BTT Royal Rumble

Submitted by ijohnb on

Minnesota fell to Penn State last night, further muddying the waters as to the Big Ten picture.  Looking at the conference and overall records of the 4-8 place in the conference right now in hoops, it is hard to make heads or tails out of how any possible result of a given games helps or hurts Michigan.  On one hand, I am glad that Minnesota lost because they have a head to head victory against us unlike Penn State, but that puts Penn State at .500 in conference, thats more than Michigan or the Gophers can say (though PSU's schedule is daunting from here and their overall record is uninspiring).  With regard to Minny, PSU, and Michigan State, a win or loss for any of these teams from this point on both aids us and hurts us.  I think the Big Ten tournament is actually going to decide some bids this year, in the sense that it is perfectly possible that an 8-10 team could advance in front of a 9-9 team given a strong showing in the tourney.  So for this weekend, go Spartans, I think, wait no, go Illinois, maybe, hmm.  And next week, need the Gophers to knock off State, kind of, well, wtf.  Anybody hyper logical people out there that can tell me who I am pulling for?

MGoBoard
Basketball

ijohnb

February 18th, 2011 at 8:49 AM ^

has a better conference record than Michigan, and arguably more quality wins.  Say PSU finishes 10-8 to our 9-9.  PSU is a team that we have concluded is "out," but wins like last night put them back in.  I just want teams out of the picture, not sure Penn State is yet.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

aaamichfan

February 18th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^

I'd say there's a pretty good chance of PSU not winning another game this season. They don't win many road games, and their remaining schedule is:

@ Wisconsin

@ Northwestern

Home against Ohio State

@ Minnesota

To even sniff a bid, I think they would have to win at least two of these games, then win one in the B10 tourney. I just don't see it happening.

Joined: 10/23/2009

MGoPoints: 14362

jethro34

February 18th, 2011 at 9:27 AM ^

The Big Ten tourney could be very interesting.  UM has shown they have the ability to play with anyone in the conference, outside of Purdue and Wisconsin.  Facing Wisconsin at Crisler should be closer than at Kohl.  If they can avoid Purdue in the bracket and someone else is able to take Purdue out, winning the tourney isn't an impossibility.  Improbable, sure.  But no team has blown them out twice.  Everyone they've played twice has either lost at least once to them or had a game in the final minutes that could have gone either way.

Joined: 01/28/2011

MGoPoints: 2346

Papochronopolis

February 18th, 2011 at 10:09 AM ^

I don't think that it really matters what happens to other teams in the BT for the rest of the regular season.  I don't think it'll come down to us vs. Minny, MSU, or PSU.  In the case that we are considered for the tourney, we will likely be ahead of all 3 of those teams and be up against bubble teams from other conferences.  But you could very well be right that the team that surprises in the BTT will get the nod (at this point most would point at MSU to be that team)

Joined: 09/17/2009

MGoPoints: 1863

Maize and Blue in OH

February 18th, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^

Without Michigan wins, it doesn't matter what the other teams do.  We have to beat Iowa tomorrow, and then beat Minnesota and MSU.  Have to get to 9 wins in the conference. A win over Wisconsin would give us that signature win that we are lacking.

Joined: 10/01/2008

MGoPoints: 2183