The Final Score - Your source for Big Ten Sports

Cream rising to the top…
The cream is rising to the top in the Big Ten. Wisconsin and Ohio State are the class of the league, with Indiana nipping at their heals. Michigan has a chance to prove whether or not it belongs with a huge week that entails road trips to Madison and Bloomington. Michigan State is on a little roll but after a midweek visit from Minnesota, the Spartans play Ohio State twice in a week with Illinois sandwiched in between. Home teams sputtered a bit more last week (5-4) and are now 20-8 (.714) this Big Ten season.

On another level, the cream rose to the top in the NFL over the weekend when the Bears rolled the Saints and the Colts finally shook the gorilla that was the Patriots from their backs. Should make for a fun to watch Super Bowl with many story lines. I was growing up in Indiana, a Bears fan, when the Colts moved in on the sly from Baltimore. This was my pick for the Super Bowl when the playoffs started. Indy 27 – Chicago 24 – Vinateri does it again!

Team of the week…
Wisconsin just keeps taking the best shots of its opponents and just keeps on winning. Last week it was a hard fought win at home over a game Purdue squad, followed by a battle in Champaign. Tough to pick against UW until they cool off, and I just don’t see that happening anytime soon.

On the rise…
Michigan and Michigan State. The Wolverines are a solid 4-1 right now, but have had the benefit of three of the first five at home. Michigan State has won three straight after a tough start (0-2).

In need of some “Ws”…
Minnesota. The Golden Gophers got taken to the woodshed – twice – at home last week, including a loss to previously winless in the Big Ten Northwestern.

Player of the Week…
It’s always tough to argue against the pick from BigTen.org (this week it was D.J. White) but I’m going to go with the 28-point, 5 assist, 1 turnover performance of Drew Neitzel in what was a near perfect road win for the Spartans (Marquise Gray and Goran Suton also combined to shoot 13 of 14).

This Week’s Schedule:
Jan. 23 – Indiana at Illinois
Jan. 24 – Minnesota at Michigan State
Jan. 24 – Michigan at Wisconsin
Jan. 24 – Ohio State at Northwestern
Jan. 24 – Penn State at Iowa
Jan. 27 – Michigan at Indiana
Jan. 27 – Penn State at Minnesota
Jan. 27 – Illinois at Purdue (Tiebreaker)
Jan. 27 – Michigan State at Ohio State
Jan. 28 – Wisconsin at Iowa

Get Gamm Basketball Standings
Yours truly got nine wins for the week, three others had eight and our leader, Buckeye Nation, invested heavily in the home teams and got burned.

1 - Gamm: 33-9 (.786) – 2 GG Wins
2 - Buckeye Nation: 32-10 (.762) – 1 GG Win
3 - PUFan: 31-11 (.738)
4 - Dan Meyer: 30-12 (.714) - 1 GG Win
5 - phatsdawg: 29-13 (.690)