Big Ten Basketball Thread (Includes Weekly Power Rankings!)

[Joesanity]

Yep, Illinois is Illinois again.

[Oh, Jimmy]

Yep, Illinois is Illinois again.

Granted, NW was on fire in the first half, but Jesus Illinois has sucked lately. Quit fucking shooting threes. Have Paul, Abrams or Bertrand drive the ball. Beat the teams you should, and play the good teams close. Don't play according to the talent of your opponent.


Something needs to be done with the officiating in the Big 10. They miss calls, make bad calls, allow physical play, call ticky tack fouls, and are atrocious as differentiating blocks from charges.

[mray10]

Yep, Illinois is Illinois again.

Granted, NW was on fire in the first half, but Jesus Illinois has sucked lately. Quit fucking shooting threes. Have Paul, Abrams or Bertrand drive the ball. Beat the teams you should, and play the good teams close. Don't play according to the talent of your opponent.


Something needs to be done with the officiating in the Big 10. They miss calls, make bad calls, allow physical play, call ticky tack fouls, and are atrocious as differentiating blocks from charges.

Sounds like they're basketball officials.

[Chris_H_2]

1A. Indiana
1B. Michigan (until they win a meangingful conference game on the road, I'm not yet ready to annoint them)
3. Ohio State (emblematic of every helter-skelter team in the conference -- looks different every night it plays)
4. Illinois (see OSU)
5. Michigan State (I would rank them lower, but I see them starting conference play at 5-1)
6. Minnesota (sorry MN, but in your only true barometer game (Duke), you got throttled)
7. Wisconsin (I put them here by default)
8. Iowa (their 2 B10 losses sure were ugly)
9. Purdue (I wouldn't be surprised to see them win 80% of their conference home games, and lose 90% of their away games)
10. Northwestern (tough when you're best player is out)
11. Penn State (meh)
12. Nebraska (terrible)

You know, with the exception of ranking Illinois so high, I'm still pretty satisfied with this ranking. Michigan is definitely the clear No. 1 though.

[@SkitchP]

So are we going to see 9 big 10 teams in the tourney?

[Chris_H_2]

Tough 2 weeks for Minnesota to say the least.

[Chris_H_2]

So are we going to see 9 big 10 teams in the tourney?

Who?

[PHATJ]

Tough 2 weeks for Minnesota to say the least.

Really tough. I will try to get my new list posted tonight after todays slate of games. It's been a really busy couple of weeks for me and I haven't had the time to put anything together.

[verb_to_trust]

Could have went to the Illini Michigan game but figured the obvious 10 to 20 point loss for Illinois wasn't worth the 2:45 min drive.

I was right....

[Joesanity]

So are we going to see 9 big 10 teams in the tourney?

Who?

I can only see 6-7.

Indiana
Michigan St
Ohio St
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Michigan

Maybe 1 of Iowa or Illinois if they ever get their shit together.

The other four don't have it in them. Purdue and Northwestern might make decent NIT teams.

Penn St and Nebraska are the automatic wins on everyone else's schedule. (Now tOSU will lose in Lincoln this weekend...just watch)

[mray10]

So are we going to see 9 big 10 teams in the tourney?

Who?

I can only see 6-7.

Indiana
Michigan St
Ohio St
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Michigan

Maybe 1 of Iowa or Illinois if they ever get their shit together.

The other four don't have it in them. Purdue and Northwestern might make decent NIT teams.

Penn St and Nebraska are the automatic wins on everyone else's schedule. (Now tOSU will lose in Lincoln this weekend...just watch)

Nebraska ended any hope for Northwestern to dance this weekend.

I agree the 7 teams you have listed there are pretty solid, though Minnesota needs to right the ship or they're going to go from likely high seed to bubble status. Losing three conference road games, plus at home to Michigan, could just be a blip of the schedule. But they need to handle their business against Nebraska and Iowa.

[@SkitchP]

If losses on the road in the big ten hurt your chances, then no one would ever make the tourney. Safest bet in sports is a big ten home dog.

[mray10]

If losses on the road in the big ten hurt your chances, then no one would ever make the tourney. Safest bet in sports is a big ten home dog.

I agree. But Tubby's teams have a history of fading down the stretch, so I'm a little nervous on their behalf. The schedule is a little more favorable for them the rest of the way, so we'll be able to see what they're really made of.

[Chris_H_2]

This thread isn't the same since Minnesota started their annual shit show (albeit a little later than normal) and PHATJ coincidently stopped posting.

[Joesanity]

It's a good race right now. 5 teams within a game of first place.

Who else wouldn't be surprised if Illinois lost their next 3 games now?

[Chris_H_2]

It's a good race right now. 5 teams within a game of first place.

Who else wouldn't be surprised if Illinois lost their next 3 games now?

I think last night drives home the point more than any other game that it's really hard to win on the road in conference play.

Last night may have saved Illinois's chances at making the tourney. But like you said, watch them go on another losing streak.

[Joesanity]

Think Indiana felt like they had something to prove yesterday?

[Chris_H_2]

1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3a. OSU
3b. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Illinois
8. Iowa
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Nebraska
12. Penn State

[Joesanity]

1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3a. OSU
3b. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Illinois
8. Iowa
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Nebraska
12. Penn State

I'd put Wisconsin ahead of Minnesota, but other than that...yeah.

[Chris_H_2]

1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3a. OSU
3b. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Illinois
8. Iowa
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Nebraska
12. Penn State

I'd put Wisconsin ahead of Minnesota, but other than that...yeah.

You're right -- they should be ahead of Minnesota.

1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3a. OSU
3b. Michigan State
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota
7. Illinois
8. Iowa
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Nebraska
12. Penn State