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The two-day Big Ten/ACC Challenge tips off Tuesday evening. With Syracuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame joining the ACC, that conference is trying to stake its claim as the best in the country. Last year, the challenge finished in a 6-6 tie but here are my predictions for the 2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
It’s never too early to start thinking ahead. Here is an a very early projection of the 2014 NCAA Tournament Bracketology. You will notice on the Bracket Matrix grades that The Sports Bank’s bracketology has been more accurate than ESPN’s Joe Lunardi three of the past four years. Be sure to check back at The Sports Bank throughout the college basketball season for weekly updates.
UPDATED: 12/2/13
It’s been a rough year for Illini football. It’s been an even rougher year for Purdue. Both of these schools are tradition rich in college basketball; both have been Big Ten powers year in and year out on the hardwood. On the gridiron, not so much. The biggest story surrounding Illini football right now is whether or not Tim Beckman will keep his job at the end of the year.
The biggest story surrounding Purdue football is how the found the end zone finally. Actually, they spent a lot of time without even finding the red zone.
Why am I previewing Illini football versus Purdue? Uhm, cuz I have to go, I guess? Why would I do a game preview on this pillow fight? Maybe because of the fun of the unintentional comedy
The 2014 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be way more loaded than the 2013 group. Be prepared for ongoing discussion all season long as to who will be the first overall pick with Andrew Wiggins from Kansas, Kentucky’s Julius Randle, and Duke’s Jabari Parker all possibilities.
Here is The Sports Bank’s 2014 NBA Mock Draft where team needs and outstanding trades have NOT been taken into account with this second round. By the way, The Sports Bank had the most accurate NBA Mock Draft in both 2011 and 2012 along with the second most accurate mock in 2013.
The 2014 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be way more loaded than the 2013 group. Be prepared for ongoing discussion all season long as to who will be the first overall pick with Andrew Wiggins from Kansas, Kentucky’s Julius Randle, and Duke’s Jabari Parker all possibilities.
Here is The Sports Bank’s 2014 NBA Mock Draft where team needs and outstanding trades have been taken into account. By the way, The Sports Bank had the most accurate NBA Mock Draft in both 2011 and 2012 along with the second most accurate mock in 2013. [Read more...]
College football season begins tomorrow night! The first full slate of full games follows two days later. In the spirit of the season, we present the ten best rivalries in the game, and give you the corresponding date to circle on your calendar.
This is a football centric list, but we have the best college basketball rivalries on here as well.
This is from Matt Lindner, Guest Columnist, Purdue alum, and Purdue football fan
While grossly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, the narrative of sport has a tendency to mirror the narrative of our lives at times.
Which is why, as the final seconds ticked down of Purdue football’s 38-14 loss to Iowa on Saturday afternoon, I was reminded not of my halcyon days as an undergraduate in West Lafayette but rather a particularly nasty fight my then-live in girlfriend and I had more than four years ago.
“Go do something that makes you happy tonight,” she said to me in exasperation after the two of us had spent hours hurling all sorts of invective at one another. After all the arrows had been slung, there was nothing left to say, and she was ready to give up.
I think I’ve finally reached that point with Purdue football.
Purdue Boilermakers forward Travis Carroll has an interesting nickname, and an interesting backstory to how he earned that nickname. Because nicknames can only be earned, you cannot give yourself one. (As George Costanza and “Seinfeld” taught us) And “Tacos,” as Travis Carroll is known is well aware of his nickname and how he earned it. I talked about “Tacos” with Travis Carroll at Big Ten Media Day.
Big Ten basketball season cannot get here fast enough. Especially for someone like me, who covers two college football teams, Northwestern and Illinois who are #10 and #11 in everybody’s conference power rankings. Then again college basketball season is always something that never gets here soon enough for me. I prefer college hoops over college football.
The two times I went on spring break in college I don’t recall anything about the partying I did in Cancun or Key West, but I can tell you the exact score of the 2001 Michigan State versus Penn State Big Ten Tournament game. I don’t remember the names of any of the girls I hooked up with on spring break, whether they were hot or ugly or mediocre. Or even if they were any good in bed. They probably were as refined and classy as the lovely young ladt pictured above I’m sure. But I vividly remember the Maryland vs Duke ACC Quarterfinal game that went into double-overtime.
The point is, even paying hundreds of dollars to go escape the winter chill and enjoy the alcohol and sunshine; I was still more into watching college basketball.
Two-time All-American Robbie Hummel has had a career that should be narrated by Jim Nantz. He’s quite an interesting story, and now it’s an inspirational/feel good story. He made the Minnesota Timberwolves roster, quite an achievement given all that he’s overcome to get there. Granted the T’Wolves are anything but contenders in the NBA Western Conference, but still, Robbie Hummel is in the league.
Hummel, and fellow Purdue Boilermakers E’Twaun Moore and Carl Landry are all on NBA rosters to start the season. Former Boiler JaJuan Johnson is out of the league.
Welcome to The Sports Bank’s fourth annual college basketball season preview series where we break 111 teams in the 111 days leading up to the opening tip-off of the 2013-2014 season. We will rank the 84 power conference teams (including the new Big East and American Athletic Conferences) and top 27 mid-majors in reverse power ranking order. We’ll break down rosters, transfers, incoming freshmen, non-conference schedules, and pick a player to watch for each team.
The Purdue Boilermakers streak of six straight trips to the NCAA Tournament ended last season as they finished with a losing record for the first time since Matt Painter’s first year as head coach. The Boilers should be slightly improved this year but with another stacked Big Ten Conference, a return to the tourney is in sight but far from a given.
With literally half the Big Ten on bye this week, it was up to the Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers to carry the flag against the MAC in two match-ups. Both were extremely lopsided. One went in favor of the Big Ten, Illinois CRUSHING Miami of Ohio 50-14. The other most certainly did not (Purdue Boilermakers giving up a Ross-Ade Stadium record 55 points, while putting up just 24 of their own) Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch got off to 14-15 for 166 and 2 TDs start, and never looked back.
Lynch burned the Boilers over and over with his arm, while Purdue was most concerned about “Lynch for 6″ torching them Since Rob Henry was so terribly ineffective (5-16, 2 picks, 130 yards) for them, the Purdue Boilermakers burned the redshirt of quarterback Danny Etling. [Read more...]
