Illinois\nA one-point win over Ohio State Sunday evening put the Fighting Illini on top of the Big Ten, where they take sole possession in the conference. Illinois' (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) only Big Ten losses came to Purdue at home and on the road at Northwestern and Wisconsin. \nIn his first year at Illinois, Bruce Weber was able to lead the team right into the NCAA Tournament and give the Illini the Big Ten title.\nIllinois ended its season with a 10-game winning streak, the longest of any Big Ten team this season.
Iowa\nFormer IU player Steve Alford concluded his fifth year coaching at Iowa. The Hawkeyes had a surprise season at 16-11 overall, 9-7 in the Big Ten. Perhaps the Hawkeyes' biggest win of the season was Saturday at Purdue, when they upset Boilermakers by one point in West Lafayette. \nSophomore guard Jeff Horner tied the Iowa school record for three-point field goal percentage in a game when he made all six of his attempts in Iowa's win over Penn State.
Indiana\nWhat started out as a five-game winning streak in the Big Ten, following its first conference loss of the season at Wisconsin, ended with a 13-14, 7-9 Big Ten record, with five losses coming at home. \nIn February at Purdue, IU lost sophomore forward Sean Kline to a knee injury that kept him out for the remainder of the season. For the first time since the 1969-1970 season, the Hoosiers have a losing record.
Michigan\nThe Wolverines are 17-10, 8-8 this season entering the Big Ten Tournament. \nMichigan began the Big Ten season with only two losses and lost only two conference games at home to IU and Michigan State. \nMichigan won one road game this season at Penn State.\nThe big win for Michigan this season was a home victory over Wisconsin.
Michigan State \nMSU (17-10, 12-4) had what some call the toughest non-league schedule in the country, playing Kansas, Duke, Kentucky and Syracuse. \nSkeptics wrote off the Spartans after a 5-6 start before the Big Ten season. \nThe Spartans opened up their conference season with a loss on the road to Wisconsin and ended it with a home loss to the Badgers in a game that denied them the Big Ten title. MSU put together winning streaks of three, four and five to finish tied for second in the Big Ten.
Minnesota\nThe Gophers (11-17, 3-13), no question, had a rough season. Even with standout freshman forward Kris Humphries, Minnesota was only able to pull off three conference wins -- two at home, one each against Michigan and Penn State, and one on the road at IU.\nMinnesota played in two overtime contests, each of which they lost at home to IU and Michigan. \nThe Gophers won their last game against Penn State to tie themselves with the Nittany Lions for last place in the conference.
Penn State\nThe Nittany Lions (9-18, 3-13) have lost 24 consecutive road games in the Big Ten. Their three home victories in the conference this season came against Northwestern, Ohio State and Minnesota. \nPenn State lost its last 10 games of the Big Ten season and finished in last place in the Big Ten tied with Minnesota.\n \nPurdue\nThe Boilermakers were one of a few teams this year that struggled at home. Purdue lost four home games this season -- one each to Ohio State, Northwestern, Illinois and most recently by one point to Iowa. \nPurdue coach Gene Keady is in his 24th year of coaching the Boilermakers and has led the team to six Big Ten titles. \nPurdue finished the regular season 17-12 and the Big Ten season 7-9, tied in conference wins with IU.
Wisconsin\nThe Badgers (21-6, 12-4) started off the Big Ten season winning six of their first seven games, the one loss coming at Purdue. Wisconsin then went on to lose three games, one each to Northwestern, Illinois and Michigan. \nWisconsin's final victory in the Big Ten season came at IU, where they secured second place in the Big Ten.\nBadger guard Devin Harris is the second leading scorer in the conference and is considered among the premier perimeter players in the nation.
Northwestern\nThe Wildcats finished the regular season 13-14, 8-8 in the Big Ten. The team finished the season strong with wins over Iowa and Michigan.\nIn February, the Wildcats upset No. 14 Wisconsin at home and then picked up their next win at Purdue.\nNorthwestern lost one home game this season to Michigan State.\nNU tied for fourth in Big Ten at the end of the regular season with Michigan.
Ohio State\nThe Buckeyes had only one road win in their 14-15, 6-10 Big Ten season, and it came against Purdue. OSU suffered home losses to IU, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa and lost their final home game to Illinois by one point Sunday.\nThe team's big road win was by six points against Purdue. The Buckeyes won two other road games -- one each against Indiana and Minnesota.\nOSU finished the season in sixth place in the Big Ten.\n-- Contact staff writer Natalie A. Trout at natrout@indiana.edu.
