The 2014 Big Ten Tourney is here. Not in Chicago like last year, but moved back to Indianapolis. And the league is nowhere near as strong this year as it was last year. However, it promises to be very unpredictable and interesting. Anything can happen. Here’s our preview and predictions.
Let’s move on to the storylines. The stories within the story.
I’ve been covering the Big Ten Tourney for five years. And during that time I’ve been a lot of interesting stuff- the list is in no particular order.
– 2010 Former Chicago Prep teammates trash talk each other; Illini start the smack. Evan Turner ends it and sends the Illini to the NIT. This Big Ten Tourney semifinal loss to Ohio State
This is my all-time favorite Big Ten Tourney story, and it happened in the very first one that I covered. Demetri McCamey was considered the star at St. Joseph’s high school in Westchester. His teammate Evan Turner became the much better college basketball and NBA player however. The Illini, trying to help their NCAA Tournament chances had Turner, who by then swept all the national player of the year awards, on the ropes in this game.
They started talking trash. The Buckeyes came back, forced overtime and relegated the Illini to the NIT. Turner did some smack of his own. Here’s his version of what happened. In a video I shot which now has over 23,000 views
– 2012 Michigan St defeats Ohio State in #1 seed play-in game
The winner got the Big Ten tourney title, but more importantly a #1 seed in the big dance. As the brackets were announced just minutes after the celebration.
– 2011 Bo Ryan lights up kid from Minnesota who asked dumb question
The Big Ten tourney includes media who came just to cover their own team. It also includes media who stay regardless of whoever advances. A kid from the Minnesota daily was stuck the whole, even though the Gophers got bounced out in the first round. Desperate for a story for an angle he asked Ryan on Semifinal Saturday night about a recruiting battle from four four years ago in the state of Minnesota. hilarity ensued
– 2013 Bo Ryan gives surliest halftime interview ever to Tracy Wolfson. Enjoy below!
– 2010: Signature moment of the Big Ten Tournament: Evan Turner’s buzzer beater to beat arch-rival Michigan
ESPN is using this to sell “Championship week” Watch below
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also a frequent analyst on multiple news talk radio stations. The former NBC Chicago and Washington Times contributor has also been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows The Sports Bank on Twitter (@paulmbanks) you should too