In Big Ten country, most people look at Indiana and Michigan State as the teams to beat. Kelvin Sampson and Tom Izzo, Eric Gordon, DJ White and Drew Neitzel shine.

Purdue has made some noise lately, sporting a 6-1 conference mark and 15-5 overall record. Give Matt Painter's young team a lot of credit for a great run during the early portion of Big Ten play.

Hold the presses my friends! Has anybody thought about Bo Ryan and his Wisconsin Badgers? The Big Red keeps rolling on in Madison and this team doesn't get the kind of respect it deserves. Yes, there was the close loss to Purdue in West Lafayette, but this team gets very little attention given its 6-1 Big Ten mark and 16-3 overall record.

Since he has arrived in Madison, Ryan has been a big-time winner. He is one of the most underappreciated coaches on the national level. Yes, the Badgers have that 16-3 overall record after losing Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor!

This week, Wisconsin and Indiana square off in Madison in a game that has major implications in the Big Ten. If the Hoosiers go down, the Big Ten race will really be wacky. Five teams are really in the hunt right now: Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue and even Ohio State; the Buckeyes entered the week 5-2 in conference play.

Ryan doesn't get the notoriety but he turns out winners. Ryan has won at least 19 games in his first six seasons with Wisconsin. These kids know how to play the game; the names have changed but the results are the same. Whether it is Devin Harris, Mike Wilkinson or Tucker, and now Michael Flowers, Travon Hughes, Brian Butch and company, these kids are flat-out competitors who get the job done.

Oh, are they tough at home. In his seventh season as Wisconsin head coach, Ryan's teams sport an amazing 103-6 record at the Kohl Center. The Badgers have won 34 of their last 35 in Madison. That's why Kelvin Sampson and company should be concerned with this road trip.

Keep an eye on Ryan's squad. Ask the people in Texas about this group; Wisconsin won at Austin just before the new year. The only two losses this season came against ranked teams, Duke and Marquette. A lot of people have gone to the sidelines at Cameron Indoor Stadium with an L.

Bo Ryan knows how to teach offense and shot selection. His kids always play hard and they know how to defend. When you do the fundamentals well, you are always in position to get to the winner's circle.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.