Big ten Hoops
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So far I'd say the Hoosiers are pretty much what I thought they'd be. A fairly young team in that other than Juwan Morgan and Zack McRoberts, it's pretty much freshmen and sophomores.
Unfortunately this team has been beset with the injury bug. Starting point guard Rob Phinesee has been out for a few weeks with a concussion and doesn't appear to be back anytime soon. Jake Forrester is out, D'Ron Davis is slowed by an ankle and Race Thompson, who was expected to contribute has been out all season.
So Archie has somehow been able to smoke and mirrors the Hoosiers to a respectable 12-3, largely on the shoulders of Morgan and freshman phenom Romeo Langford. The bad news for Hoosier fans is that our two best players will be with us for a couple of months, then likely be gone. Morgan is a senior, Romeo is likely headed to the NBA.
I think right now, Michigan and Michigan State are heads and shoulders above the class in the big ten.
Unfortunately this team has been beset with the injury bug. Starting point guard Rob Phinesee has been out for a few weeks with a concussion and doesn't appear to be back anytime soon. Jake Forrester is out, D'Ron Davis is slowed by an ankle and Race Thompson, who was expected to contribute has been out all season.
So Archie has somehow been able to smoke and mirrors the Hoosiers to a respectable 12-3, largely on the shoulders of Morgan and freshman phenom Romeo Langford. The bad news for Hoosier fans is that our two best players will be with us for a couple of months, then likely be gone. Morgan is a senior, Romeo is likely headed to the NBA.
I think right now, Michigan and Michigan State are heads and shoulders above the class in the big ten.
The big ten is shaping up into a big two, a pretty darn good 6-7 and then the bottom. IU got drilled last night by a Nebraska team that's quietly put together a good season. They have 3 seniors who I'd put up against alot of teams.
That said IU generally doesn't lose much at home.
That said IU generally doesn't lose much at home.
I think Michigan gets past Wisconsin on the road tomorrow but I expect them to lose at IU next Friday. IU got unlucky with foul trouble early on in Ann Arbor and fell behind by a lot, but when they had their best players on the court for longer stretches later in the game they had the look of a very strong team.
Michigan got clipped at Wisky Saturday, and Virgina lost as well so IU's 76 National championship teams undefeated record is safe.
IU's backpedaling now. This team has few shooters, so defenses are stacking the paint and making them shoot. Imagine, an IU team with no shooters?
I still see it as Michigan State and Michigan at the top of the big ten.
IU's backpedaling now. This team has few shooters, so defenses are stacking the paint and making them shoot. Imagine, an IU team with no shooters?
I still see it as Michigan State and Michigan at the top of the big ten.
Well, needless to say, things have changed drastically for the Indiana basketball team. It may be the worst in the big ten as of now. They lost their 7th straight last night, at Rutgers.
This team seems way off now, and while I want to blame most of it on the play on the court, there seems to be some kind of disconnect with the coaching staff.
Any Dayton fans out there? Thoughts on Archie Miller? This is only his second season, so it's early, but this team is trending in a bad way right now.
Obviously, Archie is a defensive oriented coach, and his teams have generally played inside out. Should we panic yet, or does it take time for him to mold teams?
This team seems way off now, and while I want to blame most of it on the play on the court, there seems to be some kind of disconnect with the coaching staff.
Any Dayton fans out there? Thoughts on Archie Miller? This is only his second season, so it's early, but this team is trending in a bad way right now.
Obviously, Archie is a defensive oriented coach, and his teams have generally played inside out. Should we panic yet, or does it take time for him to mold teams?
Stirred not Shaken
Active member
IU was Bobby Knight period. Coaching at all levels is everything, like Holtmann at OSU , IU should give Miller 3 years, if he hasn't succeeded by than he probably never will. One thing to win at Butler or UD totally another story to win in the BIG. Hate Xichigan however they at least hired a coach from a major university who coached in a major conference ( when the Big East was very good ).
My big concern moving forward with Miller is the lack of shooting the 3 ball. I don't think you can be successful in today's college hoops by playing old school ball. I just don't.
John Bielein is a great coach, and really gets very little recognition. His teams are always playing at their best at the end of the season.
eastisbest
Well-known member
As long as they keep losing to Purdue, I'm all for an Indiana turn-around. It's always been one of the more iconic places to play... in SW Indiana. I wish them well.
Surprised, no shocked at the Purdue win over Michigan St. This is not a team stocked with 4-5 star recruits. It's... a Michigan St team, old school. Edwards was a good piece of recruiting luck. Eastern fair game, that's Purdue recruiting ground. If Swanigan had stayed... I think he's playing G-League. What could have been.
Coach Painter doing a good job, filling the needs with capable team players.
Surprised, no shocked at the Purdue win over Michigan St. This is not a team stocked with 4-5 star recruits. It's... a Michigan St team, old school. Edwards was a good piece of recruiting luck. Eastern fair game, that's Purdue recruiting ground. If Swanigan had stayed... I think he's playing G-League. What could have been.
Coach Painter doing a good job, filling the needs with capable team players.
And Purdue turns around an eeks out an overtime win vs. a not good Penn State.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Purdue lost to a very very not good ND. I'm not saying they're a great team but they do a lot with what he's brought in and... they beat IU.
Purdue-IU: over the years, it's been a surprisingly even home and home series, regardless who was up and who was down, even while Knight was coach. Even after Knight left, he always showed respect towards Keady. Mackey is a great venue. Honestly, never got to IU to see a game though.
I see B10 has five teams ranked but honestly, I'm not seeing that kind of strength. Hope I'm wrong.
Purdue, from Keady to now Painter, always is at least decent. They play hard, they have gritty kids. They've just somehow never been able to put 6 straight good games together in March and win a title, something IU fans can always hang over Boiler's heads.Purdue lost to a very very not good ND. I'm not saying they're a great team but they do a lot with what he's brought in and... they beat IU.
Purdue-IU: over the years, it's been a surprisingly even home and home series, regardless who was up and who was down, even while Knight was coach. Even after Knight left, he always showed respect towards Keady. Mackey is a great venue. Honestly, never got to IU to see a game though.
I see B10 has five teams ranked but honestly, I'm not seeing that kind of strength. Hope I'm wrong.
The ranking system really needs a long overdue overhaul. Both in football and basketball. There are 130 D1 football programs, and 351 D1 basketball programs. But wait, you need to carve out power 5 conferences, becasue by in large, they represent about 98% of the top 25 at any given time. So you are looking at about 60-65 schools who are legitimately "eligible" to be ranked. Add to the fact that most of the big conference teams schedule cupcakes and easy wins non conference, you really don't know how good teams are until deep into conference play.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Even deep into conference play, its cupcake player against cupcake player. I'm not seeing a strong conference, hoping tournament proves me wrong.
Your point made: being P5 is what matters for rankings.
Football: Purdue couldn't handle a MAC team but a couple wins and all was forgiven, they were ranked. That MAC game really was more indicative of the type of team Purdue had. BUT, the coach is popular so now the recruits are coming. I'm not convinced the guy can x and o, but he can recruit and he plays a fun style and he's in a P5 league. No wonder he chose Purdue over his home team. Painter nearly the opposite. Paint is more interesting than Painter. He did get Swanigan but generally, Painter's forte is the diamond in the rough at a 3-star level. I like watching them play.
OSU, my hopes were up, they looked like overachievers. Very disappointed there. Teams are catching on to Michigan, or they're having a stretch of tired. They pretty much have Purdue's number though so I'm not expecting a tournament win. Mich St or Mich.
Your point made: being P5 is what matters for rankings.
Football: Purdue couldn't handle a MAC team but a couple wins and all was forgiven, they were ranked. That MAC game really was more indicative of the type of team Purdue had. BUT, the coach is popular so now the recruits are coming. I'm not convinced the guy can x and o, but he can recruit and he plays a fun style and he's in a P5 league. No wonder he chose Purdue over his home team. Painter nearly the opposite. Paint is more interesting than Painter. He did get Swanigan but generally, Painter's forte is the diamond in the rough at a 3-star level. I like watching them play.
OSU, my hopes were up, they looked like overachievers. Very disappointed there. Teams are catching on to Michigan, or they're having a stretch of tired. They pretty much have Purdue's number though so I'm not expecting a tournament win. Mich St or Mich.
Purdue has 5 of their remaining 9 conference games on the road but they're done with Mich and Mich St so they might just cruise to the regular season title if they keep up this stellar run.
Michigan has 5 more road games to play as well and end with two brutal affairs at Maryland and at Michigan State. Unless they find a second wind soon I expect them to finish 2nd or 3rd.
Michigan State had been playing really well without Langford up until a week ago. They still have to visit Wisconsin, an Indiana team that just beat them at home, and entertain a double with Michigan.
I think if MSU and UM split Purdue likely wins the title.
Michigan has 5 more road games to play as well and end with two brutal affairs at Maryland and at Michigan State. Unless they find a second wind soon I expect them to finish 2nd or 3rd.
Michigan State had been playing really well without Langford up until a week ago. They still have to visit Wisconsin, an Indiana team that just beat them at home, and entertain a double with Michigan.
I think if MSU and UM split Purdue likely wins the title.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Sure, get my hopes up. IU has home game, that's generally theirs.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Mid-majors getting some legit votes might limit opportunity. Seems a lot of the B10 statement wins are within conference, not OOC. That could work against the non-ranked teams.
What ARE the statement wins for the conference this year, that still hold up? By that I mean, maybe the opponent was ranked at the time but as the season wore on, they were not all that.
What ARE the statement wins for the conference this year, that still hold up? By that I mean, maybe the opponent was ranked at the time but as the season wore on, they were not all that.
eastisbest
Well-known member
One of the more entertaining very badly played games I've watched, which would have been a whole lot less entertaining for ME, if the Purdue center were only 7'2".
J.R. Swish
Member
Big 10 will get 6 and maybe 8 teams in the ncaa. I think either OSU or Minn will get in and they end up with 7. But how many can advance to second weekend? I think maybe 2 or 3 make it to Sweet 16 but nobody goes beyond that this year. 6 good, solid teams but no great teams. Sparty injuries hurt them as they had a shot with a healthy Langford and Ward.
eastisbest
Well-known member
If someone gets a lucky draw, with that many teams in, top 8 isn't unreasonable, but maybe unwarranted. If there were only 8 teams in play-off, would even Michigan St. get in? They lost three games in a row to teams they should have beaten soundly. Bad oysters?
Agreed, that game was ugly...One of the more entertaining very badly played games I've watched, which would have been a whole lot less entertaining for ME, if the Purdue center were only 7'2".
But then they beat Michigan, at Michigan. Purdue may be the biggest shock of the conference. Outside of and inconsistent Carson Edwards, they don't have much but Painter just wins.
I'd say big ten gets 8 in and 6 get knocked out the first weekend.
eastisbest
Well-known member
The IU-PU announcers made a point that few would guess, which school has the most B10 Championships. Keady was that good and Painter is Keady with a bit more smile. But Michigan and Michigan St would be favored over them for this year's NC. Purdue getting it, particularly in the year of Z-Duke would be the biggest upset in NCAA history. I'd be very suprised if Purdue wins even the conference tournament.
IU is really not playing badly. Lost to three top twenty by 2, 6 and 2 on double OT. They really could win the tournament and get the bid.
IU is really not playing badly. Lost to three top twenty by 2, 6 and 2 on double OT. They really could win the tournament and get the bid.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Told ya.
What a crazy big ten season. Purdue and Michigan State are left standing after the regular season. One expected, the other one not. Michigan lost to Michigan State not once, but twice. And State is doing it with smoke and mirrors at the end of the season. Other than Big Ten POY Winston, just a bunch of no names that grind it out. Purdue is kind of the same way with Edwards.
Michigan is probably still the best team overall in the league, but for once they are not playing their best basketball at the end of the season. They go through stretches where they can't score.
An interesting team is my Hoosiers. They've arose from the dead and are still fighting for an NCAA berth, with likely 15 losses unless they somehow win the big ten tournament. They have several quad 1 wins including beating big ten co-champ Michigan State twice. The Hoosiers seem to finally have all the pieces in place, they are healthy and playing their best basketball.
Michigan is probably still the best team overall in the league, but for once they are not playing their best basketball at the end of the season. They go through stretches where they can't score.
An interesting team is my Hoosiers. They've arose from the dead and are still fighting for an NCAA berth, with likely 15 losses unless they somehow win the big ten tournament. They have several quad 1 wins including beating big ten co-champ Michigan State twice. The Hoosiers seem to finally have all the pieces in place, they are healthy and playing their best basketball.
A healthy Charles Matthews could propel Michigan to winning the BTT and building their traditional March momentum going into the NCAA tournament.
They're also just as vulnerable to losing in the quarters as any other higher seed, especially considering they already lost to Iowa once.
They're also just as vulnerable to losing in the quarters as any other higher seed, especially considering they already lost to Iowa once.
eastisbest
Well-known member
by week 5 Purdue didn't exist. Preseason rankings seem mostly by a bunch of people looking for talking points based upon previous year, without even looking at what's what. Glad it worked out, they did what they needed to at home but I think Purdue is more a 4-5 in the B10 tournament.