The Wisconsin Badgers are in for some sleepless nights after losing to No. 9 seed Iowa in Friday’s Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
Wisconsin, the No. 1 seed, was considered a lock for an NCAA tournament berth when it earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title for the first time in 55 years.
At 18-12 overall Wisconsin is two victories shy of the 20-win standard.
With a Ratings Percentage Index of 44 and quality wins over Marquette, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State and Indiana, it’s hard to imagine the Badgers not making the field.
Senior forward Charlie Wills, though, said the Badgers are prepared to sweat it out.
“I don’t know if we’re in or not,” said Wills. “I hope so. We worked so hard. We want real bad to get in, but you never know. It’s not like they give out a slip at the beginning of the year that says: you’re in. And this doesn’t help. Now we’ve just got to pray and let the chips fall where they may.”
Also sweating: Michigan State has been the most decorated team in the Big Ten the past four seasons, but the Spartans had to overcome key player losses this season before scrambling to a 19-11 record, 10-6 in the league.
“I don’t really care where we get seeded or where we go,” said Izzo after Friday’s 67-56 loss to Indiana in the tournament quarterfinals.
“But this team deserves to be in [the NCAA tournament].”
Scoring change: Sometime after Thursday night’s Minnesota-Penn State game, the final score on the scoreboard changed. When the buzzer sounded to conclude the first-round game, Minnesota won 85-60. Following a recount, however, the official score was lowered to 84-60.
A three-point jumper by the Golden Gophers’ Aaron Robinson near the end of play was downgraded to a two-pointer.
Knight watch? If the NCAA tournament selection committee were to put Indiana in the same bracket as Texas Tech, Indiana senior guard Dane Fife wouldn’t need any motivation.
First-year Raiders coach Bob Knight was Fife’s hero and Fife one of Knight’s most vocal supporters before Knight lost his job in Bloomington.
“I wouldn’t be surprised by that at all,” said Fife of such a matchup.
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“That would be big money right there. You’re looking at Super Bowl ratings there. If we see that Indiana’s playing Bob Knight, though, we just have to face it, go and play our style.”
Ice man: After Friday’s win over Michigan State, Big Ten Player of the Year Jared Jeffries was limping around the Indiana lockerroom with a large bag of ice on his right ankle.
Not to worry, said Jeffries, who came out of the game briefly after landing awkwardly on his foot.
“It’s nothing serious,” said Jeffries, who sprained the ankle against Louisville on Feb. 9. “I feel as good as I’ve felt in awhile. This week I practiced an hour every night and rode the bike about 45 minutes. I focused on taking it easy on my ankle so it wouldn’t swell back up.”
Indiana coach Mike Davis said the ankle won’t heal completely until Jeffries is able to take a week off to rest it; something the Hoosiers can’t afford right now.