By Tom Lewis (SBNation.com) --  Technically, when No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes (15-3, 3-2) host No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers (15-2, 3-2) on Sunday, the national TV audience will be treated to a top ten college basketball matchup. But what looked to be an epic rematch between two top teams at Value City Arena has turned into a desperation game with each team looking to hold their ground in the Big Ten standings after both teams added a conference loss ... Read More

By: Robert Pace (BleacherReport.com) -- Ohio State (15-3; 3-2) was upset Tuesday night for the second time to receive their second Big Ten loss. With a spectacular performance from Illinois' Brandon Paul, who scored 43 points, the Fighting Illini upset the Buckeyes in Champaign 79-74. The Buckeyes were also upset by Indiana in their second Big Ten game, losing 74-70 on the Hoosiers' home court. So, what lies ahead for the Buckeyes' Big Ten hopes after they have fallen twice on the ... Read More

By: AP via ESPN.com -- CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Brandon Paul awoke from a nap Tuesday to a text from Illinois coach Bruce Weber. The message was simple: It's your night. Weber couldn't have known how right he was. Paul scored a career-high 43 -- the third best scoring performance in Illinois basketball history -- to lead the Illini (15-3, 4-1) past the No. 5 Buckeyes 79-74. The most important of Paul's shots was an off-balance 3-pointer that, with 43 ... Read More

Rob McCurdy (lancastereaglegazette.com) -- COLUMBUS -- The Buckeyes slipped on a banana peel at Indiana, and before the end of the regular season there are likely to be more pratfalls. It comes with the growing pains of a young team. Ohio State coach Thad Matta knows this. Talent and depth only go so far, especially in a Big Ten that has four other teams ranked in the Top 25 (Michigan State, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin) and two more lurking (Purdue ... Read More

By: Mark Tupper(Herald-Review.com) --  With Sam Maniscalco expected to sit for the third straight game Tuesday, it would take a minor miracle for the Illini to ambush Ohio State at the Assembly Hall. Or, as Bruce Weber said Monday, "We need a Bronco win. We need a Tebow experience." Now that Jared Sullinger appears to be in good health again, Illinois is going to have a big, big job accounting for the Buckeye offense that comes from every direction. Weber did not declare Maniscalco ... Read More

From: OhioStateBuckeyes.com -- Sophomore Aaron Craft is among 20 candidates for the Bob Cousy Award after the list was trimmed from an initial pool of 60 candidates. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in college basketball. This current list of candidates will be narrowed down to a final 10 by Feb. 1 and final five by March 1. Craft currently leads the Buckeyes in assists (86) and ... Read More

By Jeffrey Bathe (BleacherReport.com) -- The Big Ten got 10 bowl bids this season, matching the most ever received by a conference in one season. Unfortunately, like the Big East last March Madness, more bids does not mean that the conference will thrive. While having the most bids is an impressive feat, there are four reasons why the conference ended up with the most embarrassing bowl season on record.   Bottom Half of the Conference In a bowl era where ... Read More

By: Henry Brown (BleacherReport.com) -- It has been 12 years since the Big Ten conference has had anyone sit atop the final rankings in college basketball. Not since the 1999-2000 season has a member of the nation's oldest intercollegiate conference won a national title. That team was Michigan State. Since then, the basketball power conference has taken a backseat as the ACC, SEC, Big East and Big 12 have all won national titles. However, the Big Ten may finally be back. Last weekend, Big Ten ... Read More

From: AP via ESPN.com -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State asked for and received NCAA approval to exceed the limit of football coaches on staff through the Buckeyes' bowl game. The existing staff, under Luke Fickell, will prepare the Buckeyes on the field in the days leading up to and including their Gator Bowl game against Florida on Jan. 2. Then there is incoming coach Urban Meyer, who will handle only recruiting while hiring his own ... Read More

By: Bud Elliot (SBNation.com) -- Wednesday night I was fortunate enough to chat with Tyler T. of Along The Olentangy, the excellent Ohio State site on the SB Nation network. Our main topic of conversation was, of course, Urban Meyer. And specifically Urban's plan to recruit at Ohio State. And it's safe to say that Tyler believes Meyer is going to be a major hit. "Meyer is bringing that SEC aggressiveness that hasn't been seen in the Big Ten. And I think he'll have immediate ... Read More