A three-team Big Ten race?
Purdue, Indiana pose biggest threat to Badgers
Madison — Is the field of contenders for the Big Ten men’s basketball title only three deep?
Only three Big Ten teams are in the top 25 of the Amway coaches poll: No. 14 Wisconsin ( 11-2), No. 15 Purdue (11-2) and No. 16 Indiana (10-2). “You have the top of the pack,” Big Ten Network analyst Jon Crispin after UW’s non-conference finale, a 90-37 victory over Florida A&M. “There’s Indiana, Purdue and Wisconsin. Put them in whatever order you want. It doesn’t really matter. “But then after that, it’s really anybody’s ball game.”
UW, which has won seven consecutive games since suffering a loss to then-No. 4 North Carolina in the title game of the Maui Invitational, opens Big Ten play at 6 p.m. Tuesday against visiting Rutgers (11-2).
The Scarlet Knights, 1-17 in league play and 7-25 overall last season, are vastly improved under first-year coach Steve Pikiell.
After opening at home, UW has road games against Indiana on Jan. 3
and Purdue on Jan. 8.
“The level of competition increases,” UW coach Greg Gard said. “You’re going to see teams that know each other much better.
“The scouting is very good. The coaching is phenomenal.”
UW has improved its shot selection and ball movement and cut down on its turnovers since the loss to the Tar Heels. The defense has gradually improved and the Badgers, led by Ethan Happ (9.5 rebounds per game) and Nigel Hayes (5.8 rpg), are crushing foes on the glass.
UW leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (59.3 ppg) and is No. 2 behind Indiana in rebound margin at plus-14.2. The Badgers lead the league in defensive rebound percentage (80.4%) and are No. 3 in offensive rebound percentage (38.9%).
The team’s Achilles’ heel is free-throw shooting. UW is 12th in the Big Ten in free throws attempted (238) and 11th in free-throw percentage (68.1%).
Purdue, which opens Wednesday against visiting Iowa, boasts one of the better inside-outside games in the league.
Caleb Swanigan (18.3 ppg, 12.5 rpg) and Isaac Haas (14.3, 5.2) force defenses to collapse inside. That has allowed the Boilermakers to get open three-pointers, and they lead the Big Ten at 41.3% from beyond the arc.
Swanigan, who is shooting 52.4% from threepoint range and 59.0% overall, appears to be a legitimate candidate to be named player of the year in the league.
Indiana, the defending regular-season champion, opens league play Wednesday against visiting Nebraska (6-6). The Hoosiers have victories over Kansas and North Carolina, both ranked No. 3 at the time. However, they also have losses to Fort Wayne and then-No. 18 Butler.
The Hoosiers can play solid defense when they choose but they win with offense.
Indiana can surround center Thomas Bryant (12.0 points, 7.8 rebounds per game) with a bevy of three-point shooters. James Blackmon (45.7%), Robert Johnson (43.5%) and Josh Newkirk (38.7%) have helped the Hoosiers hit 40.1% of their threepointers, the No. 2 mark in the league.
The Hoosiers look to push the pace at every opportunity and lead the Big Ten in scoring (88.8 ppg) and field-goal shooting (51.9%).
Seven Big Ten teams that aren’t ranked in the top 25 have at least 10 victories and no more than three losses.
That group includes Northwestern (11-2) and Minnesota (12-1).
Northwestern battled Butler and Notre Dame before losing by two and four points, respectively. The Wildcats, who open league play Tuesday at Penn State (8-5), continue to add young talent under fourth-year coach Chris Collins.
They could make a run at the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.
Minnesota has played a soft schedule but is clearly better than last season, when the Gophers finished 2-16 in the league and 8-23 overall.
The Gophers host Michigan State (8-5) on Tuesday in a game that could be telling for both sides.
Michigan State has struggled without freshman star Miles Bridges, who is averaging 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game but has missed the last five games because of an ankle injury. Bridges is not expected to play against the Gophers.
Michigan State’s vulnerability makes this a game the Gophers should win to demonstrate their hot start is legitimate.
UW, the preseason favorite, is much better than the team that started 1-4 in Big Ten play last season after Gard replaced Bo Ryan.
“As for the team heading into Big Ten (play),” senior Vitto Brown said, “couldn’t be happier. I think we’re in a good position right now.”