Weekend Preview

Let's start with the conference match-ups this weekend.

Michigan State (3-5, 12-17) @ Ohio State (3-5, 17-10)
Minnesota (7-1, 15-13) @ Penn State (5-3, 17-10)
Michigan (1-7, 18-10) @ Illinois (7-1, 18-8-1)
Indiana (2-6, 18-12) @ Iowa (5-3, 11-15)
Northwestern (4-4, 14-12) @ Purdue (3-5, 9-19)

A couple of projections still have the Big Ten getting two schools into the NCAA Tournament field. I'm a bit surprised by that idea, but embrace the concept nonetheless. If forced to pick which two schools, right now, I would take the conference leaders-Illinois and Minnesota.

However, that opinion can change pretty rapidly. Two weeks ago, I would have thought Ohio State and Michigan were locks for post-season play. Now, both need to compile both quantity and quality victories to regain their pre-conference stature.

In the end, I'll guess that the conference's regular season champion as well as the conference tourney champ will get in. Based on the unexpected outcomes thus far, I cannot believe that regular season winner will claim the conference tournament title as well.

Allow me to suggest some other reading to prepare for the weekend's action. Boyd Nation's Breadcrumbs Back to Omaha, his weekly column, can be found here. Will Kimmey, of Baseball America, offers his weekly preview here. Sports Weekly's Dana Heiss Grodin's weekly college baseball feature is here.