Big Ten fan thread

[InspiredLebowski]

Like I said before, MSU couldn't give away the Big 10 title if they tried.

Hey it was what, a 2 point win for State last year w/o Hummel in East Lansing? I really, REALLY, want the regular season title to come down to that last game. Regardless of the most recent result, MSU is the better team, but I feel like if both are on all cylinders Purdue and MSU are far and away the two best teams in the conference. And hey, if it means sitting Hummel until March and a 2nd/3rd place finish, so be it. A broken back ain't nuttin ta **** wit.

I'm just really excited for the B11 in the coming years. Top to bottom we may have the best coaches in any conference w/ a number of great incoming classes to add to already very good teams. Just feel like we're too damn physical, which equates to low scoring and underration (new word!), injury, and a bit of shellshock come March Madness when the refs allow it to be blown wide open. That's not an excuse, just a fact. It's hard to build a team to win a conference that allows such physicality and at the same time be capable of winning a game 92-84.

[TheGame414]

Hey it was what, a 2 point win for State last year w/o Hummel in East Lansing? I really, REALLY, want the regular season title to come down to that last game. Regardless of the most recent result, MSU is the better team, but I feel like if both are on all cylinders Purdue and MSU are far and away the two best teams in the conference. And hey, if it means sitting Hummel until March and a 2nd/3rd place finish, so be it. A broken back ain't nuttin ta **** wit.

I'm just really excited for the B11 in the coming years. Top to bottom we may have the best coaches in any conference w/ a number of great incoming classes to add to already very good teams. Just feel like we're too damn physical, which equates to low scoring and underration (new word!), injury, and a bit of shellshock come March Madness when the refs allow it to be blown wide open. That's not an excuse, just a fact. It's hard to build a team to win a conference that allows such physicality and at the same time be capable of winning a game 92-84.

I won't argue with Purdue being better than Illinois since Hummel was limited in the first game and out of the second game, but would you really say a 10-4 team that got swept by a 10-5 team is "far and away" better?

Which reminds me, I'm pretty confident Illinois is going to lose in the BTT to a team they swept this year, either OSU in the quarterfinals or Purdue in the semis.

As far as success in the NCAA tournament goes, it didn't keep Ohio State from going to the 2007 title game, Illinois and MSU from the '05 Final Four, Indiana from the '02 title game, MSU from the '99-01 Final Fours including the '00 title, OSU from the '99 Final Four, Wisconsin from the '00 Final Four, etc.

Whether you look at a 10, 15, 20-year stretch, only the ACC will have more Final Four appearances than the Big Ten.

[JellyBean]

I won't argue with Purdue being better than Illinois since Hummel was limited in the first game and out of the second game, but would you really say a 10-4 team that got swept by a 10-5 team is "far and away" better?

Which reminds me, I'm pretty confident Illinois is going to lose in the BTT to a team they swept this year, either OSU in the quarterfinals or Purdue in the semis.
As far as success in the NCAA tournament goes, it didn't keep Ohio State from going to the 2007 title game, Illinois and MSU from the '05 Final Four, Indiana from the '02 title game, MSU from the '99-01 Final Fours including the '00 title, OSU from the '99 Final Four, Wisconsin from the '00 Final Four, etc.

Whether you look at a 10, 15, 20-year stretch, only the ACC will have more Final Four appearances than the Big Ten.

It should be interesting to see what happens. Purdue is scary. Ohio St, when focused, is still a dangerous team. I keep hoping that my home team (Minnesota) can make another magical run towards the Big Ten Tournament title, but that is a big HOPE and WISH on my part. But I can't wait until the Big Ten and Big East Tournaments!!!

[i seen hippos]

Lucious with three straight 3's. This kid is pretty good if you've watched him this year. If Lucas comes back next year (at this point I don't see how he isn't), MSU will have the best pg situation in the nation.

[i seen hippos]

Big 10 title is ours. At worst we tie for it now. Get to celebrate an outright title win against Purdue hopefully.

[InspiredLebowski]

Yay 3 way conference crown! To hell with Manny Harris and his weird ass leg sticking out 3 pointers.

[TheGame414]

Yay 3 way conference crown!

Certainly a possibility, though I don't like our chances against Michigan State if we rebound like we did against Minnesota.

If it were to happen, Illinois would be the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tourney; we're 2-0 against Purdue and (would be) 1-1 against Michigan State, but we'd have a better overall record than MSU, which I think is the next tiebreaker.

[i seen hippos]

C'mon, let's not get ahead of ourselves. MSU is gonna win this outright.

You guys have to win every game and we have to go 1-2. Let's assume we beat Indiana. That means we have to lose at Illinois and at home to Purdue. While both of your teams have other games where you could lose.

[Posterize246]

Penn State (19-9, 8-7) a tourney team? Wins vs. @ #16 Illinois (damn that was ugly), @ #9 Michigan State, @ #14 Purdue.

When was the last year they were in the tourney?

[Positive]

Penn State (19-9, 8-7) a tourney team? Wins vs. @ #16 Illinois (damn that was ugly), @ #9 Michigan State, @ #14 Purdue.

When was the last year they were in the tourney?

I wanna say like 98 or 99 when they beat the UNC team with brendan haywood and made it to the sweet 16.

[TheGame414]

C'mon, let's not get ahead of ourselves. MSU is gonna win this outright.

You guys have to win every game and we have to go 1-2. Let's assume we beat Indiana. That means we have to lose at Illinois and at home to Purdue. While both of your teams have other games where you could lose.

Who's getting ahead of anything? I mentioned it as a possibility. And it is. Not, like I said, if Illinois rebounds like it did against Minnesota, but it is a possibility. Assuming an outright title when you have games left at Illinois and home vs. a Purdue team that killed you just last week is getting ahead of yourself.

Both a shared title and a MSU outright title are real possibilities at the moment.

[i seen hippos]

Not anymore.


BIG TEN CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15-3 in the conference would be amazing.

[BTFU98923]

well the regular season was decided tonight. hats off to MSU, they deserve the title. i'm pretty disappointed with how the season ended. i would have loved Purdue and MSU even going in to the game this weekend. oh well. any thoughts for the Big Ten Tourney? If it started today, it would break down something like this:

First round Byes:
#1 MSU
#2 Purdue (or Ill)
#3 Illinois (or Pur)
#4 Penn St
#5 Wisconsin

First Round Matchups:

#8 Michigan vs. #9 Northwestern
#7 Ohio State vs. #10 Iowa
#6 Minnesota vs. #11 Indiana

My prediction: Purdue vs. MSU in the championship game. Unfortunately, I will go ahead and predict MSU winning in OT.

Your guys' thoughts?

[InspiredLebowski]

I'm a big Matt Painter fan, and I realize his coaching career is still quite young, but he's got to figure out how to attack a zone.

[BTFU98923]

I'm a big Matt Painter fan, and I realize his coaching career is still quite young, but he's got to figure out how to attack a zone.

He also needs to find out how to win a game in overtime. So far at Purdue, he is something like 0-5 or 0-6 in overtime games. Funny thing is, most of the time the Boilers have the final shot in regulation too, and can't ever convert.