Way to go, Big Ten. Way to outsmart yourself.
This Big Ten tournament thing is looking more and more like a bad idea.
Without the tournament, the Big Ten looked to have six NCAA tournament teams. Because of the tournament, the Big Ten may now get only four, Iowa and Indiana exposing their insufficiencies by losing early, and co-champs Illinois and Michigan State turning themselves into afterthoughts.
Though Indiana won a game, it was basically a play-in victory, and if Iowa isn’t invited after beating Indiana twice, then Indiana shouldn’t be.
Purdue, considered the best team in the Big Ten all along, plus Michigan, Illinois and Michigan State will get bids. Nobody else should.
“We think we are an NIT team,” said Clem Haskins of Minnesota, which may be the only Big Ten team to actually have gained anything, other than money, of course, out of the tournament.
In two hours of disgrace against Purdue, Illinois managed to reveal itself as ordinary, probably dropping at least a seed, and Michigan State could end up as faraway fodder.
All of this will be sorted out later Sunday, after Michigan plays Purdue for the tournament title, when the NCAA announces its 64-team field.
“I really don’t think today’s game will affect it (Illinois’ tournament seeding) at all,” Illinois coach Lon Kruger said.
Sure, and nobody stares at hives.
Routs and shame aside, neither Illinois nor Michigan State will be returning any season souvenirs, conference co-titles and the like.
But neither one will be confirming its hardware in the first Big Ten tournament final either.
That will be left to two teams under some suspicion. Michigan dismissed its coach just before the season in what may have been some pre-emptive cleansing, and Purdue is sorting out booster and recruiting questions.
Whatever prize there is for this may be only on loan.
“Now is the time for us to come back and redeem ourselves,” said Purdue coach Gene Keady, a man so perpetually under strain he looks like a full udder.
The distinction that comes with winning the first Big Ten basketball tournament, or any subsequent ones, may never be clear. Other than turning 14 weeks of feel-good success into spit, of course.
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“It’s humbling, embarrassing,” said Kruger after Purdue had pummeled his team by 21 points.
Kruger has the gift of understatement.
At least Illinois lost to a team it can’t beat, not this year, not last year, not next year, unless the NCAA gendarmes haul the Boilermakers off for low crimes and misdemeanors, which could happen.
Too bad the sanctions police weren’t at the United Center Saturday because the Illini could have used handcuffs, blindfolds and a curfew on Purdue. Even then Illinois would have had to make a few shots of its own.
“Sometimes you just get whipped,” Kruger allowed. “All along I thought there were seven or eight teams that could compete. This is a league with great balance. Purdue and Michigan seem to be the best right now.”
So, Purdue and Michigan will settle the question of who really should have won the Big Ten title, and all in a tidy three days, making everything else so much sweaty calisthenics.
“This is the time of the year the cream rises to the top,” said Michigan guard Rob Reid.
Anyone who has had any actual experience with cream knows that if it rises, you send back the coffee.
“We are looking forward to the historic moment,” said Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe.
Make sure there is film in the camera.