B5Q Blogopean Union: UW swimming and diving is hosting the Big Ten Championships

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 Nebraska).

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 (which we NO LONGER DO).

• Our friends from Homefield Apparel have done it again, folks. This brand new Wisconsin women’s hockey shirt goes on sale Friday morning (that’s today!) and as the proud owner of one already, let me tell you what...it looks even better in person.

• Hoping that the women’s hockey team can conjure up a little Homefield Magic and sweep the Buckeyes this weekend. As we mentioned earlier this week, UW still has a shot at winning the WCHA regular season title, but they’ll need some help from St. Thomas which...isn’t likely to come. The Gophers pounded the Tommies 7-1 on Thursday night and their rematch on Saturday is at home for Minnesota.

• Joe Pavelski’s NHL, and international, career has been nothing short of incredible.

• Sam Dekker is, once again, having a very nice season over in Turkey. It’ll be interesting to see if he gets another shot in the NBA next year or if he has aged out and will be a guy who has a successful (and lucrative) career overseas.

• Being engaged to one of the most disliked players in the Big Ten can’t be easy, especially in the arena you used to call home.

• Dean Hamiti has been having a dominant season the mat and, well, this just proves it!

Fellow freshman Braxton Amos is having an impressive season in his own right.

• The softball team is back in Florida for another weekend of games and they smacked No. 24 UCF 9-1 to open things up and then edged Notre Dame 2-1 in their second game. Kayla Konwent socking dingers, after two years off from playing softball, is a beautiful sight.

• The Badgers lost to Michigan State on Wednesday, but it was not the fault of their long distance shooting.

• It is with much sadness that we must report...Jay Bilas knows ball.

• Freshman swimmer Paige McKenna won the Big Ten title in the 500m freestyle and the Badgers, as a team, sit in fourth place halfway through the competition which is taking place in Madison!

• The Hawkeyes need a new QB coach. Who might they hire?
• While Wisconsin doesn’t have a baseball team, the Big Ten still plays the sport. The preseason coaches poll has Nebraska as the top team in the conference.
• An examination of Purdue’s men’s hoops stretch run as they try and win a Big Ten title.
• Chris Collins and NU needs to find an offensive identity.
• Ohio State nabs a 4-star OL for their 2023 recruiting class.
• Moussa Diabate played great for Michigan in their win at Iowa. The surging Wolverines come to the Kohl Center on Sunday,
• White hot Rutgers men’s basketball received a little bad news as it was announced that Ron Harper, Jr. injured his hand. He isn’t expected to miss much time however.
• The Gophers women’s hockey team now just needs one point in their final game of the regular season to clinch the WCHA regular season title.

Men’s basketball results from Wednesday/Thursday

No. 12 Illinois 59 - Rutgers 70
No. 5 Purdue 70 - Northwestern 64
Minnesota 46 - Penn State 67
Michigan 84 - Iowa 79

Women’s basketball results from Wednesday/Thursday

Northwestern 58 - No. 5 Indiana 69
Nebraska 76 - Penn State 83
Illinois 54 - Purdue 70
No. 18 Ohio State 72 - No. 13 Maryland 77
Rutgers 79 - Minnesota 61