As the punditocrats filled out their Tournament Brackets, they quickly and dismissively scribbled a line through the names Wisconsin and Michigan State. In an age where glamor too often trumps substance, they shout from their glass houses that the Big Ten stinks. How wrong they are.

The drift of Eric Gordon from peerless national regard and King Hoosier to passive, disconsolate underachiever, a trend that had a sad culmination last night in Raleigh, was one of the most disheartening stories of the year.

The March road trips of the Indiana Hoosiers and Purdue Boilermakers depend on rising above distractions, NCAA inexperience, and the best of the vaunted ACC. With two Big Ten bulls-eyes planted on the much patted backs of North Carolina and Duke, those weary of the continued maligning of the conference may get a chance for sweet revenge.

Hoopraker spotted a Devin Ebanks look-alike sitting solemnly in Conseco section 15, the seats reserved for families and guests of IU, for Friday's fateful game with Minnesota. As reported by zagsblog, Ebanks was in Indy to visit IU AD Rick Greenspan and formally ask for a release from his National Letter of Intent, which IU will grant.

Seated next to Ed Hightower and over a choice strip steak, Hoopraker reflected on having just watched Wisconsin and Michigan State, two of the Big Ten's best, play to the music of the zebras' whistles. Both are ready to dance deep into March.

In knocking of the Indiana Hoosiers, the Minnesota Golden Gophers overcame a referee corps that did everything in its power to get the home state team to Saturday, the continued absence of Spencer Tollackson, and another monstrous double-double from D.J. White in notching what constitutes the first signature win of the Tubby era in the Twin Minny.

A motivated Illinois team (14-18) took the Conseco Fieldhouse court yesterday afternoon. With a spring in the legs and a sense of confidence in their demeanor, they ran an efficient and crisp offense that, when coupled with its trademark defense, disabled a young and talented Penn State team. If this is the bottom of the Big Ten, we'll take it.

The Big Ten Tournament is in full swing and our first day in Indy was bookended by some petty theft from a taxi driver and a shank of cow saved from St. Elmo's fire and delivered, perfectly scarred and oozing, to our table adjoining Bruce Weber and his victorious Fighting Illini.

On the eve of the Big Ten Tournament, it's time to honor the individuals as graduating the Big Ten season with honors. Thanks for the inspired basketball gentleman

One of the several pleasures of purist basketball fandom is watching players and teams who defy the easy categorizations of the meat market approach to the game and succeed, indeed flourish, where so many saw sure failure. Geary Claxton was one such player.

D.J. White is a throwback to those sepia-colored days of yore when players chose programs out of loyalty, stayed out of love for game and team, and by their junior and senior seasons evolved into formidable, championship-caliber leaders.

Indiana super recruit Devin Ebanks has yet to be formally released from his National Letter of Intent to play for IU. Such formalities are apparently but a minor detail to John Calipari's Memphis Tigers.

The Duke mythology that has continued to shield Tommy Amaker's reputation and coaching career from Seton Hall to Michigan was dented further by allegations of questionable recruiting practices at his latest stop in Cambridge.

Ordinarily a 28 point, 13 rebound, 6 assist game from your freshman point guard might garner some attention from big media types, but when your team plays in State College you take nothing for granted. While Penn State (14-14, 6-10) toils in relative obscurity, Talor Battle (Albany, NY) has emerged as one the few bright spots for Ed DeChellis and the Nittany Lions. Perhaps when Battle is a sophomore, Brent, Steve and Erin will arrive to watch the talented guard play meaningful games in March.

The beneficiary of the low expectation arroyo that is Northwestern basketball, it is increasingly clear that Carmody will be spared the abattoir and granted a ninth life next season. Will there be more timid mews or a long-awaited roar from Evanston?