Ugly Big Ten Basketball?

Everyone complains that Big Ten basketball is too boring. It’s unwatchable, some say. ESPN.com’s Pat Forde even mocked the Big Ten writing, “Dear Big Ten: the 1950s called, they want their playing style back.” Well, Illinois’ Bruce Weber wants to hear no more.

"I'll be honest. I'm sick of hearing all the junk,” Weber said after Thursday night’s win. “You guys, go look at the scores in non-conference, guys! Look at Michigan State and Kansas! Look at them (Minnesota) against Louisville! Look at us against Missouri! It's B.S., guys! Go look at that stuff! I'm mad (former Minnesota coach) Jim Dutcher ripped us in the Minneapolis paper. Not only us, our league. He's a Big Ten guy! You know, we guard. We prepare! We play our butts off! Play in hostile environments! I'm sick of all that stuff!”

Settle down Bruce. The reason Dutcher and many others rip the Big Ten is that scores are consistently in the 50s and low 60s. Michigan State leads the conference with an average of 68.2 points per game. Meanwhile, the lowest scoring team in the ACC (a conference revered for its athleticism, speed and exciting play), Virginia, averages 67.7 points per game. Why is there such a stark difference between the two conferences?

Fouls and offensive possessions per game provide possible reasons. Here’s a look at the Big Ten and the ACC in regard to these two measures. The fouls per game statistic is taken from within conference play only.

Fouls Per Game:

Big Ten:
1. Indiana: 19.8
2. Northwestern: 18.5
3. Michigan State: 18.1
4. Minnesota: 17.9
5. Iowa: 17.4
6. Purdue: 17.0
T7. Michigan: 15.4
T7. Wisconsin: 15.4
9. Ohio State: 15.1
T10. Illinois: 14.9
T10. Penn State: 14.9
Average= 16.8

ACC:
1. Georgia Tech: 21.1
2. Virginia: 19.8
3. Wake Forest: 19.6
4. Clemson: 19.4
5. Virginia Tech: 19.4
6. Boston College: 19.1
7. Florida State: 18.9
8. Duke: 17.9
9. Maryland: 17.8
10. NC State: 17.6
11. Miami: 16.5
12. North Carolina: 15.4
Average= 18.5

Possessions Per Game:

Big Ten:
1. Michigan State: 66.4
2. Purdue: 65.9
3. Indiana: 65.6
4. Minnesota: 64.5
5. Illinois: 62.9
6. Michigan: 62.8
T7. Ohio State: 62.2
T7. Penn State: 62.2
9. Northwestern: 60.6
10. Wisconsin: 59.0
11. Iowa: 56.9
Average= 62.6

ACC:
1. North Carolina: 76.9
2. Wake Forest: 75.7
3. Georgia Tech: 73.3
4. Virginia: 70.8
5. Clemson: 70.2
6. Duke: 70.1
7. Maryland: 69.4
8. Florida State: 68.4
9. Boston College: 68.1
10. Virginia Tech: 67.7
11. NC State: 66.6
12. Miami: 66.4
Average= 70.3

From these statistics we can see that more fouls are called in ACC games. On average, ACC teams rack up 1.7 more fouls per game than Big Ten teams, or 3.4 fouls per game between two teams. The difference may seem insignificant, but it could add a few points per game to each team. Plus, Big Ten teams appear to get away with more rugged play, taking a physical toll.

More telling is the difference in possessions per game. Big Ten teams average 7.7 less offensive possessions per game. Thus, Big Ten games are much slower-paced. Fewer possessions means fewer shots, which means fewer points.

So if the Big Ten wants to increase its sex appeal, it needs to encourage officials to call more fouls and implement more up-tempo offenses. Basically, bring back 1980s Big Ten basketball.

However, slower basketball doesn’t necessarily mean bad basketball. The Big Ten is ranked No. 2 in the RPI and boasts numerous impressive non-conference victories. The conference is home to some quality teams that happen to play a low-scoring, less fan-friendly brand of ball.