Big Ten Basketball Single Plays Announced

With Nebraska's addition to the Big Ten, the schedule is reverting to a format where each team plays four teams only once.  The Big Ten announced the list of one-offs today, and here are Michigan State's:

AT HOME: Iowa, Penn State

ON THE ROAD: Illinois, Northwestern

My first thoughts?  Not optimal, but not completely unfair either.  Penn State will most likely be the worst team in the Big Ten, and although Iowa will be improved, I have a tough time seeing them in the upper half of the conference.  Illinois will be very talented but young, and Northwestern, just like the past few years, will look prime for an NCAA tournament birth in the nonconference season and lock themselves into an NIT birth by mid-February rolls around.

The full list of single plays are after the jump and honestly, it's hard to say one team has a distinct advantage right now.  That's less a vote of confidence in the Big Ten schedule makers and more telling of how wide open the conference is currently.  Ohio State will be very good, and beyond that...who knows.  Wisconsin will be good if Jordan Taylor can get help.  Michigan will be either decent or very good depending on how quick a point guard can emerge.  Michigan State has butt loads of talent but needs it to coalesce. 

But what do you think?  Is this decent, or did the Spartans get the Joan Collins Special?