My preseason pick for Big 10 champs took one step closer to that title with a huge 72-69 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes last night. That team is, of course, the Wisconsin Badgers, an experienced squad that has flown below the radar for much of the season. But after making a massive second-half run and then holding on in the final seconds against the preseason Big 10 favorite, there may finally be some national media attention heading Madison’s way.

When I worked in Belmont, I had a co-worker who was a Wisconsin grad and a huge fan of their coach, Bo Ryan. I saw a couple of games last season and was impressed. But last night I saw a perfect display of what made him so excited about having Ryan at the head of the bench. The Badgers moved the ball around with speed and precision, oftentimes finding open layups in the half-court set with only a dribble or two. Of course, as I watched I couldn’t help but think about great the Horns would look with a crsip offense instead of constant ball screens on the perimeter. But I digress.

The game also allowed me my first collegiate look at Greg Oden. His offensive performance left a lot to be desired, but who’s to say how much of that was a result of his wrist injury? Of course, it doesn’t help that for the first twenty minutes the Buckeyes were jacking up threes faster than A.J. Abrams and Kevin Durant in the final seconds of the Tennessee game. But defensively, Oden is an absolute monster. His presence inside alters shots so easily and disrupts the offense, although Wisconsin’s ball movement and Oden’s foul trouble essentially negated that for much of the second half.

Wicsonsin and Ohio State will meet again in Columbus on February 25th in a game I believe will be televised on CBS. If you missed last night’s great finish, be sure to tune in for the rematch.

If you’ve seen this man, please call authorities immediately. He is deranged, criminally underdressed, and apparently out of his medication. Police think he may be trying to push his trailer home down a dirt road in the direction of Austin. If you see him trying to enter the Frank Erwin Center on December 20th, please give him a sweatshirt. Or some tranquilizers.

It’s been a long, slow week with no Texas games to hold my attention. But considering that I’ve worked a 40-hour week in addition to the last week of classes, I don’t know that I’d have had time for any previews or post-games. Hell, I’ve still got LSU/A&M, Oklahoma State/Syracuse and — don’t laugh — even Ohio State/UNC on the Tivo to watch. You might say I’m a bit behind on things.

Tomorrow is a great day for college basketball fans. Instead of football dominating the screen all day, we have hoops from morning to night. Granted, I’ll be working again and have to miss it all. But if my Tivo doesn’t explode from overload, I might have a few more games to record.

In the interest of having content on this “dead” week, here are some of tomorrow’s match-ups, with channels and (central) tip times:

George Mason at Duke (11 AM, ESPN): I’m not sure that George Mason has a snowball’s chance in hell, considering they are being picked behind Hofstra in their own conference. But it’s nice to see GMU getting some national coverage as a result of their miracle run to the Final Four in March. No word on whether or not the Patriots will be sporting their brand new yellow Nike jerseys. Hopefully they look nothing like Oregon’s football uniforms.

Wisconsin at Marquette (1 PM, ESPN): I’ve liked Wisconsin all offseason, as they are returning a lot of experience this season. I’m not sure if they can overtake Oden and the Buckeyes for the Big 10 title, but they will certainly not be a team to take lightly come March. This weekend they get to take on the “other” good basketball team in the state. No Dwayne Wade, but it should still be a fun matchup.

Centenary at Texas Tech (1 PM, no local TV): This isn’t actually going to be worth watching. But it’s two teams that we’ll be playing in the near future, so it’s at least worth reading the box score when all is said and done. One sign that this game going to be a bore? Fox Southwest would rather air a football game between Blinn JuCo and Pearl River.

Texas A&M vs. UCLA (1:30 PM, CBS): As I still haven’t watched the A&M/LSU game, I can only gauge this year’s Aggy squad on what I’ve read about their performance. And based solely on hearsay, I’d have to say UCLA has this in the bag, particularly since this “neutral site” game is being played in Anaheim. Much like the tougher non-conference opponents Texas has scheduled, this contest offers A&M a chance to get some experience before the Big 12 slate rolls around. Which is something that Billy Gillispie’s previous non-conference slates of South Tennessee Technical State and Puerto Rico Beauty College just couldn’t provide.

Washington at Gonzaga (10 PM, Fox Pacific): Is Washington for real? This is the first true test for the Huskies as they head into very hostile territory, playing the Bulldogs in what amounts to an overcrowded high school gym. Gonzaga is looking to bounce back from a loss to Washington State, and Texas is looking for a little help in the RPI with a Zags win. For those who actually get Fox Pacific (channel 433 for TW digital subscribers in Austin), keep your eyes on the Huskies’ beanpole freshman Spencer Hawes.