B5Q Blogopean Union: can Chucky Hepburn see the future?

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).

• Chuckstradamus!

• Looks like the Badgers are going to get a cool non-conference men’s hoops matchup at the beginning of next season. Off the top of my head, some cool options would be: UCLA, Texas Tech, Alabama or Iowa State.

• The Big Ten women’s hoops end of season awards were announced and the Badgers didn’t have anyone make the all-conference teams, but Julie Pospisilova did earn honorable mention.

• Playoff hockey continues this weekend and the Badgers will be looking for revenge against an Ohio State team that swept them to end the regular season.

• This is a cool project. Calabrese is simulating an NCAA Tournament of all the best teams of all-time. “Eligible teams were selected from 1980 onward. The games were then simulated using College Hoops 2K8. Each player’s height, weight, and attributes were painstakingly adjusted to reflect their on-court likenesses. The skills/ratings were determined using a scale that valued their statistical accomplishments (ppg, rpg, etc), and their accolades (All-Conference, All-American, National Awards, Draft Combine Data, etc). The team settings were also tinkered with to properly reflect the team’s preferred pace, substitution patterns, set plays, and shot selection preferences. In addition, higher seeds who benefitted from officiating of their day (i.e. ‘84 Georgetown) had referee sliders altered.”

And the Badgers won their first round matchup! Up next...’92 Duke.

• The softball team is heading west, instead of south, this weekend for the Colorado Classic. Here is their updated schedule.

• Coach Bono is ready for the Big Ten Championships.

• The NFL Draft Combine starts on Thursday afternoon and there are four Badgers in attendance. Owen will have some thoughts later this week on how the Wisconsin alums perform.

• I know it happens at other schools too, but I like when teams support the other teams in the athletic department. Wrestling coach Chris Bono also posted that he was at the game and, well, I just think it’s nice, ok!

• Could the Purdue bench benefit from the reinsertion of Brandon Newman into the rotation?
• The Badgers were shut out of WCHA end of season awards. Minnesota’s Taylor Heise was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Year.
• Brian Ferentz is going to coach the Iowa QBs now. I’m sure this will go perfectly.
• Northwestern’s Veronica Burton was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the THIRD consecutive season.
• Is the Big Ten the best conference in women’s basketball?
• Michigan has won two of three games with Phil Martelli at them helm and are angling to sneak into the NCAA Tournament.
• A Big Ten wrestling championships preview.
• Indiana is going to sell beer at baseball and softball games now. YOU HEARING THIS, CHRIS MCINTOSH?!?

Men’s basketball results from Monday-Wednesday

Northwestern 61 - No. 25 Iowa 82
Nebraska 78 - No. 23 Ohio State 70
Michigan State 70 - Michigan 87
Rutgers 66 - Indiana 63
Minnesota 73 - Maryland 84

Women’s basketball results from Big Ten Tournament

Rutgers 75 - Penn State 50
Illinois 75 - Wisconsin 66