BIG TEN BASKETBALL

[claypantherfan]

How many teams do you think will make it to the tournament this year and who are they?

[seofan_via_dublin]

Michigan State
Purdue
Illinois

one or two more depending on how Big Ten tournament shakes up
those will be:

Wisconsin
and/or
Ohio State
Penn St.

[kcarth305]

I'll be rooting for Ohio State.. GO BUCKEYES!!

[Orange and Brown]

I say 4 or evan 5 teams the big 10 is 2nd or 3rd in the rpi so they will get an extra team.

[claypantherfan]

I say Michigan , Wisconsin, and Minnesota our toss ups to get in i say 1or2 of the three will make it in this year

[Peake]

If the season ended today I think these are the teams that get in: Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin are all locks.

Teams that wold get in today: Michigan (two wins over top 25 in the last week plus out of confernce wins Duke and UCLA), Minnesota
Teams that would be buble teams: Penn State and Ohio State (You can't lose two out of the last 3 against good teams).

In the grand scheme: Locks---Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin

look to be in----Minnesota

Buble need some help---Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State


I think ultimatly the Big Ten gets 6 in: Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

4 at the most.

[Peake]

I have heard as many as 7 could get in from the Big Ten. Bob Knight said Michigan State, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Purdue----and Michigan on the buble (siad they need to beat either Minnesota or Wisconsin and win a game in the tourny and they are in).

[claypantherfan]

I say if they beat the badgers Michigan will get in

[Peake]

Well it looks like Michigan will have to beat Wisconsin and win a game or two in the Big Ten tourny to get in.

[85inside]

I say Illinois, Mich St, Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Ohio State has basically played themselves out, unless they can get to the semi's of the tourny. They would have to win at least 2 tourny games and one of those would probably be Illinois.

[Peake]

I thinks you are missing Penn State. They should get to 20 wins and finish 10-8 in conference. If Michigan beats Minnesota on Saturday and then beats Iowa or Indiana, they have 20 wins and have beat these ranked teams: UCLA, Duke, Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota.

[85inside]

No, not missing anyone. if it comes down to OSU, Michigan and Penn State(and none of those teams deserve a bid) OSU should go. Neither PSU or Michigan has beaten the Buckeyes this year. I really dont think Michigan has beaten OSU in any sport....unless it be Ice hockey.

[Peake]

Well I guess I'll have to side with the experts on this one. If you win 20+ games and finish 10-8 in the conference (PSU), then you are going to the dance.

OSU has one win out of conference that means anything----Miami, FL. They did beat Michigan twice, but Michigan has out of conference wins vs. Duke and UCLA. We'll have to see. I believe both have a shot if they get hot in the tourny.

BTW, Michigan has beat OSU in hockey, mens soccer, womens soccer---and it will happen in softball and baseball (both teams should win the Big Ten title again this year).

[Sue E. Side]

Michigan Wolverines
January 14 at Illinois L 66-51 13-4 (3-2)
January 17 Ohio State L 65-58 13-5 (3-3)
January 20 at Penn State L 73-58 13-6 (3-4)
January 24 Northwestern W 68-59 14-6 (4-4)
January 28 at Ohio State L 72-54 14-7 (4-5)
January 31 at No. 17 Purdue L 67-49 14-8 (4-6)
February 5 Penn State W 71-51 15-8 (5-6)
February 7 at No. 1 Connecticut L 69-61 15-9
February 10 No. 9 Michigan State L 54-42 15-10 (5-7)
February 15 at Northwestern W 70-67 16-10 (6-7)
February 19 Minnesota W 74-62 17-10 (7-7)
February 22 at Iowa L 70-60 17-11 (7-8)
February 26 No. 16 Purdue W 87-78 18-11 (8-8)
March 1 at Wisconsin L 60-55 18-12 (8-9)
March 7 at Minnesota 12:00 PM ET

If they win @ Minnesota they will need 2 tourney wins IMO to make it in
* that would put them at 6-9 in their last 15! And the NCAA likes to take teams who are hot and fade teams who are not, especially since your in the Big Ten and (8-9)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio State Buckeyes
January 13 Indiana W 77-53 12-3 (2-2)
January 17 at No. 24 Michigan W 65-58 13-3 (3-2)
January 20 at No. 24 Illinois L 67-49 13-4 (3-3)
January 25 No. 7 Michigan State L 78-67 13-5 (3-4)
January 28 Michigan W 72-54 14-5 (4-4)
January 31 at Indiana W 93-81 15-5 (5-4)
February 3 No. 13 Purdue W 80-72 16-5 (6-4)
February 7 No. 19 Minnesota W 64-58 17-5 (7-4)
February 14 at Wisconsin L 55-50 17-6 (7-5)
February 18 at Northwestern L 72-69 17-7 (7-6)
February 22 No. 16 Illinois L 70-68 17-8 (7-7)
February 24 Penn State W 73-59 18-8 (8-7)
February 28 at No. 16 Purdue L 75-50 18-9 (8-8)
March 3 at Iowa 9:05 PM ET
March 8 Northwestern 5:00 PM ET

* Ohio State needs to win out making them 9-6 in their last 15 games. If they split their last two games I think they will need to win two tourny games to make it in, if they win both they will need 1 tourny win and if they lose both they will need to make the finals and most likely win the Big Ten tourny.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penn St.
January 11 at No. 19 Minnesota L 79-59 13-4 (2-2)
January 14 No. 10 Michigan State L 78-73 13-5 (2-3)
January 17 at Indiana W 65-55 14-5 (3-3)
January 20 Michigan W 73-58 15-5 (4-3)
January 24 Iowa W 63-59 16-5 (5-3)
February 1 at No. 9 Michigan State W 72-68 17-5 (6-3)
February 5 at Michigan L 71-51 17-6 (6-4)
February 8 Wisconsin L 54-44 17-7 (6-5)
February 11 at No. 23 Purdue L 61-47 17-8 (6-6)
February 14 Minnesota W 68-63 18-8 (7-6)
February 18 at No. 16 Illinois W 38-33 19-8 (8-6)
February 24 at Ohio State L 73-59 19-9 (8-7)
February 28 Indiana W 61-58 20-9 (9-7)
March 5 No. 23 Illinois 9:00 PM ET Tickets | Travel
March 7 at Iowa 2:05 PM ET
* Penn St. seems a little easier, if they win out there is no question they are in. I also think if they beat Illnois they will be in. They need to win out to be 9-6 in their last 15. Losing both would make them need a run in the Big Ten Tourny.

Teams I think who are in.
Michigan St., Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin.... 2 other's will get in depending on the remaining games.

Bubble Watch for Big Ten
Michigan, Minnesota, Penn St., Ohio St.

This is just my opinion not saying it's right just my 2 cents.

[theassassin]

[seofan_via_dublin]

BTW, Michigan has beat OSU in hockey, mens soccer, womens soccer---and it will happen in softball and baseball (both teams should win the Big Ten title again this year).

Sports that matter?

[Peake]

Sue E. Side,


Great breakdown. I agree with what you are saying.

One note----Michigan IMO has played a better schd then anyone in the Big Ten. Duke twice, UCLA, UConn all out of conference. Name me a team in the Big Ten who could go 2-3 against those teams, not many.

Dubs,

All of those sports matter.

[85inside]

I have to believe with your argument that Michigan very very much underachieved this season. how could a team so great that beat Duke and UCLA get whalloped by OSU twice in one season. how could this vaunted Michigan team lose so many league games. that is in a league that isnt very good.

So which is it? Michigan the lucky team that Beat Duke and UCLA? or the drastically underachieving team that beat Duke and UCLA in preseason and then laid an egg in conference?

[Peake]

I think the Big Ten is a little better then what people think. Name a conferene that has a 7th or 8th place team that beats top 5 teams.

I think Michigan is a year a head of schd. How can a team that won what 5 games last year be under achieving? They have two very good players in Sims and Harris, but they are still a team that is young. They lost 5 games to teams that most people wouldn't touch out of conference. If Michigan follows suit like most other teams in conferene, then they probably have 22 wins at this point.

They have been inconsistent in league play. That IMO is the mark of an inconsistent team. These kids don't know what it is like to win and be consistent yet.

Ohio State is not a bad team like you are making them out to be. Michigan lost twice to them, so what. The Big Ten is probably the 4th best basketball conference in the country behind the Big East, ACC, and Big Twelve.