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Big ten is deeper than ever

needmorecowbell

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Oct 28, 2007
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We heard the big ten might be down this year. There may be less elite teams but the big ten may get more teams in the tournament than last year (sounds crazy). There is only one bad team - Minnesota (thank goodness we get them twice). Every team 1-13 is good and can win home or away any night. It’s going to be a grind! 6 games in, 14 to go.

 
We heard the big ten might be down this year. There may be less elite teams but the big ten may get more teams in the tournament than last year (sounds crazy). There is only one bad team - Minnesota (thank goodness we get them twice). Every team 1-13 is good and can win home or away any night. It’s going to be a grind! 6 games in, 14 to go.


Agree, crazily deep league with a ton of parity. From an external perspective, there's no banner-carrier really (other than Purdue, I guess), so we don't get the press from being a "great" conference with 4 top 10 teams or whatever... but every team in the conference is a threat.
 
This is groundhogs day. Big Ten stinks in March Madness, the best players leave, and everyone braces for “this will be the year the big ten only gets 6 bids.”

Then the Big Ten dominates in November - I call this Big Ten Fraud Season - and the chatter begins again about it being the strongest conference top to bottom.

January shakes out 1-2 teams and 1 team usually rises out of nowhere to replace. Then the conference stinks it up in the tournament again, rinse, repeat.
 
Very deep, yes. Only MN appears to be a good cut below the rest. But as usual, there is no super-alpha dominant team, which explains the 20+ year National Championship drought for the Big 10.
 
I wish the P5's took a two week break right around now and played 4-5 games vs non-conference P5 teams
The early season challenges between conferences aren't as useful or predictive as they'd be now
With Big Ten expanding and likely to add conference games, it's unlikely but I wish it could be.
 
We heard the big ten might be down this year. There may be less elite teams but the big ten may get more teams in the tournament than last year (sounds crazy). There is only one bad team - Minnesota (thank goodness we get them twice). Every team 1-13 is good and can win home or away any night. It’s going to be a grind! 6 games in, 14 to go.


Rankings are also screwed up right now. Big East has 4 ranked teams, Big 10 only 2. Marquette and Xavier are ranked and both got roughed up by Big 10 teams. With Nova sucking, there is no way the Big East is that strong compared to the Big 10.
 
PSU looked scary good against Indiana.

They could be an Iowa like problem when hitting threes.
Making 3's makes up for a lot of other deficiencies.
It's tough to win when you take/make fewer 3s than your opponent
Look at last night, it was practically a wrestling match to get to the hoop, especially in the first half - you gotta move the ball and get some looks at 3's.
 
This is groundhogs day. Big Ten stinks in March Madness, the best players leave, and everyone braces for “this will be the year the big ten only gets 6 bids.”

Then the Big Ten dominates in November - I call this Big Ten Fraud Season - and the chatter begins again about it being the strongest conference top to bottom.

January shakes out 1-2 teams and 1 team usually rises out of nowhere to replace. Then the conference stinks it up in the tournament again, rinse, repeat.
Agree wholeheartedly, though I also agree with the OP’s premise that we will likely have more tournament teams than last year.

We’ve had 9 the last two years, the year before we would’ve had at least 10. This year I could see up to 11, more likely 10 and very possibly 9 again.

At least 2/3 teams will flame out to get us to 10 or max 11 tournament teams, - Nebby, PSU, Maryland all have NIT feels to them
 
There are 13 of 14 teams that should be favored to win their home games and put up a fight on the road so in that sense it is a deeper year. But clearly the BIG 10 is down because of the NBA defections and the great 4 year players gone. Biggest difference in prior years , doubtful anyone thought they were going into Illinois , Purdue , Michigan , Michigan State , Wisconsin and Rutgers and coming out with a W. Now there is no fear because there is no elite team, top 5-8 national team , not even Purdue , to get people to say no way they are losing there. This year might have the record for road victories . So the conference is good and it is a grind and every night can go down to the wire but no where near the past 3-4 years.
 
The depth all the way to the 13th spot in the Big 10 also hurts the overall ranking of the Conference’s top teams. In the Big East, the top half is feasting on the bottom. Georgetown (especially), Nova, SJU, Butler and DePaul all stink and beat virtually no one of any worth out of conference.
 
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Agree wholeheartedly, though I also agree with the OP’s premise that we will likely have more tournament teams than last year.

We’ve had 9 the last two years, the year before we would’ve had at least 10. This year I could see up to 11, more likely 10 and very possibly 9 again.

At least 2/3 teams will flame out to get us to 10 or max 11 tournament teams, - Nebby, PSU, Maryland all have NIT feels to them
Maryland and PSU have NCAA feels from what I have seen. Michigan is the one who may fall imho.
 
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I wish the P5's took a two week break right around now and played 4-5 games vs non-conference P5 teams
The early season challenges between conferences aren't as useful or predictive as they'd be now
With Big Ten expanding and likely to add conference games, it's unlikely but I wish it could be.
I've said this before too - don't know why OOC games seem limited to early in the season. Would love to have a breather or two during the B1G grind. At least they've moved 2 of the B1G games to early Dec.
 
The depth all the way to the 13th spot in the Big 10 also hurts the overall ranking of the Conference’s top teams. In the Big East, the top half is feasting on the bottom. Georgetown (especially), Nova, SJU, Butler and DePaul all stink and beat virtually no one of any worth out of conference.
St John's beat Nebraska by ten. Butler beat K Stste which right now is the best team in the best conference and its not close.
 
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This is groundhogs day. Big Ten stinks in March Madness, the best players leave, and everyone braces for “this will be the year the big ten only gets 6 bids.”

Then the Big Ten dominates in November - I call this Big Ten Fraud Season - and the chatter begins again about it being the strongest conference top to bottom.

January shakes out 1-2 teams and 1 team usually rises out of nowhere to replace. Then the conference stinks it up in the tournament again, rinse, repeat.
Groundhogs Day, huh? Okay, name how many individual times this has happened.

I swear, COVID warped some people’s perceptions of time. The Big Ten objectively laid an egg in March Madness ONCE - in 2021 - and NOBODY is saying it’s the best league this year … pretty much everyone is saying Big XII.

People, including some of our own self-hating fans apparently, are just desperately clinging to this “Big Ten is overrated” narrative. It’s simplistic garbage, but haters gonna hate.
 
Groundhogs Day, huh? Okay, name how many individual times this has happened.

I swear, COVID warped some people’s perceptions of time. The Big Ten objectively laid an egg in March Madness ONCE - in 2021 - and NOBODY is saying it’s the best league this year … pretty much everyone is saying Big XII.

People, including some of our own self-hating fans apparently, are just desperately clinging to this “Big Ten is overrated” narrative. It’s simplistic garbage, but haters gonna hate.
Are Kansas’ self imposed punishments and sanctions over? You must be so proud. That’ll show em!
 
Purdue is good border line very good. A- if I had to give them a grade. Then a good portion of the league is in the B- to B plus range. It's fun to watch because everyone is evenly matched. But no great teams outside of possibly Purdue.
 
Purdue is good border line very good. A- if I had to give them a grade. Then a good portion of the league is in the B- to B plus range. It's fun to watch because everyone is evenly matched. But no great teams outside of possibly Purdue.
Purdue doesn’t play great defense to be considered a great team.
 
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St John's beat Nebraska by ten. Butler beat K Stste which right now is the best team in the best conference and its not close.
Also there are probably 6 good teams in the Big East. The Big Ten has 10-12 teams I would also put in the good category.

Current bracketologists have 9-11 Big Ten teams in the dance and 5 Big East schools in.

 
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Purdue doesn’t play great defense to be considered a great team.
kenpom has their offense at #2 overall and the defense at #27 so they come in as #6 overall. I would say they are potentially a great team.

Bracket matrix has Indiana as an 8 seed right now. There's no way that makes sense given their current condition, although they could get healthy and make a run at that.
 
Also there are probably 6 good teams in the Big East. The Big Ten has 10-12 teams I would also put in the good category.

Current bracketologists have 9-11 Big Ten teams in the dance and 5 Big East schools in.


I would agree with that Big East is a little down as far as the whole conference goes. But having four teams in the top twenty is still pretty dam good especially when one of them is not Villanova also. Top of the conference is still strong.
 
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I would agree with that Big East is a little down as far as the whole conference goes. But having four teams in the top twenty is still pretty dam good especially when one of them is not Villanova also. Top of the conference is still strong.
Yes, I would agree. In my opinion, the big east is one of the best 4 conferences this year so far. Maybe #3.
 
St John's beat Nebraska by ten. Butler beat K Stste which right now is the best team in the best conference and its not close.

True, I guess that cancels out Creighton's home loss to Nebraska. (Butler also lost to Penn St.). But even the top Big East teams overall did not fair well in their OCC schedule against power 5 teams. Xavier lost at home to Indiana, who is currently second to last in the Big 10. Marquette lost at home to Wisconsin and lost to Purdue. Nova lost to the friggin' Portland Pilates - enough said. Even your Friars lost to the only two decent teams they payed out of conference - Miami and TCU. Not one quality OCC win for PU. UConn is the only Big East team that excelled against good teams in the OCC. Those are the facts.

Also, Fact Check: Kansas St. is very good, but Kansas - not KSU - in undeniably the best team in the Big 10.

Also, Big East has 4 teams in the top 65 of the NET. Big 10 has 11 teams there. Just saying . . .
 
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kenpom has their offense at #2 overall and the defense at #27 so they come in as #6 overall. I would say they are potentially a great team.

Bracket matrix has Indiana as an 8 seed right now. There's no way that makes sense given their current condition, although they could get healthy and make a run at that.
Purdue hasn't even shot the 3 well. What happens if they do?
 
kenpom has their offense at #2 overall and the defense at #27 so they come in as #6 overall. I would say they are potentially a great team.

Bracket matrix has Indiana as an 8 seed right now. There's no way that makes sense given their current condition, although they could get healthy and make a run at that.
My point is that there are few and maybe no great teams this year. Not Houston , not Kansas nor Texas nor Kansas State , not UConn or Xavier; not Alabama nor Tennessee , not UCLA or Arizona , not Gonzaga , not Duke , UNC or Miami and then not Purdue. Everybody is beatable home and away. Compared to past years and dominant Duke or Kentucky teams , it is not even close. Could Purdue emerge as the top team in the BIG 10 and make a run to the Final Four, sure , but all the teams I mentioned above and another 10-12 I did not mention can as well. When Purdue no longer struggles with Nebraska on the road , Davidson at home ; being behind to Rutgers and Penn State at the half by 10 and 6 points , then you can consider them great. Until then , in my opinion , a very good team but has flaws.
 
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True, I guess that cancels out Creighton's home loss to Nebraska. (Butler also lost to Penn St.). But even the top Big East teams overall did not fair well in their OCC schedule against power 5 teams. Xavier lost at home to Indiana, who is currently second to last in the Big 10. Marquette lost at home to Wisconsin and lost to Purdue. Nova lost to the friggin' Portland Pilates - enough said. Even your Friars lost to the only two decent teams they payed out of conference - Miami and TCU. Not one quality OCC win for PU. UConn is the only Big East team that excelled against good teams in the OCC. Those are the facts.

Also, Fact Check: Kansas St. is very good, but Kansas - not KSU - in undeniably the best team in the Big 10.

Also, Big East has 4 teams in the top 65 of the NET. Big 10 has 11 teams there. Just saying . . .
Yeah my Friars had to replace the whole starting lineup so figured there would be some adjustment period. Lost at TCU not a bad loss Miami neutral and only bad loss was to St Louis.
 
my current ratings

1. Purdue

2. Michigan State
3. Rutgers
4. Ohio State

5. Illinois
6. Iowa
7. Michigan
8. Wisconsin

9. Maryland
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Indiana

13. Nebraska








14. Minnesota
 
Yeah my Friars had to replace the whole starting lineup so figured there would be some adjustment period. Lost at TCU not a bad loss Miami neutral and only bad loss was to St Louis.
I always liked Ed Cooley and thought he is a real good coach and leader. What are fans’ thoughts about him? Is he a Providence lifer or do you have to fend off other schools?
 
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