Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, February 13, 2012

News, notes and whatnot from the Big Ten as I still try to catch my breath following Michigan State?s surprisingly dominant win at Ohio State. Who is gonna win this thing?

Illinois
The Illini are fading fast, says Paul Klee of the Champaign News-Gazette.

The players? understanding of urgency might not be enough, writes Mark Tupper of the Decatur Herald-Review.

Bruce Weber?s under the whether, says Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette.

Six losses in seven games are troubling for Bruce Weber, says Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune.

Bruce Weber is firmly on hot seat after that loss at Michigan, writes Tina Akouris of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Indiana
The Hoosiers want to deflect the ball while playing defense, says Terry Hutchens of the Indianapolis Star.

Iowa
Another season, another February surge for the Hawkeyes, says Jeff Linder of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Michigan
Roommates Evan Smotrycz and Tim Hardaway Jr., share a breakout game, says Nick Baumgardner of AnnArbor.com. Where have you guys been? Plus more hoop news and notes from Nick Baumgardner of AnnArbor.com.

Michigan focuses on winning in March, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit News. The Wolverines may be a dark horse.

UConn hires former Michigan player as athletic director, says the Detroit News.

Sweet-shooting Matt Vogrich provides scoring off the bench, says Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press.

Michigan State
Tell me if this sounds familiar: The Big Ten race is tight with the Spartans right there, says Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News.

A third Big Ten title in four years is within reach for the Spartans, writes Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal. Let?s call them the Michigan State Yankees.

Draymond Green gets Tom Izzo?s ear, and the Spartans net a big victory, says Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News.

Indiana prep star Gary Harris is a McDonald?s All-American, says Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press.

Minnesota
Elliott Eliason underrated? Not anymore, says Amelia Rayno of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The big fella can hoop.

If Minnesota wants a Big Ten AD, let?s search, woo and pay, writes Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. What?s that old adage? You usually get what you pay for.

Four more wins could get the Gophers in the NCAA field, says Marcus Fuller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. I know, it?s difficult to believe.

Nebraska
Clunker of a season is a bummer for Toney McCray, says Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald.

Opportunity abounds for young linebackers, says Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal Star. Spring football isn?t that far off.

Ohio State
A look inside Buckeye hoops from Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch.

Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wonders: Has the Buckeyes? Achilles? heel been found?

Beep-beep. Jared Sullinger is stuck in traffic, writes Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch.

Urban Meyer fesses: The Buckeyes still lack a player with game-changing speed, writes Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch.

Penn State
Michael Mauti expects to be 100 percent by April, reports Donnie Collins of the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice.

Positive recruiting signs already coming for Bill O?Brien, writes Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record.

Recruit Jamil Pollard endures slayings of two sisters and moves forward, says J. Brady McCollough of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Purdue
Clank! The ins and outs of foul shots, from Jeff Washburn of the Lafayette Journal-Courier. The Boilermakers lay bricks better than any other Big Ten team. Dubious. Also from Washiburn: D.J. Byrd is shooting for home edge.

Wisconsin
A one-week break is a respite for the beat-up Badgers, says Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal. Also from Polzin: Did Jared Sullinger?s dad call out Bo Ryan and the Badgers?

Ken Pomeroy figures he knows why Wisconsin?s defense is so good, writes Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

In-state stud Sam Dekker?s omission from the McDonald?s All-American team is a big letdown for the Badgers, says Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal.

BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart posts his Daily Links on weekdays. You can subscribe to the Daily Links RSS here, find Dienhart?s work at www.btn.com/tomdienhart, follow him on Twitter at @BTNTomDienhart, send a question to his weekly mailbag here, and click here to subscribe to his overall RSS feed.