The only time in 96 years of basketball four teams tied for the Big Ten championship, was when Chicago went 4-8 in the league and Michigan State wasn't a member of the conference. \nIt's been 76 years since IU, Purdue, Michigan and Iowa all tallied 8-4 league records on their way to sharing the title four ways. \nThe drought that has lasted more than three-quarters of a century could come crashing down this weekend. \nWisconsin did its part Wednesday by beating Michigan and forcing No. 25 IU, No. 18 Ohio State and No. 15 Illinois -- all with 10-5 records, trailing Wisconsin by one-half game -- to win this weekend if they want a piece of the Big Ten crown. \nIU plays host to Northwestern and Ohio State treks to Michigan Saturday, while Illinois heads to Minnesota Sunday. \nHaving one league champion, much less four, with five losses is something that has happened only twice (IU in 1980 and 1983). \n"It's unusual," Illinois coach Bill Self said. "It's been a strange year in our league."\nOnly once in the five seasons the Big Ten has used a 16-game schedule has any team won an outright championship. Michigan State won the Big Ten with a 15-1 league record in 1999. In Big Ten history, three teams have shared the championship five times, and the crown has been split between two teams 21 times.\n"Our league is so jumbled," Self said. \nJust ask anyone trying to solve the Big Ten tiebreaking scheme. \nWisconsin's championship, its first since 1947 (the same year Badger coach Bo Ryan was born), gives the Badgers the No. 1 seed at the Big Ten Tournament, no matter what happens this weekend. If IU, Ohio State and Illinois all win and create a four-way championship, Ohio State will be the No. 2 seed, Illinois the No. 3 seed and IU the No. 4 seed. \nThe tiebreaker for a multiple-team tie uses each team's record against the teams with which it is tied. Wisconsin is 3-1 against IU, Ohio State and Illinois, giving it the top seed. Ohio State is 2-2 against Wisconsin, IU and Illinois, giving it the No. 2 seed. Illinois and IU are both 2-3 against the three teams they're tied with. \nBecause IU and Illinois both have the same record against the other top teams, the next line in the tiebreaker uses overall record against NCAA Division-I opponents. Illinois is 22-7; IU is 17-10, giving the No. 3 seed to the Fighting Illini. \nIf Wisconsin, IU and Ohio State tie for the title, OSU would get the No. 2 seed and IU the No. 3. \nIf Wisconsin, IU and Illinois tie for first, Illinois would get the No. 2 seed and IU the No. 3. \nIf Wisconsin, Ohio State and Illinois tie for the top spot, OSU would get the No. 2 seed and Illinois the No. 3. \nThe cluttered standings and even records have led many to criticize the Big Ten, but many coaches aren't buying it. \n"When the games go as they've gone, people tend to think that the league's down," Penn State coach Jerry Dunn said. "(But teams) are playing well."
Defensive effort\nIU coach Mike Davis has been campaigning all season for senior guard Dane Fife to win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award. He kept that up this week, adding junior forward Jeff Newton to the mix. \nFife has company for the award, mainly stemming from Minnesota forward Travarus Bennett, for whom Purdue coach Gene Keady said he would vote. Davis is stuck on Fife but said Bennett is a close second. \n"I have to go with Dane Fife," Davis said. "He guards people. He does all the things that you can do to be a good defender."\nThe only Hoosier to win the honor, which began in 1984, was Greg Graham in 1993. Last season, Ohio State center Ken Johnson picked up the award, giving Davis reason for his backing of Newton. \n"I think Jeff Newton should be in there," Davis said. "He's a big-time shot blocker. Last year, people voted Ken Johnson just because he blocked shots."
Incoming All-Americans \nFive of the 24 McDonald's All-Americans announced this week are headed to Big Ten schools. \nShooting guard Bracey Wright (The Colony, Texas) is headed to IU. Michigan State has inked two stars, power forward Paul Davis (Rochester, Mich.) and center DeAngelo Collins (New Lenox, Ill.).\nMichigan has signed shooting guard Daniel Horton (Cedar Hill, Texas) and Illinois point guard Dee Brown (Maywood, Ill.). \nBloomington North forward Sean May is the only representative of Indiana on the list and is one of three All-Americans headed to North Carolina, joining point guard Raymond Felton (Latta, S.C.) and shooting guard Rashad McCants (New Hampton, N.H.).
