B5Q Blogopean Union: women’s hoops suffers the most embarrassing lost in program history

Plus: volleyball wins a couple of weekly awards; women’s hockey remains No. 1; and Faion Hicks just doesn’t like Minnesota…us neither, Faion!

Good morning! This is going to be a daily(ish) post that discusses the goings on of the rest of the Big Ten Conference, and the country as needed. Much like the European Union, the Big Ten is a loosely confederated group of entities that sometimes have the same goals (like free movement of people between countries or not winning national titles in football or basketball) and sometimes accept new members that they later regret (Estonia or Nebraska).

We hope that you will use this post to comment on things happening around the conference and also as a sort of daily open thread to discuss breaking news or argue about Spotted Cow (which we NO LONGER DO).

• It is Hate Week.

• Leo Chenal missed the first two games of the season due to COVID and is STILL one of the best linebackers in the country.

• It’s good to see Fashion Police Sergeant Sam Dekker is on the case of getting Steven Crowl’s vibe upgraded.

• After a 2-0 weekend, including the thrilling come from behind win at Minnesota, a pair of Badgers were honored by the Big Ten. Julia Orzol put up two double-doubles over the weekend and has collected her third Freshman of the Week award this season.

The sustained dominance of Sydney Hilley might be something we’ve come to take for granted, but at least the Big Ten hasn’t. Hilley won her fifth Setter of the Week this season and No. 17 of her entire career, one away from tying the conference record, after a pair of dominant performances last weekend.

The Badgers remained No. 5 in the AVCA Coaches Poll with Purdue one spot behind them and then Ohio State, Minnesota and Nebraska in spots No. 9-11. Kinda weird that the Huskers aren’t higher than the Gophers, at a minimum, but what do I know?

• The Badgers are still No. 1 in the country in women’s hockey and Grace Bowlby was named WCHA Defender of the Week after scoring three points in UW’s weekend sweep of St. Thomas.

• We need to get Bucky a better travel agent. Smh.

• Senior K Collin Larsh is returning for one more season. This is great news because Larsh is having the best season of his career and has improved every season he has been on campus.

• Since the Chicago State Cougars joined the WAC nine year ago, they had won a grand total of 11 games heading into their slap-fight with Wisconsin. In what is easily one of the most embarrassing losses in program history, the Badgers women’s basketball team fell to Chicago State in overtime on Monday night at the Kohl Center.

The Cougars are routinely one of the three worst teams in the country, and have been for a decade, and the Badgers just…lost to them at home. They entered the game on a 27-game losing streak, including last year’s COVID-shortened season where they didn’t win a single game!

Any good vibes that remained from Wisconsin’s season opening win over St. Thomas, a team that was playing their first D-1 game, are gone now. Marisa Moseley’s team has now cemented their status as a forgettable, absolute bottom of the barrel team in the entire country, not just the Big Ten.

This is the type of loss that can completely sink a season before it even really gets going. It will be interesting to see how Wisconsin bounces back against Milwaukee, a team who is favored to beat them, on Wednesday.

• Watch the whole video to get front-court seats to B5Q Favorite Carter Gilmore’s chase down block against the Aggies.

• A pair of Gophers defensive linemen have entered the transfer portal this week. DE M.J. Anderson was the only one of the two that was playing regularly as he was the primary backup at one DE position.
• The Only Colors was able to find two whole good things about their loss to Ohio State last Saturday.
• I didn’t realize this while watching the game, but apparently Nebraska QB Adrian Martinez suffered a shoulder injury against the Badgers and will now miss the Iowa game because of it. The Huskers opened as favorites against the Hawkeyes, but you’d imagine this might change things.
• The Big Ten is having a ROUGH start to the men’s basketball season, but Purdue looks even better than advertised. They are now up to No. 3 in the nation.
• Ohio State fans have a lot of memories to choose from, but which is their favorite from The Game?
• Michigan football changed the name of a drill to “Beat Ohio” so I’m thinking they’re probably going to win this year. Haha, isn’t it great? I can just say whatever I want on this blog and nobody can stop me!
• Speaking of terrible men’s basketball in the Big Ten, Rutgers lost to Lafayette. The Scarlet Knights have been a disaster this season.
• It sounds like Bret Bielema is feeling better after contracting COVID last week and will be able to coach the Illini against Northwestern this weekend.
• A look at Tom Allen’s coaching hires for Indiana football.

Men’s basketball scores from Monday

No. 14 Illinois 51 – Cincinnati 71
No. 21 Seton Hall 76 – Ohio State 79
Cornell 74 – Penn State 85
Lafayette 53 – Rutgers 51
Western Michigan 61 – Iowa 109
Providence 77 – Northwestern 72

Women’s basketball scores from Monday

Oakland 58 – No. 13 Michigan 69
Oklahoma 88 – Minnesota 69
Marshall 60 – Purdue 70