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Bid Now on a Basketball Signed by 1960 National Championship Team Members
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Former Buckeye Dick LeBeau to be Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
Cornerback for Detriot Lions had 62 career interceptions, becomes eighth Buckeye enshrinee
Buckeyes in the Big One ...
Santonio Holmes stole the show in last year's Super Bowl, here's a look at more notable Buckeye performances in the Big Game in its early years
Ohio State Football 2010 Signees
Eighteen of the nation's top high school football players have signed to play at The Ohio State University, Coach Jim Tressel announced this afternoon.
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Big Ten notes: Conference title chase heats up
RACE FOR SUPREMACY: With just four weeks remaining in the Big Ten regular season, six teams are above .500 in the conference standings, with Michigan State holding a one-game advantage at 9-2. Three teams are knotted at 8-3 for second place in Illinois, Ohio State and Wisconsin. Purdue sits alone in fifth place with a 7-3 mark. Things heat up in the race this week when No. 10/10 Michigan State hosts No. 6/6 Purdue. A Spartan win could push them 2.5 games ahead of the Boilermakers. Tied at 8-3, Illinois travels to Wisconsin, as one team will gain the edge and pull ahead in the race. BADGER PROWESS: Wisconsin is the only team in the country that has beaten two AP top-five teams. The Badgers handed then-No. 4 Purdue its first loss of the season on Jan. 9 and last week, knocked off then-No. 5 and undefeated in conference play, Michigan State. Wisconsin is 5-2 against the Associated Press Top 25 this season and tied for second in the nation with the most wins vs. foes ranked in the AP poll. Georgetown is the only team in the nation with more wins (6). The Badgers are tied with Syracuse and Duke. The Badgers are tied with Georgetown in wins versus the top 10 with three to rank second in the nation behind only Syracuse (4). ARDUOUS TASK: Four Big Ten teams are among the nation's most-battle tested, playing seven or more games this season against AP Top 25 opponents. Ohio State has met eight foes this season ranked in the top 25. This tally is best in the nation along with Georgetown and Marquette. Michigan, Northwestern and Wisconsin have each played seven ranked opponents to date for second nationally with Duke, Seton Hall and Texas A&M. TURNING HEADS: Ohio State's Evan Turner is currently among the top two in points, rebounds and assists in the Big Ten. If Turner's numbers stand, he could become the only player in Big Ten history to finish in the top three in each category since assists became an official stat during the 1983-84 season. The Buckeye junior is averaging 19.7 points per game (1st), 9.4 rebounds (1st) and 5.7 assists (2nd). Only five players in Big Ten history have finished in the top 10 of those categories since 1983-84, including both Turner and Michigan's Manny Harris last season. No Division I player has achieved those minimums since at least 1996-97. The only player in NBA history to match those numbers in a season was Wilt Chamberlain, who did so in both the 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons. INSTANT IMPACT: Northwestern's Drew Crawford is among only four freshman in the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC who is averaging at least 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. The first-year Wildcat is averaging 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists while logging 27.7 minutes per game. THIS IS OUR HOUSE: Three teams enter the week undefeated at home in Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Spartans will put their steak on the line Tuesday night when they host Purdue. Wisconsin welcomes two opponents to the Kohl Center this week as they look to remain perfect at home. Ohio State will keep its streak in tact for at least one more week, as the Buckeyes hit the road for contests Wednesday and Sunday. The Badgers and Spartans are tied with the seventh-longest active streak in the NCAA. The duo also have the longest active home streaks in the Big Ten at 18 games. Ohio State's steak of 17 home wins is good for ninth in the nation. 3O'S THE MAGIC NUMBER: Ohio State's Evan Turner scored 32 points in the Buckeyes' win over Iowa on Sunday. The performance marked his second and the 12th time this season for a Big Ten player. Turner joins Mike Tisdale (ILL), Maurice Creek (IND), Drew Crawford (NU), John Shurna (NU), Michael Thompson (NU), David Lighty (OSU) and Robbie Hummel (PUR) as all scoring 30 or more points this season. A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN: Penn State's Talor Battle is second in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per contest and one of 16 active players in Division I to record 1,300 points, 400 rebounds and 350 assists. The junior guard has recorded 1,391 career points, 433 rebounds and 376 assists to check in as the only non-senior among the 16 to accomplish this feat. THE ROARING 20s: Michigan State and Purdue are both one win shy of recording their 20th victory of the season. The Spartans host the Boilermakers Tuesday night. If Michigan State is victorious, it will mark the 18th 20-win season all-time for the Spartans and 10th in the last 12 years. If Purdue wins the contest, the Boilermakers will have their 22nd 20-win season in school history, and fourth under head coach Matt Painter.

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Michigan State's Lucas questionable for Purdue
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- It's still not clear when injured Michigan State point guard Kalin Lucas will re-enter a suddenly wide open Big Ten race. Lucas could play when No. 10 Michigan State hosts No. 6 Purdue on Tuesday, Spartans coach Tom Izzo says. But Izzo worries how a still-sprained ankle might limit the jet-quick guard. "It is completely up in the air, still," Izzo said Monday. "I think he feels more like he's going to be able to play some. ... He's getting treatments almost all day long in between classes. It's improving." But Izzo is uncertain about Lucas's status in large part because speed is a key part of his game. If a tender ankle makes it difficult for Lucas to cut or get up and down the court, it may not be worth the risk of aggravating the injury at this point in the season. Michigan State (19-5, 9-2 Big Ten) has a one-game lead in the conference over Wisconsin, Ohio State and Illinois. Purdue (19-3, 7-3) -- entering the showdown on a five-game winning streak -- is close behind. The Spartans have lost back-to-back games at Wisconsin and Illinois after starting the Big Ten season with nine straight wins. Lucas was injured during the loss to Wisconsin and missed the Illinois game. He leads the team in scoring at nearly 16 points per game and is the team's most reliable player in clutch, late-game situations. "We're hoping Kalin is back," forward Draymond Green said. "We're pretty confident he will be. Kalin is a warrior." If Lucas does play, he might also help the Spartans cut down on turnovers. Michigan State committed 18 turnovers in their 78-73 loss to the Illini on Saturday. "To be a championship team, we can't turn the ball over like that," Green said. "We know that." Izzo is looking for Raymar Morgan and Durrell Summers to be more consistent scorers, especially if Lucas is going to be out of the lineup. Morgan and Summers, who each average nearly 11 points per game, combined for 19 points against Illinois. Purdue has been rolling since losing three straight in mid-January. The Boilermakers' winning streak includes victories at Illinois and Indiana, and unlike Michigan State, Purdue has limited its turnovers. The Boilermakers commit five fewer turnovers a game than their opponents, one of the better margins in the nation. The Boilermakers average 75 points per contest, led by E'Twaun Moore at 17 points per game. Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson also average scoring in double figures.

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Big Ten NFL roundup
Click here to see our NFL roundup.

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NU sends reeling Indiana to 78-61 defeat
EVANSTON, Ill. -- John Shurna led five Northwestern players in double figures with 16 points Sunday as the Wildcats defeated Indiana 78-61 for their first three-game winning streak against the Hoosiers in eight decades. Luka Mirkovic added 14 points and Jeremy Nash 13 for Northwestern (16-7, 5-6 Big Ten), which is only one victory from the single-season school record set in 1982-83 and matched last year. While Northwestern makes progress toward what it hopes will be its first NCAA tournament bid, times remain tough for traditional powerhouse Indiana (9-13, 3-7). Verdell Jones III scored a career-high 28 points for the young, rebuilding Hoosiers, who have won five NCAA titles and have made 35 tournament appearances but went 6-25 last season. They suffered their fourth consecutive loss and seventh in nine games.

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Foster: Deeper Big Ten is giving OSU trouble
Upon his arrival eight years ago from Vanderbilt, Ohio State women's basketball coach Jim Foster said that the difference between the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference began with the teams at the bottom of each league. Foster contended that the SEC contained fewer soft touches, and that the lack of constant competition hurt the better Big Ten teams in the postseason. Times have changed in his opinion. The eighth-ranked Buckeyes (22-3, 10-2) do have a three-game lead in the conference standings heading into the game today at Penn State (15-7, 7-5). Something, however, feels different in the Big Ten as Ohio State's 86-82 struggle to put away an 11-11 Iowa team on Thursday in Value City Arena showed. "Everybody is winning," Foster said. "Everybody has won enough games to think that they can win today. And we continue to be the target. Everybody wants to play hard against us. That is not going to stop. We have to be tough enough. (Thursday) night, we were. ... We did some good things." The week before, the Buckeyes failed to hold second-half leads in upset losses at Purdue and Indiana. The team had to find more offense against the Hawkeyes, but also needed some crucial defensive stops in the final two minutes. They got what they needed from a familiar source. Shavelle Little had two steals in the final minute, including a clean strip of Iowa point guard Kamille Wahlin with 22 seconds remaining that settled matters. Little, however, did not like giving up 82 points. Sixty of those were scored by Wahlin and fellow guards Jaime Printy and Kachine Alexander. "We have to pull up our shorts and guard the guards," she said. "Last night, they scored too easily. When they're taking four, five and six dribbles and scoring on us, the guards are killing us. We have to do a better job before it gets to a point where it's too late." Told what Little said, Foster shrugged. "Then do something about it," he said. Despite picking up two quick fouls in the first half, Little finished with four points and four steals in 10 minutes. She still believes that defense should be the calling card for the Buckeyes. "Our main emphasis should be on stopping the ball," Little said. "We have to get stops. Defense wins games. For us, previously, our defense is what anchored our offense. When we struggle on defense, we're not as good." Penn State has lost its past three games, but still is tied for second place in the conference with Purdue and Wisconsin. The Lions are 8-2 in the Bryce Jordan Center, a venue that always has been difficult for Ohio State. "Most conferences have potholes and tough places to play," Foster said. "This conference has had some teams at the bottom that would just stop playing," Foster said. "You'd get a false sense of who you were. Now you've got to play hard if you want to win in this league. And I think that is a really good thing." jmassie@dispatch.com Copyright 2010 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

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Turner leads hot Ohio State past Iowa
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Evan Turner stayed up late on Saturday night, watching Michigan State lose to turn the Big Ten race into a free-for all. Then he got up early on Sunday morning to make sure No. 13 Ohio State stayed in the mix. Turner matched his career high with 32 points, leading the Buckeyes past Iowa 68-59 on Sunday and stretching their Big Ten winning streak to seven straight. "We got here at 7:45 in the morning," Turner said after the rare Ohio State game with a noon tip-off. "We caught the Michigan State versus Illinois game last night, so we were up kind of late. We came out and competed and got the job done." Every time that Ohio State needed a big basket, Turner had a part in it. He also had five assists and seven rebounds. "You probably saw about what he is," Iowa coach Todd Lickliter said. "It's not unique to us, what happened. He's tough to contain." Buckeyes coach Thad Matta was asked if Turner is the best player in the nation. "If there's one out there better than him, then I look forward to seeing him," Matta said. "Because he's playing really well right now." Jon Diebler added 12 points for the Buckeyes (18-6, 8-3), who have won four in a row overall and seven of eight. Eric May scored 16 points, Aaron Fuller and Cully Payne 11 each, and Matt Gatens 10 for the Hawkeyes (8-16, 2-9), who have lost four in a row and won just once away from home. It was Ohio State's second win over the Hawkeyes in 12 days. The Buckeyes finished strong in Iowa City to win 65-57 on Jan. 27. They moved to 15-0 at home this season, where they are shooting 54 percent from the field and 42 percent on 3-pointers. But this was not a typical hot-shooting home game. Ohio State made just 22 of 49 shots from the field for 45 percent, and was only 2 of 13 behind the arc. Ahead by five at the half, Ohio State pulled away when it held Iowa to 1-of-9 shooting to start the second half. Turner, who had 20 points in the last 20 minutes, got things going on what would become an 11-2 run, including Kyle Madsen's bucket to close the half. Turner hit a 15-foot jumper on the first possession and later hit another shot off an inbounds pass. William Buford hit two foul shots and had two assists, including on Diebler's 3 from in front of the Ohio State bench that made it 41-29. The Hawkeyes were able to get as close as 51-43, but Turner responded with a baseline jumper and a slashing drive through the lane. Iowa was down 55-46 but missed three consecutive 3-point shots on the same possession, thanks to two offensive rebounds. Turner finally ended the lengthy trip down the floor with a rebound, then dribbled the length of the floor, faked May out of his shoes on a drive and coasted in for an easy finger-roll. There was another point in the game where, after some physical defense from Iowa's John Lickliter, son of Iowa's head coach, Turner dribbled to the top of the key and held the ball behind the Iowa defender's head. The crowd laughed. There are moments when it appears Turner, a 6-foot-7 junior, can score at will. "It's cool to see the ball go through the net," he said. "Just for a moment you feel unstoppable. You kind of feel like you can do almost anything." The Buckeyes were without Turner for more than a month when he fell while dunking in a game on Dec. 5 and broke two bones in his lower back. Ohio State went 3-3 without him, losing its first two Big Ten games and another game at No. 22 Butler. "I'm going to state the obvious here but when he was out, they were a good team, a very good team," Todd Lickliter said of Turner's absence. "But when he came back, they were elevated to one of the best in the nation." Now, with Turner leading the way, the Buckeyes are among four teams that started Sunday just a game back of Michigan State in the suddenly wide-open Big Ten. They play four of their last seven league games on the road, including a gigantic one on Feb. 21 in East Lansing, Mich. "I've got faith this team can do anything," Turner said. "We control our own destiny. We decide what goes on. If we stay focused and play Ohio State basketball, we can do anything."

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McCamey, Illinois upset No. 5 Michigan State
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Even without Kalin Lucas on the floor, No. 5 Michigan State almost held off Illinois. Demetri McCamey was just too much for the Spartans. "Playing without Lucas, it's no excuse. Everybody has to play without somebody," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I told McCamey he's twice the player he was when he played at our place. He's so much of a different player." McCamey, who lost his starting job earlier in the Big Ten season, had 22 points and 11 assists to lead Illinois to a 78-73 upset of No. 5 Michigan State on Saturday night, sending the Spartans to another loss without Lucas -- who said he expects to play Tuesday against Purdue. The Illini led by a point at halftime and by seven in the game's final minutes. But they couldn't put the Spartans away until freshman D.J. Richardson hit a free throw with 15 seconds to play for a 76-73 lead. Mike Davis added 16 points for Illinois. Draymond Green's 17 points and 16 rebounds led Michigan State without Lucas, who sprained his right ankle in a loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday. "I told them it didn't matter, they were still going to come at us, they have a lot of weapons," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "Tom exerts his intensity, his will to be successful. Those kids just play off of that." Illinois (16-8, 8-3) got within a game of the first-place Spartans (19-5, 9-2) in the Big Ten. Richardson and McCamey finished off the Spartans in the game's final minutes. McCamey hit a 3 with 37 seconds to play and with MSU forced to foul, Richardson made three free throws in the final 26 seconds and Davis slammed home a dunk at the buzzer as the crowd rushed the court in Assembly Hall. Lucas nearly helped the Spartans win from the bench. With the Spartans trailing 57-64 and 7:17 remaining, he got into the huddle and told his teammates to calm down. Then he pulled his replacement, Korie Lucious, aside for a one-on-one chat. When play resumed, Lucas could be seen sitting next to Izzo, a spot usually reserved for assistant coaches. The Spartans eventually got within a point, making it 66-65 with 3:44 remaining, but never regained control. They were down two points with less than a minute to go, but McCamey's last 3-pointer of the night essentially iced it. Illinois finished 8 for 18 on 3s. "I'm 50 percent proud of my team," Izzo said. "But disappointed. We just gave them 3 after 3 after 3." The Spartans fought back from an early 10-point hole to make it 35-34 at halftime, and even briefly took the lead in the second half. McCamey opened the second half with 10 points in nine minutes to keep Illinois in the game. At times, he appeared to be the Illini's only option. His back-to-back 3s put the Illini up 53-47 lead with 13:10 to play, but Michigan State scored the next five points, and went ahead after McCamey missed a 3-pointer on the next possession and Chris Allen made one with 11:21 to go. Illinois tied the game at 55 with 10:05 remaining on a putback by Mike Tisdale. A minute later, Brandon Paul's dunk gave Illinois a 59-57 lead and started a 7-0 run. "We made our runs and they made theirs," McCamey said. "They kept coming back again and again."

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Prahalis' 26 send Ohio St. past Penn St.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Samantha Prahalis had 26 points, Maria Moeller added three key second-half 3s and No. 9 Ohio State erased a 15-point deficit in an 86-73 win Sunday over Penn State. A 3-point shooting barrage kept the Buckeyes (23-3, 11-2 Big Ten) in the game after the team committed a season-high 25 turnovers, including 18 in the first half. Coach Jim Foster's team was more careful after halftime, then overwhelmed the Lady Lions (15-8, 7-6) from long range. Ohio State shot 65 percent (17-of-26) from 3-point territory, including 9-of-13 in the second half. Tyra Grant finished with 22 points to lead Penn State. Tayler Hill and Prahalis hit 3s from the nearly the same spot in the right corner on back-to-back possessions to give the Buckeyes a five-point lead with 4:01 left. Prahalis hit another 3 in transition after a steal by Jantel Lavender to put the Buckeyes up 79-71 with 2:52 left. After trailing 71-70 with 5:36 left following two free throws by Grant, the Buckeyes finished the game with a 16-2 run to claim their 11th straight win over Penn State. The Lady Lions are reeling, having lost their fourth straight after breaking back into the Top 25 two weeks ago for the first time since 2004-05. Nearly everything went Penn State's way early on with Ohio State so careless with the basketball. Alex Bentley scored 16 first-half points on 8-for-8 shooting as the Lady Lions led by as many as 15 late in the half before going into halftime up 48-37. Penn State attacked the basket and Ohio State's dominating post player, Lavender, and scraped for seemingly every loose ball and rebound. But Bentley hit just one more field goal the rest of the game and finished with 20 points. It was the opposite story for Prahalis, her point guard counterpart with the Buckeyes. The standout sophomore looked flustered early after committing eight first-half-turnovers. She was also whistled for a technical foul that led to free throws by Grant to put Penn State up 14 with 17:18 left. But Prahalis settled down after halftime with just one turnover. She was consistent from the perimeter all day, finishing 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Moeller was 3-of-4 from behind the arc for 10 second-half points, while Lavender finished with 18 points and eight boards.

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Wisconsin tops Michigan at Camp Randall
MADISON, Wis. -- In front of a school-record crowd of 55,031 screaming fans, the No. 3 Wisconsin men's hockey team (16-7-4) defeated the No. 19 Michigan Wolverines (16-13-1) Saturday in the Culver's Camp Randall Hockey Classic. The victory -- which happend in front of the second-largest crowd to ever watch a collegiate hockey game -- came on a pair of third-period power-play goals by junior defenseman Brendan Smith (Mimico, Ontario). After more than 30 minutes of scoreless hockey, Michigan took its first lead of the game with just under nine minutes to go in the third period. Freshman forward Kevin Lynch ripped a shot past Wisconsin goaltender Scott Gudmandson (Sherwood Park, Alberta), giving the Wolverines a 2-1 advantage. However, at the 14:48 mark of the period, junior Brendan Smith notched his 11th goal of the season with the Badgers on the power play. Senior forward Michael Davies (St. Louis, Mo.) passed the puck from the bottom of the left faceoff circle to Smith, who was positioned in front of the net. Smith drove the puck past Michigan goalie Bryan Hogan to knot things up at two. Sophomore forward Derek Stepan (Hastings, Minn.) notched the secondary assist on the scoring sequence. Then, with time dwindling, Smith did it again. With the Badgers again on the power play, freshman defenseman Justin Schultz (West Kelowna, British Columbia) found Smith open outside the faceoff circle, and Smith slapped home a score that proved to be the game-winner. The goal was Smith's 12th of the season, but easily the most important, as Stepan again was credited with the secondary assist. Gudmandson turned away 22 Wolverines attempts for the game, as his record rose to 9-2-4 on the season. Michigan goalie Bryan Hogan stopped a total of 24 shots, dropping his record to 16-12-1 on the year. For the game, Wisconsin owned a 27-24 advantage in shots, including a 9-8 edge in the third period. The Badgers scored the first goal just over three minutes into the game. After senior tri-captain Blake Geoffrion (Brentwood, Tenn.) passed the puck from the end line to the net, it found freshman forward Craig Smith (Madison, Wis.). Just outside the crease, sophomore forward Jordy Murray (Faribault, Minn.) gathered the puck in a crowd of defenders and scored his ninth goal of the season. The Badgers were skating with a 1-0 advantage early in the opening period. However, Michigan managed to knot things up with just over one minute to go in the frame. Junior forward Scooter Vaughan's backhander slid past Gudmandson to tie the game at one heading into the second. Wisconsin outshot Michigan, 13-6, for the first period, but the second period was about as even as it could get. Neither teamed scored in the segment, and shots-on-goal were more even, but favored the Badgers, 18-16, and Wisconsin went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. The Badgers take the Kohl Center ice next weekend as they play a two-game series with the Minnesota State Mavericks. Both games are slated to begin at 8 p.m.

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Westbrook beats buzzer, Penn State
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Lawrence Westbrook's long jumper as time expired capped a frantic final minute and Ralph Sampson III had 13 points and two key blocks late to lead Minnesota past Penn State 66-64 on Saturday. Westbrook skipped to center court to join his jubilant teammates after his desperation shot from the left corner went in to give Minnesota (14-8, 5-5 Big Ten) just its second road victory of the season. Talor Battle's layup with 9 seconds left after a scramble for a loose ball tied the game, sending the Jordan Center crowd into hysterics. But they would leave disappointed again after Westbrook's bucket. Penn State (8-15, 0-11) is off to its worst start in league play, and is two losses shy of its longest losing streak in coach Ed DeChellis' seven seasons on the bench. Battle had two shots blocked in the final 24 seconds by the 6-foot-11 Sampson.

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Bohannon, Badgers roll past Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Jason Bohannon heaved up a 35-foot shot just before the halftime buzzer, then pounded his fist as it went through cleanly. It was that kind of day for No. 16 Wisconsin. Bohannon scored 18 points to lead the hot-shooting Badgers to a 62-44 victory over Michigan on Saturday. Trevon Hughes added 14 points and Jordan Taylor had 13 for the Badgers (18-5, 8-3 Big Ten), who were 9 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half in taking a 40-26 lead. The trio combined to go 7 of 9 from behind the arc in the opening 20 minutes. "We did a tremendous job of finding the open guy," said Bohannon, who also had five assists. "And we shot the ball pretty well." Hughes had 3-pointers at the start and end of a 14-0 run midway through the first half that gave Wisconsin a double-digit lead it held the rest of the way. "That's how we play," Badgers coach Bo Ryan said. "We're opportunistic. "We shot exceptionally well when we got looks in the first half." The Badgers missed just seven shots in the first half but cooled off in the second. It mattered little, however, as Michigan (11-12, 4-7) made just one field goal in the first 8 minutes and never got closer than 12 points the rest of the game. Wisconsin had eight offensive rebounds, several of which extended possessions to as long as 70 seconds. Three ended with 3-pointers just before the shot clock expired. "We guarded them a couple of times for 60, 70 seconds," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "And when they get those late shots on you, it takes your heart away." Wisconsin outrebounded the Wolverines 21-4 on the defensive glass and held Michigan's Manny Harris -- the conference's second-leading scorer -- to 11 points, almost eight below his average. "When you're on the road in the Big Ten you've got to defend," Bohannon added. "Our defense was pretty good when we needed it." DeShawn Sims led the Wolverines with 18 points. The Wolverines, who expected before the season to make a run at a second straight NCAA tournament appearance, are 1-5 since upsetting Connecticut on Jan. 17. Wisconsin lost leading scorer Jon Leuer to a wrist injury on Jan. 9, but has gone 6-2 since then.

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Hope fading for struggling Hawkeyes
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The Iowa Hawkeyes had high hopes a week ago. They had won three of their last five, including a convincing victory at Indiana, and stayed close in a loss to Ohio State. Iowa headed into the second half of the Big Ten season thinking that maybe its young roster had grown enough to avoid the school's first 20-loss season. Then came a rough trip to Ann Arbor. The Hawkeyes (8-15, 2-8 Big Ten) let Michigan jump out to a 17-2 lead en route to a 60-46 blowout loss on Sunday. They returned home Wednesday night and shot just 29.6 percent in losing to Illinois 57-49. Iowa heads into Sunday's rematch at No. 13 Ohio State (17-6, 7-3) in about the same spot it was at the start of conference play. Back then, some fans joked that the Hawkeyes might have trouble winning more games than the football team, which had 11. With just eight games left, Iowa will need to pull off a few upsets to reach that total. Third-year coach Todd Lickliter isn't ready to concede anything yet. "I've never gone into a game that I didn't anticipate winning, that I didn't come up with a game plan to win, and I'm not going to change now,'' he said. None of this was unexpected. The undermanned Hawkeyes have just one upperclassman averaging more than 15 minutes per game, so it's little surprising they're in 10th place in the Big Ten. The task now is to finish strong and build momentum for 2010-11 - despite five remaining road games against teams fighting for seeding or spots in the NCAA tournament. One bright spot for the Hawkeyes could be the return of sophomore guard Anthony Tucker. Lickliter said Friday that Tucker, who's been suspended since Dec. 20 for his second alcohol-related offense in two years, will travel with the team to Ohio State. It's not known if he will play Sunday. Tucker averaged 11.9 points before his suspension, which hurt Iowa's backcourt depth. Freshman Cully Payne is averaging 32.1 minutes while learning how to play point guard, and walk-on John Lickliter, the coach's son, has been pressed into service in a reserve role. The rest of the season will also be valuable to freshman guard Eric May and sophomore forward Aaron Fuller. The athletic May has done a little bit of everything this season, ranking in the top 15 in the league in blocked shots, steals and defensive rebounds. He's also raw - as evidenced by an assist-to-turnover ratio of 35-to-49 - but May is clearly one of the key pieces in Lickliter's rebuilding effort. Fuller, finally healthy after an ankle injury, has been Iowa's leading scorer (11.1 ppg) and rebounder (7.7) in Big Ten play. But he's only been a fixture in the starting lineup since the end of December. Meanwhile, the team's unquestioned leader, sophomore Matt Gatens, is playing through a sprained left ankle. Gatens aggravated the injury in a shootaround before the loss to the Buckeyes on Jan. 27, yet went out and played 38 minutes. But Gatens has shot 8 of 28 from the floor in his past three games, with six rebounds, one block and no steals. Gatens' toughness hasn't been lost on his teammates or the coaching staff, and in some ways it's symbolic of what the inexperienced Hawkeyes are going through. Deal with rough times now, in the hopes that the payoff comes down the road. "Inch by inch, life's a cinch. But by the yard, it's very hard,'' Lickliter said. "We're only promised today, and we've got use it to the best of our abilities and get better. I know it's cliches, but I think it's correct.''

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PSU women win Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Paced by victories from sophomore Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.), senior Cheryl Spring (The Woodlands, Texas), and the 4x400-meter relay, the Nittany Lion women's squad took top honors in the team standings, Saturday at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Juniors Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) and Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) picked up an event wins, helping the Penn State men to a second-place standing in team scoring. Lane and Spring both scored wins in the distances, with Lane taking the 800-meters, and Spring posting a victory in the mile run. Lane ran a strong last lap to finish in a personal-best 2:09.53, with Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) also getting in on the scoring, taking third overall in 2:10.80. Spring outlasted the mile field, finishing in 4:50.12 to nose teammate Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.), who finished second in 4:50.33. Senior Jessica Babcock (Irvine, Calif.) would finish fourth in the race, going 4:53.67. Eaton tossed a personal-best 60-10.50 (18.55) to win the shot put – a personal-best by nearly 10 inches. Eaton's performance, which also improves his position on the NCAA descending order list, is currently ranked ninth nationally. Classmate Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.), who is already an NCAA automatic qualifier in the shot, turned in a third-place effort in the event, launching a throw of 58-06 (17.83). Williams cruised to victory in the 600-meters, running 1:18.33 to better the rest of the field by almost a full second. Teammate Kevin Fuller (Camp Hill, Pa.) finished fourth in the race, running 1:20.47. In the sprints, Shavon Greaves (Lakewood, N.J.) posted a personal-best an NCAA provisional-qualifying 53.14 in the 400-meters, finishing second-to-only Joanna Atkins of Auburn – the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Champion at the distance. Teammate Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) placed third in the race, finishing in 53.39, to go along with another bronze-medal effort in the 200-meters, where she ran a personal-best 23.98. Junior Caitlin DeFusco (Schwenksville, Pa.) would also turn in a top five finish in the one-lap 200, placing fourth overall in 24.16. Dorr and Greaves would make up the final two legs of the winning 4x400 relay, with junior Megan Duncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.), and freshman Doris Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.), who finished fourth in the open 400, on the first two efforts. The team finished in 3:36.57 – the fastest time by a Lion squad in 2010, and a top 10 performance nationally. In the field events, junior Bryson Hartzler (Belleville, Pa.) recorded a fourth-place effort in the high jump, clearing a personal-best 6-10.25 (2.09), while Dan Sandrowicz (Indiana, Pa.) also posted a fourth-place standing, managing a leap of 47-04.50 (14.44) in the triple jump. For the women, Brittany Maun (Greensburg, Pa.) highlighted the field events with a second-place effort in the high jump, going over 5-08.75 (1.75) for second. Sophomore Anna Muzio (Harrisburg, Pa.) also added to the team scoring with a fifth-place finish in the shot put with a performance of 44-02.75 (13.48). In the men's distances, sophomore Kyle Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) and freshman Danny Pawola (Naperville, Ill.) combined for a three-four finish in the mile run, running 4:11.41, and 4:13.74, respectively. Junior Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio) also earned bronze-medal status, finishing third in the 800-meters in 1:52.70. The Nittany Lion women scored a total of 134 points for the team victory, with Auburn in second with 111. Cornell rounded out the top three with 78. Princeton took the men's title with 111, followed by Penn State with 83, and Cornell with 80. The Nittany Lions will hit the road for the first time this indoor season next weekend, splitting their squads between the Tyson Invitational at Arkansas, and the Husky Classic at Washington. Both competitions are set for Friday and Saturday, February 12-13.

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Penn State women's gymnastics takes second in tri-meet
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 19 Penn State women's gymnastics team took second place in their second home meet of the season on Saturday when they hosted No. 1 Alabama and No. 23 Minnesota. Alabama took first with a 196.600, the Nittany Lions placed second with a season-high 196.025 and Minnesota took third with a 192.850. Freshman Sharaya Musser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was Penn State's Ann Carr award winner. She was Penn State's top performer in all three of her events. Alabama's Morgan Dennis took home the all-around crown with a score of 39.275. Sophomore Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) took second to lead Penn State with a season-high 39.200. Senior Brandi Personett (Katy, Texas) was fourth with a 38.350. Penn State wowed the home crowd with season high scores on both balance beam and floor with 49.050 and 48.925 respectively. The Lions scored 49.225 on vault and a 48.825 on the uneven bars. Musser and Personett led the Nittany Lions on vault both scoring a 9.900 for a three-way tie with Alabama's Dennis for second. Bencsko placed seventh with a 9.850, senior Casey Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove, Pa.) tied for eighth with a 9.800 and senior Rosie Smith (Waterford, Pa.) placed 10th with a 9.775. Alabama's Geralen Stack-Eaton took home the title with a 9.925. Musser was Penn State's leader on bars with a second place finish and a score of 9.875. Sophomore Natalie Ettl (Waukesha, Wis.) finished tied for seventh with freshman teammate Madison Merriam (Gaithersburg, Md.) with a 9.800. Bencsko took ninth with a 9.775 and senior Alexandra Brockway (Macungie, Pa.) rounded out the Nittany Lion performers with a 9.575 for 14th. Alabama's Ashley Priess won the event with a 9.925. Senior Allie Southard (Nanuet, N.Y.) and Musser tied for fourth on beam with a 9.825 to lead the Lions. Southard's score was a season-high. Sophomore Daryl Konsevick (Rutherford, N.J.), Bencsko and Personett all tied for sixth with a 9.800. Alabama's Priess took top honors with a 9.900. Penn State closed out the meet on floor. Personett won the floor title with a 9.900, while Konsevick and Bencsko tied for fifth with a 9.775. Merriam finished tied for eighth with a 9.750 and Rohrbaugh tied for 10th with a 9.725. The Nittany Lions are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 6 against Illinois. Action is set for 7 p.m. at home in Rec Hall. Live scoring will be available via a link at GoPSUsports.com.

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No. 5 Minnesota heads to Champaign to face No. 22 Illinois
Tonight No. 5 Minnesota heads to Champaign, Illinois to take on No. 22 Illinois. The dual meet will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network at 7 p.m. CST. The J Robinson-led Gophers are 9-4 overall this season and 4-0 in the Big Ten. The Illini, under the direction of first-year head coach Jim Heffernan, come in with an overall mark of 7-5 and a 2-2 Big Ten record. Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown of tonight's dual meet. 125: No. 6 Zach Sanders (Minnesota) vs. John Deenan (Illinois) Sanders has been impressive the past two weekends, going 4-0 to start the Big Ten season. He was pushed in his last match by talented true freshman Cashe Quiroga of Purdue, but Sanders prevailed 10-6. He was hurt at the end of that match, but indications are that he is healthy and ready to go tonight. Deenan, who is 7-9 on the season, is coming off a rough weekend, losing by technical fall to No. 1 Angel Escobedo of Indiana and then was shut out, 3-0, against Levi Mele of Northwestern, a wrestler he defeated 13-0 earlier this season. Bottom Line : For Sanders, this is merely tune-up match for his big test on Saturday against Escobedo. Look for Sanders to put a lot of points on the scoreboard and dominate Deenan. Prediction : Sanders (Minnesota) technical fall Deenan (Illinois) 133: No. 1 Jayson Ness/Thane Antczak (Minnesota) vs. Daryl Thomas (Illinois) Minnesota is listing both Ness and Antczak as potential starters. Ness, who moved to the top of the rankings this week after Michigan State's Franklin Gomez lost, has been sidelined because of an injury since the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. Antcazak has done an admirable job filling in for Ness. He has gone 1-3 to start the Big Ten season, but in his defense he has faced some very tough competitors in Gomez and No. 8 Tyler Graff of Wisconsin … and the other loss came in sudden victory against Purdue's Akif Eren on Sunday. Thomas, a redshirt freshman, is 13-12 on the season, but has dropped four of his last five matches, with three of those losses being to unranked wrestlers. However, he did win his last match over a quality opponent in Eric Metzler of Northwestern. Bottom Line : If Ness takes the mat, it will likely be six points for the Gophers. He has pinned 14 of 19 opponents this season. If Antczak gets the call, it should be a very competitive match. Prediction : Antczak (Minnesota) dec. Thomas (Illinois) 141: No. 6 Mike Thorn (Minnesota) vs. No. 14 Ryan Prater (Illinois) Thorn has put together a nice season thus far, going 18-4 and establishing himself as a threat to contend for an NCAA title in a wide open weight class. He has close losses to the No. 1 (Kyle Dake of Cornell) and No. 2 (Reece Humphrey of Ohio State) wrestlers in the country and has several quality wins. He is coming off a sudden victory loss on Sunday to the quickly-improving Juan Archuleta of Purdue. Prater, a returning NCAA qualifier, is a very talented and dangerous wrestler, but has struggled with consistency over the past two seasons. The biggest win of his young career came at the NCAA Championships last season in the second round when he pinned No. 1 seed Kellen Russell of Michigan. He comes into tonight's match with an 11-5 mark on the season. He has yet to face a ranked opponent in conference dual action this season. Bottom Line : This is a very intriguing matchup. Both Thorn and Prater like to create action and are not afraid to take risks. It's difficult to predict what will happen in this match. Thorn has put together a better, more consistent season. However, Prater hammered Thorn, 11-0, last season at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in early December. Both have made big strides since that match. Prediction : Thorn (Minnesota) dec. Prater (Illinois) 149: No. 18 Mario Mason (Minnesota) vs. No. 19 Eric Terrazas (Illinois) Expectations have been extremely high for Mason, a Blair Academy product, ever since he stepped foot on the campus at the University of Minnesota. His results this season have been mixed. He comes in with a 13-6 record, but is still looking for his victory against a ranked opponent. He battled All-American Kyle Ruschell of Wisconsin tough through two periods last Friday, but let the match get away from him at the end and lost 11-3. Terrazas, like Mason, is still looking for that first victory over a ranked opponent. Last Friday, Terrazas edged 2007 All-American Matt Coughlin of Indiana before losing in sudden victory, 8-6, to Andrew Nadir of Northwestern on Sunday. Bottom Line : One of the two wrestlers will pick up his first win over a ranked opponent this season. On paper, it's virtually a tossup. Both have close losses to Nadir and No. 12 David Cheza of Michigan State. Prediction : Mason (Minnesota) dec. Terrazas (Illinois) 157: No. 2 Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) vs. Clint Arlis (Illinois) Schlatter wrestled the first half of the season at 165 pounds before making the move down to 157 pounds last weekend. Schlatter's wrestling resume speaks for itself … NCAA champion, three-time All-American, and U.S. World Team member. Last weekend, Schlatter looked very sharp in his first two matches at 157 pounds, winning both by major decision, outscoring his opponents 23-4. Arlis has a nice record, 10-2, but has not seen the stiffest of competition this season. His most notable win this season came against freshman Patrick Wright of Missouri, who was ranked for much of the first half of the season. Bottom Line : There is no reason to believe Schlatter won't do to Arlis what he did to his two opponents last weekend. Prediction : Schlatter (Minnesota) major dec. Arlis (Illinois) 165: Cody Yohn (Minnesota) vs. Conrad Polz (Illinois) Both these wrestlers have shifted weight classes throughout the season. Yohn wrestled the first half of the season at 174 pounds (with one match at 184 pounds) before moving down to 165 pounds after the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. He comes into tonight's match with an 18-8 record on the season. Polz, a three-time Illinois state champion, started the season at 165 pounds, moved down to 157 pounds midway through the season, and is now back up at 165 pounds where he has shown more consistency. Bottom Line : Both Yohn and Polz are redshirt freshmen who are expected to be key contributors for their respective programs in the coming seasons. Whether they can qualify for the NCAAs and contribute in March this season remains to be seen. Expect this to be a competitive match. Prediction : Polz (Illinois) dec. Yohn (Minnesota) 174: No. 8 Scott Glasser (Minnesota) vs. No. 14 Jordan Blanton (Illinois) Interestingly, these two wrestlers competed two weight classes apart last season. Glasser competed at 165 pounds, while Blanton was at 184 pounds. Glasser has been of the nation's most improved wrestlers this season, going 25-4 after going 19-17 last season. He is currently ranked No. 8 in the country and has not lost since the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, where he dropped a match to No. 2 Jay Borschel of Iowa. Blanton, an NCAA qualifier last season, has gone 20-3 this season and has won his last six matches. His most notable win came against Missouri's 15th-ranked Dorian Henderson, a wrestler Glasser also defeated. Bottom Line : This is a big match for seeding purposes at the Big Ten Championships. Both are on a roll right now and wrestling with a lot of confidence. Prediction : Glasser (Minnesota) dec. Blanton (Illinois) 184: Kaleb Young (Minnesota) vs. No. 2 John Dergo (Illinois) Dergo has established himself a serious threat to win an NCAA title in final campaign as an Illini. After failing to earn All-American honors at 174 pounds the past two seasons, Dergo made the move up to 184 pounds, where he competed as a freshman in 2006-07. He has had a stellar season. He was runner-up at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and won the Midlands in a very deep weight class. He is currently 24-2 on the season and ranked No. 2. Young, who competed at 174 pounds last season, has emerged as the starter at 184 pounds after Sonny Yohn moved up to 197 pounds. He is 7-10 overall this season and 1-3 in conference dual action. Bottom Line : Dergo has rolled through his last three opponents, picking up a technical fall, major decision, and pin. Young has only given up bonus points once this season (to Missouri's Max Askren), but it will likely be twice after tonight. Prediction : Dergo (Illinois) major dec. Young (Minnesota) 197: No. 10 Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) vs. No. 14 Patrick Bond (Illinois) Yohn has put together a solid season, going 19-8, but has gone through a tough stretch over the past two weekends. In his last three matches, he has faced No. 8 Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin, No. 9 Anthony Biondo of Michigan, and No. 11 Logan Brown of Purdue. He lost to Brandvold and Biondo, but defeated Brown on Sunday. Bond, a senior, came out of the nationally-renowned Great Bridge wrestling program in Virginia, where he was a four-time state champion and one of the nation's top recruits. He has had a solid career, qualifying for the NCAA Championships three times, but has gone 1-2 in each of his NCAA appearances. Bond comes into tonight's match with a 17-9 record. Bottom Line : Much like many of the matchups in this dual meet, this one is important for Big Ten seeding purposes. Seven of the nation's top 14 197-pounders come from the Big Ten. This match should be very competitive. Prediction : Yohn (Minnesota) dec. Bond (Illinois) 285: Ben Berhow (Minnesota) vs. Martin Smith (Illinois) Berhow, an NCAA qualifier last season, spent most of the first half of the season ranked, but fell out of the rankings after a disappointing Southern Scuffle, where he failed to place. He has faced many of the nation's top heavyweights this season and has been very competitive with them. He dropped one-point matches to No. 1 Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State and No. 3 Jarod Trice of Central Michigan. Berhow is 15-8 on the season, but 4-0 in Big Ten dual action. Smith, who competed mostly at 197 pounds last season, has gone 11-11 this season. He has dropped three of his last four matches, but won his last time out against Marcus Shrewsbury of Northwestern on Sunday. Bottom Line : Berhow is wrestling well and should be able to handle Smith. On Saturday, Berhow will see undefeated and second-ranked Nathan Everhart of Indiana, a wrestler he defeated three times last season. Prediction : Berhow (Minnesota) dec. Smith (Illinois) Dual Meet Prediction : Minnesota 27, Illinois 7

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Michigan St. to keep current Spartan helmet logo
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan State Athletic Director Mark Hollis says the school plans to keep its current Spartan logo design. A redesign of the Spartan helmet emblem used on Michigan State uniforms had been contemplated as part of an overall branding update the university plans to roll out in April. But the revised logo sparked an Internet protest among the university's fans who liked the current version better. Hollis said Friday that after careful consideration the university will use the same logo that was first used in the late 1970s and is now featured on Michigan State football helmets and other items. Michigan State has been working with Nike on the branding, including uniforms and apparel.

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Johnson rallies No. 8 Ohio St. past Iowa
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Brittany Johnson scored 13 of her 18 points in the second half to rally No. 8 Ohio State to an 86-82 victory over Iowa on Thursday night. Samantha Prahalis had 22 points and Jantel Lavender added 18 for the Buckeyes (22-3, 10-2 Big Ten). Jaime Printy scored 22 points, Kachine Alexander had 16 of her 20 in the second half, and Kamille Alexander added 18 for Iowa (11-11, 4-7). After trailing by four, Ohio State tied the score at 69 with 6:15 left thanks to two 3s by Johnson. Lavender's layup gave the Buckeyes the lead for good at 74-72 and Prahalis followed with 3. Iowa, which led 44-43 at halftime, was down 81-78 with the ball in the final minute but Shavelle Little stole the ball from Alexander. Prahalis was fouled with 26 seconds left and made both shots to push Ohio State's lead to 83-78. Little stole the ball again with 21 seconds left.

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Smith: Door isn't closed on Royce White
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Even though Royce White proved to be a rather significant distraction in his short time on campus, Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said he would "never say never'' when asked if the prized recruit who never played a game could one day return to the Golden Gophers. White left school on Wednesday after a series of legal entanglements kept him off the court during his freshman season. The saga has been one of several off-the-court distractions for the struggling Gophers (13-8, 4-5 Big Ten), who have lost four of their last five games. But Smith wasn't ready to turn his back on White just yet. "He did everything we asked him to do,'' Smith said Friday, referring to White's work in the classroom and at practice. "He just has to get other areas in his life together and you never close the door on anyone. That's just the way life is. We wish him the best in trying to get his life together, and if it is a situation where he could return, I'd be willing to talk to him about it.'' White was suspended last fall after an incident at the Mall of America, later pleading guilty to theft and disorderly conduct. On Monday, he was charged with trespassing in connection to an alleged theft of a laptop computer from a university dorm. Frustrated by the legal process, White told reporters earlier this week that he no longer feels safe on campus and expressed his displeasure for the university police force that investigated the alleged theft. His departure means he won't suit up this season, and possibly ever, for his home-state school. He won Minnesota's Mr. Basketball award as a senior last year at Hopkins High School in suburban Minneapolis and was a much hyped recruit when he stepped on campus. But the legal troubles soon followed, and the Gophers sorely miss his combination of size and athleticism. The remaining Gophers have been left to answer questions about White's transgressions during a season that has quickly spiraled downward after a promising start. "The team hasn't focused on that situation much,'' senior co-captain Damian Johnson said. "He hasn't played with us most of the year. I feel bad for Royce. He was a friend of mine. He was a good guy. But it was a situation we didn't let bother us throughout the year.'' The Gophers have also lost starting point guard Al Nolen to academic suspension for the remainder of the season. Trevor Mbakwe, a junior college transfer, has not played all season while an assault case in Miami drags on. Smith didn't think the issues provided much of a distraction for his players. The coach just knows they miss the players on the court. "They like and care a lot about all those guys and they are a part of the family,'' Smith said. "It hurts on the court because you've got a guy like Al who sets the tone for us, leading the league in deflections, second in steals. ... I'm sure in their mindset, they're hurt and they feel for the guys. "Whether it's a distraction, it can't help but be to some extent. But they're kids. They move on.'' They have to move on quickly if they hope to play themselves back into NCAA tournament bid contention. The Gophers are coming off an 85-63 blowout loss at Ohio State last weekend and play at Penn State (8-14, 0-10) on Saturday. A loss to the reeling Nittany Lions would likely doom their chances for an at-large bid. "That outing against Ohio State was one of the worst games in the three years that I've been here,'' guard Blake Hoffarber said. "We have to start from scratch and go on a winning streak here.'' Now that the White situation is behind them, the Gophers are focusing on the task at hand, which won't be easy. "I'm just trying to make sure that guys don't think the season is over because of what's been going on,'' Johnson said. "Wisconsin started off Big Ten play 3-6 last year and finished off strong and ended up getting an NCAA berth. Guys just have to realize it's how you finish.''

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Ash joins Badgers coaching staff
MADISON, Wis. -- Chris Ash, a 13-year coaching veteran, is the newest addition to the Wisconsin football coaching staff, head coach Bret Bielema announced on Thursday. Ash, who spent last season as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Iowa State, will coach the secondary for the Badgers. ""I'm very excited to welcome Chris aboard,"" Bielema said. ""He brings great knowledge and tremendous experience. I've known Chris for a long time and his familiarity not only with our staff but with our schemes will help in what I think will be a seamless transition for him and the rest of our coaches."" Ash has spent eight of the last 10 seasons at Iowa State, beginning as a defensive graduate assistant in 2000. He was promoted to secondary coach in 2002 and added the title of recruiting coordinator in 2006. Following the 2006 season he moved on to become the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at San Diego State. He stayed there for two seasons before returning to Iowa State in the same position. ""I'm very excited to have the opportunity to work at a wonderful university like Wisconsin and with a football program with such a great history of success,"" Ash said. ""I am really looking forward to working for Coach Bielema and alongside Coach Doeren and Coach Partridge, two coaches I have worked with in the past and have great respect for."" Ash began his career as a volunteer assistant at Drake in 1996. The next season he served as a defensive graduate assistant for the Bulldogs. During those two seasons he was on the same staff as current UW assistants Dave Doeren and Charlie Partridge. When Doeren left Drake following the 1997 season, Ash took over his role as defensive coordinator for two seasons. Ash has coached in six bowl games in his career, including the 2009 Insight Bowl when Iowa State defeated Minnesota. Last year's Cyclones' defense finished ninth in the country with 32 takeaways and tied for second in the nation in red zone efficiency. In 2005, Iowa State led the Big XII in interceptions (22) after finishing second in the conference the prior year (17). Ash graduated from Drake with a bachelor's degree in secondary education in 1996. He received his master's degree in education from Iowa State in 2005. A native of Ottumwa, Iowa, Ash and his wife, Jessica, have two children, Tanner (8) and Jacey (6).

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FOXSports.com News for COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Reports: Top recruit not a lock for USC
Top recruit Seantrel Henderson has committed to attend USC, but has yet to put it in writing.
Seminoles vacate 12 football, 22 basketball wins
13-year-old quarterback commits to USC
13-year-old quarterback commits to USC
CFN's Top 10 Senior Bowl storylines
Tim Tebow's shaky Senior Bowl performance did little to impress NFL scouts.
Scout Top 25 recruiting classes
Florida's coach is in limbo. USC has a new head man. And the Big 12 powerhouses are locked in another battle. Which school has the No. 1 recruiting class?
Prized recruit chooses Texas
Five-star football recruit chooses Texas
Gilyard sparkles, Tebow struggles in Senior Bowl
Tebow's shaky Senior Bowl does little to impress pro scouts.
Government to explore legality of BCS
The Obama administration is considering several steps that would review the legality of the controversial Bowl Championship Series, the Justice Department said in a letter Friday to a senator who had asked for an antitrust review.
senior bowl day 4 live blog
senior bowl day 4 live blog
Two more Spartans plead guilty to assault in campus brawl
Two more Michigan State football players have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery charges stemming from a Nov. 22 campus fight.

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