3 Takeaways: Hawkeyes all about priorities, bracket watch, B1G rivalries

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Anthony Clemmons is all about priorities, and the Iowa senior met them all on Sunday at Illinois.

Clemmons, a 6-foot-2 guard, scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, swiped four steals and added a pair of assists in the Hawkeyes' 77-65 win at Illinois. He played solid defense on high-powered Illini guard Kendrick Nunn, who connected on just 2-of-13 shooting and whiffed on all seven 3-point attempts.

'I knew what type of player (Nunn) was since we started scouting him,' Clemmons said. 'I think I established myself early, and he was never in a good rhythm.'

With his job accomplished, Clemmons stood outside his team's locker room and referenced his future workload in a set of chronological priorities.

'We're going to enjoy it a little bit, watch the Super Bowl and then after it's locking in on Indiana,' he said.

It was Iowa's second consecutive win at Illinois — a feat the program last met in 1986-87 — and its first double-digit win in Champaign since 1979. The Hawkeyes (19-4, 10-1 Big Ten) now are ranked No. 4 by the Associated Press (fifth by the USA Today/Coaches poll) with 11 first-place votes. Iowa leads the Big Ten by one-half game over Maryland and boasts its first 10-1 league start since 1982.

Each of those facts are causes for celebration, yet Iowa players and coaches remain locked on the task at hand. For weeks, Iowa's schedule has pointed toward Thursday's game at Indiana (8 p.m. ESPN), yet the players didn't acknowledge the potential showdown even in casual conversation. The No. 22-ranked Hoosiers (19-5, 9-2 Big Ten) were tied with the Hawkeyes atop the league standings until Saturday, when they were upset at Penn State.

By the end of Sunday's game, Iowa's players finally started referencing their upcoming game at Bloomington.

'We know what we're coming against, playing in that building,' Clemmons said. 'It's going to be a really tough atmosphere. I have a lot of confidence in our guys that we'll come ready and our coaching staff making sure we get ready.'

Oddly, this is Iowa's fifth straight trip to Bloomington without a return. The Hawkeyes won at Assembly Hall 77-63 last year and traveled twice to Indiana in 2014. A ceiling tile crashed from the roof and forced a postponement a few hours before tip-off. Iowa played there nine days later and lost 93-86. The teams met home-and-away in 2012-13, with the first game held in Iowa City on Dec. 31, 2012 and the second on Feb. 2, 2013 in Bloomington. The Hoosiers do come to Iowa City for the home finale on March 1.

'It never gets easier, Iowa center Adam Woodbury said. 'Every time we win, the next one gets tougher. There's no doubt about it. The place is going to be loud, it's going to be a crazy environment. We'll be ready to go.'

2. Bracketology. Iowa has worked itself into the conversation for an NCAA tournament No. 1 seed. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 4 by the Associated Press and No. 5 by the USA Today/Coaches poll. If they stay atop the Big Ten with nary a major slip-up, it's likely the Hawkeyes will play in Des Moines. That's a major home-court advantage.

With Louisville backing out of the postseason because of likely sanctions, the Big Ten could get seven teams in the NCAA tournament. Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue appear as almost certain locks. Michigan and Wisconsin are less certain but could get in based on a few wins over the next month.

Based on RPI, national rankings and league standings, I put together this bracket.

PHILADELPHIA REGION

1. Villanova vs. 16. Hampton-Texas Southern winner, Brooklyn

8. Pittsburgh vs. 9. Michigan, Brooklyn

4. Miami vs. 13. Montana, Spokane

5. Kentucky vs. 12. California-St. Mary's winner, Spokane

3. Michigan State vs. 14. Belmont, Providence

6. Gonzaga vs. 11. Utah, Providence

2. Kansas vs. 15. Stephen F. Austin, Des Moines

7. St. Joseph's vs. 10. Colorado, Des Moines

CHICAGO REGION

1. Iowa vs. 16. Stony Brook, Des Moines

8. USC vs. 9. Cincinnati, Des Moines

4. Texas A&M vs. 13. Akron, Denver

5. Providence vs. 12. Kansas State-Florida State winner, Denver

3. Iowa State vs. 14. UAB, St. Louis

6. Dayton vs. 11. Wisconsin, St. Louis

2. Xavier vs. 15. New Mexico State, St. Louis

7. San Diego State vs. 10. Florida, St. Louis

LOUISVILLE REGION

1. Maryland vs. 16. North Florida, Brooklyn

8. Duke vs. 9. UConn, Brooklyn

4. Arizona vs. 13. South Dakota State, Denver

5. Baylor vs. 12. Valparaiso, Denver

3. Virginia vs. 14. UNC-Wilmington, Providence

6. Indiana vs. 11. George Washington, Providence

2. West Virginia vs. 15. UNC-Asheville, Raleigh

7. Seton Hall vs. 10 Syracuse, Raleigh

ANAHEIM REGION

1. Oklahoma vs. 16. Fairleigh Dickinson-Bucknell winner, Oklahoma City

8. Notre Dame vs. 9. South Carolina, Oklahoma City

4. Wichita State vs. 13. Arkansas-Little Rock, Oklahoma City

5. Purdue vs. 12. Monmouth, Oklahoma City

3. Oregon vs. 14. UC-Irvine, Spokane

6. Texas vs. 11. Chattanooga, Spokane

2. North Carolina vs. 15. Yale, Raleigh

7. LSU vs. 10. VCU, Raleigh

3. Rivalries revisited. Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal wrote a column last week that if the Big Ten can't co-opt a home-and-home schedule for its 14 teams, then it needs to guarantee rivalries that are played twice annually. I've written about this before, and this concept needs to happen.

The math is much easier with a protected rival. That means a School A plays School B every year twice, and then plays every other school twice at home and twice on the road over a three-year period. That's simple, although it's hardly perfect or even preferable.

Some of the rivalries appear easy to designate like Indiana-Purdue and Michigan-Michigan State. Wisconsin-Minnesota makes sense, although Iowa could enter a discussion with either school. Illinois-Northwestern are in the same state, but their shared histories are lopsided. Then there's Ohio State, Penn State and newcomers Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland.

In basketball, rivalries are mixed up. Some of it is based on proximity, but shared experiences have a huge impact in them as well. In football, the East-West divide was easy to define. But in basketball, the league's central schools have strong series with teams all over the place. Unlike football, the Big Ten's centrally located schools are traditional basketball heavyweights.

Athletics directors have discussed the topic previously at annual meetings, but they have not voted in favor of it. But this season is a microcosm for why it should happen. Iowa plays all of its five Big Ten neighbors just once this year. All five. Michigan State-Michigan, Indiana-Purdue and Wisconsin-Minnesota have just one meeting. Nebraska, now in its fifth year as a member, would like to ignite basketball rivalries with regional foes Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, but plays them all only one time. Penn State meets border opponents Maryland, Rutgers and Ohio State just once.

All of this is a byproduct of expansion. From 2007-08 through 2010-11, the 11 Big Ten schools played eight opponents twice and two opponents once. Now, with 14 members, schools play five teams twice and eight teams once. That affects travel budgets and league races. Iowa's schedule includes road trips to Rutgers, Maryland and Penn State but not Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin or Northwestern.

Splitting into divisions won't work in basketball because the competitive levels are more chaotic than in football. Four years ago, Ohio State won its third straight Big Ten title, and last year Wisconsin won the league by two games. This year, both schools are in danger of missing the NCAA tournament.

If the league protected rivalries, Indiana-Purdue, Michigan-Michigan State and Wisconsin-Minnesota appear automatic. Illinois-Northwestern probably happens, too. Iowa and Ohio State have strong regional rivalries — Iowa with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois; Ohio State with Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue — but won't register atop the others' basketball list. I could see Iowa and Nebraska stapled together. I would paste Ohio State and Maryland into a twice-annual rivalry because both have great tradition and good fan bases. That would leave Penn State and Rutgers together.

It's hardly perfect, but it's better than the current random cycle that values all league series equally.

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com