The Purdue basketball team adjusted without star junior Robbie Hummel well, beating both Indiana and Penn State.

But when it comes to the NCAA tournament, there isn’t much precedent on what to do with a top team that has lost a leader so late in the season.

Purdue coach Matt Painter conceded as much this week, that the selection committee hasn’t had to make these types of seeding decisions often before - referencing Kenyon Martin’s injury in the Conference USA tournament with Cincinnati over a decade ago as the only other strong example.

“They don’t have a lot of data,” Painter said. “I’d rather them just look at our whole body of work.”

That “body of work” would include a co-Big Ten championship with Ohio State and Michigan State and an undefeated non-conference record including a 77-62 win over West Virginia on New Year’s Day.

As for Hummel, he is having surgery to repair his torn ACL today. And with how his team has been preparing for Life without Hummel, Painter said “it’s a work in progress.”

Illinois' bubble bobble Two weeks ago, after wins over Michigan State and at Wisconsin, Illinois looked like it was a lock for the NCAA tournament.

Since that point, though, Illinois has lost five of six games with its only win coming against a reeling Michigan team.

The losses haven’t been close, either. In three of those games, Illinois was blown out at home against Ohio State (72-53), on the road against Ohio State (73-57) and at home against Wisconsin (72-57).

“I hope they come out with a sense of urgency. We’ve been saying that for a couple weeks here,” Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. “You have to go to Indianapolis and play Wisconsin and just lay it on the line. Last week, we tried a lot of different motivation stuff and it didn’t work.

“…Now it comes down to what’s inside and how much they want it.”

To reach the NCAA tournament, Illinois might have to beat Wisconsin on Friday.

Coaching carousel starts early The Big Ten tournament hasn’t started and already, one school is looking for a new assistant coach.

Indiana fired Roshown McLeod on Sunday night, dismissing the former St. John’s and Duke player after two seasons.

“You can’t focus on timing, you have to focus on what the right decision is and that’s the way it is,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said. “It’s all about putting the program forward and putting the program first.

“That’s the focus I’m going to have and now we can do the things that we need to do on a continual basis to get better in the short term and to work to get better in the long term.”

The Herald-Times in Bloomington, Ind., reached McLeod on Sunday night and he declined comment. McLeod told the H-T that he’d be available today.

This and that Wisconsin junior Jon Leuer was named Big Ten’s Player of the Week. … Illinois coach Bruce Weber said he thinks Minnesota coach Tubby Smith would win a competition of the Big Ten coaches in a ‘Dancing With the Stars’ type show. Penn State coach Ed DeChellis went with Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, noting he saw Ryan dance to Soulja Boy a couple years ago. When Ryan was asked about the competition and who would win, he was succinct: “I would.” … Technical difficulties left Purdue coach Matt Painter saying ‘Hello’ over and over again into the teleconference trying to hear someone. … Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said he has not been contacted about the potential opening at Oregon.

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.