Weekly Word: Looking ahead for basketball and football and more

So this might some like a random point to be making in mid-January, but there was no game this week and I need topics, so bear with me.

Last year, the Big Ten enjoyed an unbelievable regular season only to never even need a second set of hotel towels in Indy for the NCAA Tournament.

Purdue was very much part of that fizzling out, after a strong season prior.

Things change during NCAA Tournament play the same way they change during the jump from non-conference season to the Big Ten season.

This year, maybe that could benefit Purdue, though that's a long way off, and there's a long season ahead.

Purdue was an elite team in non-conference play, maybe the best in the country. Soon as conference play started, though, some cracks started showing in that facade. It's not that the cracks only then occurred; it's just that Big Ten play shined a light on them, as can happen when the games get more physical, the coaching gets better, familiarity takes hold and possession numbers drop.