Thank you IU - BEAT ILLINOIS! (Indiana defeats MSU)
Indiana beats State...Michigan now has a shot (again) for a share of the B1G Title. Win out and Ohio needs to beat the Spartans and it's a 3-way tie.
Michigan would still likely be the 3-seed in that scenario. But to have a share of the title would be a long time coming.
Just win baby!
Thanks IU, BEAT ILLINOIS! BEAT PENN STATE!
February 28th, 2012 at 10:50 PM ^
If we can take care of business Thursday, Sunday does set up to be really fun. State is on Spring Break after this week too. I gotta believe that will make for a less hostile situation in their building on Sunday.
Whatever helps because they have been clobbering people at home.
February 29th, 2012 at 12:10 AM ^
Now we know why Harbaugh has been around the Indiana bb program. He just wanted to make sure Indiana would beat Sparty so we could get back into championship contention!
February 29th, 2012 at 12:37 AM ^
In a three way tie, Ohio would be third, being eliminated based on their record against Wisconsin, who can finish no worse than 4th. Michigan would finish second based on a split with Purdue, while MSU swept them.
This is one time when it pays to lose to the not so good teams (Illinois and Northwestern), rather than the good ones (Purdue and Ohio).
February 29th, 2012 at 2:02 AM ^
February 29th, 2012 at 9:35 AM ^
They would be wrong, and here is why:
MSU, Ohio, and Michigan would all be 1-1 against each other, so move to tiebreaker #2 - common opponent. Assuming Wisconsin finishes fourth, and why not, considering Wisconsin finishes tied with Indiana or Purdue in worst case scenario - Badgers would be fourth, they won the season series over both Indiana schools - that would be the first common opponent.
MSU swept the series against Wisconsin, Michigan won their only game against Wisconsin, and Ohio split. Ohio takes third.
Move to the next common opponent, Indiana or Purdue, depending on finish. Let's assume Indiana. Michigan and MSU split against IU - nothing there, move to Purdue. Michigan split against Purdue, while MSU swept Purdue. Michigan takes second.
MSU, Michigan, and Ohio, in that order. If BTN is saying differently, they don't understand the tiebreaking system.
February 29th, 2012 at 10:54 AM ^
February 29th, 2012 at 11:21 AM ^
Yeah its pretty sad really. What's even worse is I don't doubt that is what you heard. As good as BTN is, there are some people who know nothing over there.
February 29th, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^
This snippet isn't quite right:
Assuming Wisconsin finishes fourth, and why not, considering Wisconsin finishes tied with Indiana or Purdue in worst case scenario - Badgers would be fourth, they won the season series over both Indiana schools - that would be the first common opponent.
Wisconsin would actually NOT be the first common opponent if they end up tied with IU or PU. Take a look at the B1G tiebreak rules:
When arriving at another pair of tied teams while comparing records, use each team's record against the collective tied teams as a group (prior to their own tie-breaking procedures), rather than the performance against the individual tied teams.
Because the teams are tied, the comparison would be with both tied teams. However, I'm not sure that this changes the analysis by Maize_in_Spartyland.
February 29th, 2012 at 8:49 AM ^
I just hope that Michigan will win out and let the cards fall as they may!!
February 29th, 2012 at 9:05 AM ^
Nothing else matters if we don't win out.
February 29th, 2012 at 9:28 AM ^
If Michigan gets past Illinois and PSU, Ohio will be in a coyote scenario. Will they dump the game to Sparty on purpose and sacrifice a share of the B1G Championship to make sure Michigan doesn't get a share, or will they play hard and try to throw it into a three-way tie?
It's an interesting dilemma for them: bite off their own leg or watch Michigan get a share of the championship.
February 29th, 2012 at 10:20 AM ^
I'm pretty sure that Thad Matta and the OSU players don't give a shit about what their defeat of MSU would cause Michigan to gain as a result -- they want to win basketball games.
February 29th, 2012 at 11:41 AM ^
Don't you think OSU might want to share the title, too?