Big. Ten. Champs. (Still)

A conference race that looked -- at least with 3 games left -- like it might come down to the last game of the season ended in a rout. After beating Purdue in East Lansing last Sunday the Spartans padded the outright conference title margin, winning by 4 games over 2nd place Illinois.

Senior night ended with a convincing win, hugs all around, and a new tradition post game. Best of all? The team "hung a damn banner."

Each of the seniors had their moment, their chance to kiss the S (and Ibok had 2 chances). Each player was presented with a framed jersey during the postgame program and given an opportunity to address the crowd.

This week Travis Walton was named B10 Defensive Player of the Year, Izzo B10 Coach of the Year, and Kalin Lucas B10 Player of the Year. Suton was 2nd team all conference and the top rebounder. Roe was voted to the all freshman team. The Spartans enter the tournament this weekend as the #1 seed, playing Friday morning against the winner of Minnesota v Northwestern. Pending the outcome of that game I will be leaving after work to see the Saturday games in Indy. You can never be sure what will happen in the B10 tournament. Often teams with little to gain in the way of seeding will, rather than risk injury or fatigue, bow out early.
Then the real tournament begins. Pardon me, Kenny Rogers, but March is My Favorite Time of the Year. Simply put:

Hopefully this is just one of three tophyies to enter the display case by seasons end.