Tom Izzo has tied Bob Knight for more career Big Ten wins.

As has always been the case, winning, particularly winning to such a magnitude takes a lot of sacrifice – some comfortable, some not so much.

But there’s no arguing it is an achievement, and one that looked doubtful to happen on Saturday until a freshman took over.

Every Michigan State flaw was on display and amplified with Michigan State’s lead play maker, Jeremy Fears, out with a stomach bug. Also, Xavier Booker out with the stomach bug.

But that’s nothing to how upsetting to the stomach Oregon played in the second half.

A double-digit first half lead turned into a double-digit loss by Oregon, 86-74.

Oregon turned every Michigan State turnover in the first half into points, but in the second, it showed every flaw in its own offense. There’s not a team more prepared to make Michigan State’s offense look like a well oiled machine. Oregon’s defense was put in a vice in the second half, and then it started to turn the handle itself to make it even tighter.

For Michigan State, Jase Richardson, the prodigal son, got his first start and went for a bananas 29 points on 9 of 13 shooting and 8 of 9 from the free throw line. It was the exact offensive explosion a team void of go to guys needed.

Was his outburst good enough to break through Izzo’s stubborness and starting rotaiton going forward or will it all be back to normal when the Spartans’ tummies clear up?

Is there anything more disrespectful than beating a team and then having to half disown any interest in coaching them next year while the current coach is still around?

Well, Dusty Mays did his best to do that while still being a delightful, liked gentleman of scholar and hoops at Michigan.

Indiana looked like crap, then came back, then looked like crap, and then made it close before ultimately collapsing in on itself at the end of a 70-67 loss at home to the Wolverines.

Hard to say the Wolverines looked great, but this game is really going to come down to Mays after game press conference where he was asked about the IU job. Which, I get, it’s an impossible question to entertain. He went all the way to good guy, aw schucks with it, but it also wasn’t as definitely no as I would have expected. His roots are with the Hoosiers as a manager, and while he does coach for a school with a lot of money, great buildings and equipment, and stuff like that, it’s also a school that is offering $12 tickets for the #7 Purdue Boilermakers ticket on Tuesday which will be a matchup of two of the three teams with two losses in the conference.

I’ll be honest, I think IU is a way overrated job, and couldn’t imagine answering to IU fans everyday, but you’re also always going to be second fiddle at Michigan. Then again, Michigan’s had a LOT more success that Indiana in the last two decades. Maybe it’s the best of both worlds – success without expectation.

Anywho, Woodson has now said he will resign, but refuses to answer questions about it or talk to media, proving once again he just doesn’t understand the duty of a college coach and remains one of the worst hires in big time college basketball history. The Big Ten will be better for him leaving IU.

People really want to believe in Illinois I guess. Illinois handled Minnesota on the road, 95, 74, and Will Riley was terrific – 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists good.

Generally, not gonna get that excited personally about beating Minnesota, but some people are asking if Illinois is back. The one good thing you can say about this game is that Illinois was 9 of 16 from three. Illinois’ offense has been insanely three-point centric to the detriment of its skillset and record.

But Illinois is starting to look a lot like a front runner team to me.

Let’s hold judgment on their return until after they go through the end of season gauntlet they having coming up.

Kudos to Iowa, continuing to fight after losing Owen Freeman for the season.

74-63 is a lie of a final score. Iowa was in it till late till Wisconsin pulled away in the final couple minutes.

John Blackwell continues to be great and Wisconsin will get a week to rest and prep before coming to Mackey Arena to take on the Boilers. Wisconsin isn’t really in the picture in the Big Ten, but it has games against Purdue and Michigan State still so it can have a hand in its own destiny.

UCLA dominated Penn State, 78-54, and I’ll be honest, I went to the gym because the entire day from noon to midnight was filled with Big Ten games.

UCLA is at a deficit with conference record, but it’s hard to argue it isn’t looking like one of if not the most complete team in the Big Ten. (If you ignore offense.)

Northwestern’s season is officially cursed. Announced this week, the Wildcats lose another starter for the rest of the season with Jalen Leach out with an ACL injury. He joins Brooks Barnhizer as gone for the year for Chris Collins.

Speaking of gone, Collins got yeeted out of the Northwestern-Washington showdown in the first half by official Mr. High Knees hiimself. High Knees has officially replaced Courtney Greene as the most problematic official in the Big Ten.

Officiating in general is a plague on the Big Ten. Not sure there’s any real avenue of improvement, but it’d be one thing all 18 teams could agree on. It’d probably help to stop sending officials from west to east coast on back to back nights. Just one guy’s opinion.

Anyways, Washington wins 76-71 over a depleted Northwestern team.

For those sports hungry addicts, Maryland will play host to Rutgers and Nebraska will host Ohio State tomorrow starting at noon and then going at two o’clock on the Big Ten Network.

Both should be good games. Dylan Harper made Rutgers look like world beaters in their last game and Maryland has been one of the Big Ten’s hottest teams but has to make ammends for an upset loss to Ohio State in its last game. Should be a good showdown.

Ohio State goes into Nebraska, not an easy place to win, and Ohio State needs to handle business against lower ranked teams to stay in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament.

Lot of NBA talent in these two games. Should be a good one.