For years, college football in the Midwest has struggled to keep up. Basketball, however, is where the region can flex its strength, and depth.
Four Big Ten teams reached the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, tying the conference with the Big East for the most survivors.
Amazingly, four Ohio-based teams are still playing: Ohio State (No. 2 seed in the East Regional), Cincinnati (No. 6 in East), Xavier (No. 10 in South) and Ohio University (No. 13 in Midwest).
According to the NCAA, this is the first time one state has produced as many as four teams in the round of 16.
O-H-I-O! Anyone?
As for the Big Ten, this matches its best showing since 1999, when it also sent four to the Sweet 16. Michigan State, the top seed in the West Regional, is joined by Ohio State, Indiana (No. 4 in the South) and Wisconsin (No. 4 in the East).
Purdue, the No. 10 seed in the Midwest, nearly made it five Big Ten teams by leading No. 2 seed Kansas most of the way before falling 63-60 on Sunday.
The Big Ten finished the regular season ranked No. 1 among conferences in most computer power rankings and is playing up to its reputation.
“I’m so proud of the league,” Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said. “I really think that the league has prepared us to play other people.”
Explanations for the Big Ten’s success include: 1) It’s a physical conference and game officials aren’t as quick to call fouls during the NCAA Tournament; 2) Big Ten teams stress defense more than other leagues; 3) Scoring is lower in the Big Ten and thus teams are accustomed to close games during NCAA play; 4) Coaches in the Big Ten are considered within the profession to be among the top masters of X’s and O’s; and 5) The Big Ten annually leads the country in attendance and its players aren’t as affected by the tournament environment as others might be.
Ohio University, a member of the Mid-American Conference, is making its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1964. Bobcats coach John Groce is a former assistant at Ohio State under Thad Matta. One of Ohio’s top players, guard Walter Offutt, began his college career at Ohio State. Offutt said he talks to his Ohio teammates about what it was like playing in the Big Ten. “When some of the guys are calling baby fouls or stuff like that, I say (more physical play) is what it’s like in the Big Ten,” he said.
Michigan State is near its seventh Final Four under coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans won the 2000 NCAA title and the common denominator, said current star Draymond Green (6-foot-7, 230 pounds), is toughness. It begins, he explained, before each season. “If a team (in the NCAA) wants to play dirty or just make it a physical game, that’s how we play all summer,” Green said.
Regional semifinals begin Thursday. Until then, the success of the Midwest will be the talk of the tournament.
And to think two of the Ohio-based teams, Xavier and Cincinnati, were all but counted out after each was forced to suspend multiple players following an on-court brawl during a Dec. 10 matchup between the city rivals.
“We were so far from the NCAA Tournament (then), we couldn’t see it with binoculars,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin recalled.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
