Sports editor Jim Rossow's look around the world of Big Ten basketball.

The schedule

Want to know which of this week's games are worth your time? Here's the scoop from sports editor Jim Rossow, who is facing impeachment hearings after a dismal 6-4 week dropped his record to 23-5.

TODAY

Wisconsin at No. 25 Illinois, 3 p.m., ESPN. Badgers have lost three consecutive games for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

Rossow's pick: Illinois, 68-58

Iowa at Penn State, 5 p.m., Big Ten Network. Nittany Lions have won eight of their last nine home games and have reached 15 wins faster than any team in school history.

Rossow's pick: Penn State, 71-54

Northwestern at Michigan, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network. Wildcats last beat Spartans and Wolverines back-to-back in 1983.

Rossow's pick: Michigan, 64-63

SUNDAY

No. 21 Minnesota at Indiana, 11 a.m., Big Ten Network. Champaign's Verdell Jones has led the Hoosiers in assists five games in a row.

Rossow's pick: Minnesota, 71-61

No. 7 Michigan State at Ohio State, 2:45 p.m., WCIA (CBS). Count on plenty of zone defense by the Buckeyes after the Spartans missed 16 of 21 three-point attempts against Northwestern.

Rossow's pick: Michigan State, 63-62

TUESDAY

No. 18 Purdue at Wisconsin, 8 p.m., ESPN. Boilermakers trying to finish off a second consecutive regular season sweep of the Badgers.

Rossow's pick: Wisconsin, 55-51

WEDNESDAY

Michigan at Ohio State, 5:30 p.m., Big Ten Network. Wolverines 3-12 in January games under John Beilein.

Rossow's pick: Ohio State, 76-63

Indiana at Northwestern, 7:30 p.m., Big Ten Network. Wildcats have five-game losing streak vs. Hoosiers.

Rossow's pick: Northwestern, 65-49

THURSDAY

No. 7 Michigan State at Iowa, 6 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2. Freshman Matt Gatens leads Iowa in scoring (10.9), minutes (32.1), three-point shooting (52.3) and free throw shooting (91.1).

Rossow's pick: Michigan State, 70-52

No. 25 Illinois at No. 21 Minnesota, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network. Gophers missing Kevin Payton (suspended) and Jonathan Williams (calf injury).

Rossow's pick: Illinois, 64-63

Jim Rossow's random thoughts

• TOURNEY BOUND? Could this be the year Northwestern finally makes the NCAA tournament? Stop laughing. The schedule is set up for a run by the up-and-coming Wildcats, who last week beat ranked teams in consecutive games for the first time in school history. After tonight's game at Michigan, they play six of their next seven games at Welsh-Ryan, with the Illini's visit Feb. 12 the tallest hurdle. Winning 20 games no longer is out of the question.

• BLOODY SUNDAY. An old-school type, I prefer my Big Ten basketball on Saturdays. But thanks in large part to the Big Ten Network's desire to get as many games on TV as possible, more weekend games are being shifted to Sunday. In fact, today's game might be the Illini's last this regular season to be played on a Saturday. The next three Sundays are booked (Iowa, Purdue, at Indiana) with the possibility of two more Sunday games (Ohio State on Feb. 22, Michigan State on March 1).

• REMEMBER THESE GUYS? For a recent IlliniHQ.com "Daily Poll," we asked readers which coach they root against most: Bill Self, Mike Krzyzewski, Steve Alford or Bruce Pearl (he won easily)? It hasn't been the best of weeks for the bunch. Self was accused of improperly contacting a potential recruit. Alford's New Mexico team dropped to an ordinary 11-8 in a weak conference and Pearl's Tennessee Volunteers fell out of the Top 25. At least Coach K's Blue Devils kept winning.

Temperature check

Who's hot

DAVID PALMER. One-time Illinois recruiting target is playing like Acie Earl. Averaging 3.6 minutes per game before getting his first start against Purdue, the junior center has 40 points and 15 rebounds in two games, averaging 27.5 minutes.

MICHAEL THOMPSON. As much for his defense as his offense. The Northwestern point guard rattled usually reliable Al Nolen of Minnesota and Kalin Lucas of Michigan State last week. Lucas was ranked second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.12 but was forced into six turnovers with two assists. Nolen came in fifth in the nation in the category and had the same totals as Lucas.

PENN STATE MARKETING. Football always will be king in State College, so why not use Joe Paterno's influence to help the basketball program? Before today's game against Iowa, several football players, including quarterback Daryll Clark, linebacker Navorro Bowman, tailback Evan Royster and kicker Kevin Kelly, will be at Bryce Jordan to sign autographs. Fans can take pictures of the Big Ten trophy, too.

Who's warm

ANTHONY TUCKER. Iowa's promising freshman was ruled academically ineligible the rest of the season. But he's not abandoning the program, cheering in street clothes on the bench during Wednesday's upset of Wisconsin. Tucker remains enrolled at Iowa and plans to return to the team for his sophomore season.

JEREMIE SIMMONS. Ohio State's juco point guard has no trouble getting shots (his nickname at Von Steuben High in Chicago was "A.O." for "Automatic Offense"). But Simmons hasn't always been reliable on defense in his first season with the Buckeyes. So much so that coach Thad Matta came up with his own nickname: "N.D." as in "No Defense."

BIG TEN MARKETING. Selection Sunday is meant to be spent by the TV with bracket in hand, not running a 5K. But on March 15, the first Big Ten Hoops Day 5K will take place in downtown Indianapolis a few hours before the Big Ten tournament title game. Participants are being asked to wear colors of their favorite Big Ten team. Register at www.tuxbro.com.

Who's cold

TREVON HUGHES. Wisconsin point guard was benched by Bo Ryan late in Wednesday's loss at Iowa in favor of true freshman Jordan Taylor. Hughes' problem has been turnovers (14 in his last three games). "Coaches do what they do," Ryan told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "There is no reason to tell you why someone didn't play. There is no reason."

RAYMAR MORGAN. If a case of the flu wasn't enough of a hassle, having to guard Kevin Coble left the one-time Michigan State MVP candidate feeling blue. Coble lit up Morgan for 31 points, capping a rough week for the senior. In games against Illinois and Northwestern, the Big Ten's 10th-leading scorer averaged 4.5 points on 2-of-6 shooting.

INDIANA MARKETING. They're panicking in Bloomington, first offering balcony seats for $5 and now this: free T-shirts. Any fan attending Sunday's game against Minnesota gets a white shirt in hopes of creating a unified, intense atmosphere. Good luck with that.

Gimme Fives

This week's rankings, courtesy sports editor Jim Rossow

Big Ten MVP

PLAYER     PREVIOUS

1. Kevin Coble, Northwestern     –

2. Kalin Lucas, Michigan St.     1

3. Talor Battle, Penn State     3

4. Chester Frazier, Illinois     –

5. JaJuan Johnson, Purdue     –

Illinois MVP

ILLINI     PREVIOUS

1. Chester Frazier     1

2. Mike Tisdale     4

3. Demetri McCamey     3

4. Mike Davis     5

5. Trent Meacham     2

Coach of the Year

COACH     PREVIOUS

1. Bruce Weber, Illinois     2

2. Tubby Smith, Minnesota     1

3. Ed DeChellis, Penn State     5

4. Bill Carmody, Northwestern     –

5. John Beilein, Michigan     4

All-radio team

BROADCASTER     TEAM

Jimmy King     Michigan

Jerry Hester     Illinois

Ron Stokes     Ohio State

Shon Morris     Northwestern

Bobby Hansen    Iowa