - Holy Cross 71
Michigan 79 - Appalachian State 71
Indiana 98 - Western Illinois 65
Penn State 84 - Maryland-Eastern Shore 46
Minnesota 85 - Cleveland State 50
Illinois 78 - Nicholls 70 OT
Wisconsin 63 - No. 20 Saint Mary’s 65 OT
Nebraska 47 - UC Riverside 66
No. 1 Michigan State 62 - No. 2 Kentucky 69