I’m fairly confident that there is going to be a Big Ten team in the Final Four. There isn’t a lot of depth there this year, but they have three very good teams at the top. I’m not sure which one of the teams is going to be the finalists, but we got a pretty good hint of what could happen today when Purdue headed to Michigan State and emerged with a very convincing win. They won the game by 12 thanks to a monster performance from E’Twaun Moore. Kalin Lucas didn’t start for the Spartans, but he did play 29 minutes, so they can’t use that as an excuse. Purdue unquestionably staked a claim atop the conference with the win. They’ve faltered down the stretch the last couple of years as they have had key bodies wear down. They seem reasonably healthy this year, so they will be fun to watch. They have the advantage of playing the Final Four very close to home in Indianapolis if they make it, so that stands as an added incentive. It will also be a huge incentive that the team knows that if they don’t get there this year then they won’t for a while because next year will certainly be a rebuilding year.

I like a lot of what Charlotte has done this year. They aren’t an elite NBA squad by any means, but they are at .500 and comfortably in a playoff spot, and that is far more than anyone expected from them coming into the season. They have recognized that they need some inside size, and I certainly can’t argue with that. What I don’t like, though, is that they are reportedly close to pulling the trigger on a trade that would see them get Glen Davis from Boston. Davis has been lousy this year, and he’s been more drama and ridiculousness than he is worth – by far. Larry Brown has a very good thing going with that team right now, and I certainly wouldn’t want to see them add a player that has the potential to disrupt what  is going on.