In the final minute or so of IU's loss to UCLA in Assembly Hall, everything that has plagued IU's season and the last four years under Mike Woodson showed its face.

Particularly the problems that have haunted this season's team.

With IU desperately trying to crawl back from behind, the IU offensive got what it wanted - penetration that pulled in the defense and the ball moved, quickly to a wide open Myles Rice on the perimeter. Instead of attempting a three-pointer though, Rice, with a clock ticking down and multiple possessions separating IU from UCLA, decided to fake, dribble, and then take a contested mid-range jumper.

The miss wasn't a miss, it was a metaphor, a representation of IU's late game follies, a lot of them falling on Myles Rice's shot selection, but 26 games into the season, a handful of late game mistakes in a row, and we're way beyond fool me once, shame on you. Mike Woodson had a dead ball where he could have learned from his continuous mistake of trusting Rice late in a game just a couple plays later. Instead, with the game finally within reach, Rice drove right with just under twenty seconds left. Plenty of time to do anything besides stop, bump his man, and force an awkward, ugly 12 foot floater from the baseline.

But IU's tragedy is not so simple. Between those Rice screw ups, there was Malik Reneau standing with the ball at the hoop after the miss. There is nothing between him and tying the game with a lay up, but Reneau assumed contact and lost focus on his lay up. It went hard and missed.

Then, on IU's in bound pass to finish the game, Rice was wide open under the hoop for a game-tying lay up. Instead, IU found another wide open shot for the win. Mackenzie Mgbako after in bounding the ball cut to the corner where he had a shot to win the game, and in many ways, keep IU's hope of the NCAA Tournament alive.

Instead, another miss, in a season of misses. IU hasn't always had good intentions this season, but even when it has, it's missed its chances.

The former Big Ten giant continues to follow the path of the dinosaurs. Even in its death, there are things to mine from its bones.

Watch till the end. Who would have thought that Mick Cronin could be so hilarious?

Welp, UCLA finally did it.

It only took 26 games but the Bruins have finally won a game not in Pacific Standard Time.

I'm not sure you could say UCLA played great. Its defense was its defense, and it remains maybe the most consistent side of the court in the Big Ten, but offense continues to be a struggle. UCLA was just good enough from three, 9-20, to barely hold on against the Hoosiers after surrendering a double-digit lead in the second half.

Fun fact: no Bruin played more than 29 minutes tonight.

Depth and defense has UCLA still at the top of the middle of the Big Ten.

There's a full salte Saturday, but thankfully for those viewing at home, we only really need to be paying attention to the first and last game of the night.

At 1:00 pm, EST, in West Lafayette, #16 Wisconsin will take on #7 Purdue and a revved up Mackey Arena.

Purdue took a loss on Tuesday that's knocked them a game back of Michigan on Tuesday night and will be looking to avenge that loss by knocking Wisconsin out of the title picture altogether. The Badgers need a win against Purdue to convince itself the two game gap between themselves and Michigan isn't too far. A loss, and the Big Ten will continue to be what it has been most the season - a three team race.

Washington will go to Penn State at 2:00 and Minnesota will go west to take on USC at 4:00. Good for Ben Johnson, he deserved some sun and warmth.

Then the night ends with a showdown. #11 Michigan State will travel to a desperate and falling Illinois team. Fighting Illini are 5.5 point favorites despite being less than impressive over the last month. A loss for the Spartans would be pretty devestating though. Michigan State is coming off a loss to IU that's knocked them a game behind Michigan.

It's gonna be a good one tomorrow. Get your rest now and your caffeine in the afternoon.