Indiana University won the Big 10 Basketball Championship outright for the first time in many years as Cory Zeller’s soft layup with only seconds left in the game passed smoothly through the basket. Trey Burke quickly took the ball down court and made his shot…..which rolled and bounced around the rim of the hoop for what seemed to be a very long time before finally falling outside, no basket.
Since way back in early February, Michigan’s Trey Burke and Indiana’s Victor Oladipo have been running neck and neck in the national press polls predicting which one would become the Big 10 &/or the National Player of the Year. In truth, it could have gone either way. These guys are two of the best in the country, regardless of the division they play in.
Last week on Monday, the Big Ten announced that Trey Burke was the leagues’ Player of the year. In a recent CBS Readers Poll 55% of the almost 10,000 folks responding thought that Victor Oladipo should have been the Big 10 Player of the Year.
Coming up next, we have the National Player of the Year Award and, once again, both Burke and Oladipo are both front runners.
According to Michael Rothstein’s straw poll released last week, Burke came in first with Oladipo and Georgetown’s Otto Porter breathing down his neck at second and third. CBS Sports predicts similar results. Of course, these predictions both came out before Oladipo and the Hoosiers beat Burke and the Wolverines for the Big Ten Title.
It remains to be seen if Michigan’s hit and miss performances during the last five games of the season will affect Burke’s chances for the national title. It could very well go to Oladipo or even to Otto Porter who has had a stellar year with the Hoyas.
Indiana and Michigan could possibly have a re-match during the Big 10 Tournament this week if Michigan beats Penn State and Wisconsin in their first two games and the Hoosiers, who have a bye in the first round, will face the winner of the Illinois vs. Minnesota game. Of course, Indiana will also have to win that game, but then, yes, the re-match is possible. We can’t wait.
Trey Burke and Victor Oladipo are both exciting young basketball players and their futures in the NBA are shining brightly these days.
