Some thoughts for the week:
• I really enjoy watching the contrast in styles when Northwestern and Michigan play other teams in the Big Ten or in nonconference games. But when they play each other, it can be like pulling teeth. The same would be true if either of those teams played Oregon State. The Princeton style and principles are really interesting, but it is hardly thrilling for 40 minutes. That said, some of the Big Ten games this year have been a lot worse.
• Big Ten games can really turn into grinders. But when Big Ten teams play out of conference or in the NCAA tournament, they seem to score easier and more often. If the league wants to have better games, the officials have to be able to call the bumping and chucking of cutters. In the Michigan-Northwestern game, Michigan was on the floor for a loose ball and gained possession of it. Then a Northwestern player hustled to get on the floor, and laid out right on top of the Michigan player. The officials ultimately called a held ball, but should have called a foul on Northwestern. The hustle is admirable, but you cannot just lie on another player without it being called a foul.
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Jay Bilas
College Basketball analyst- College basketball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Insider
- Played and coached at Duke
- Practicing attorney
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Jay Bilas
Jay Bilas provides expert color commentary from courtside on college basketball games and serves as a studio analyst and as the co-host of ESPN's popular studio shows "College GameDay" and "College Gamenight." He also writes for ESPN.com and contributes numerous reports for "SportsCenter." Since 2003, Bilas has provided in-depth player scouting and analysis for ESPN's coverage of the NBA draft.
