Rutgers (of all teams) saves the day for the B1G
March 19th, 2021 at 11:30 PM ^
Too bad we couldn’t have all the big 10 teams play ACC schools
March 20th, 2021 at 12:56 AM ^
Ouch, I just heard them say first Rutger tournament win since 1983
March 20th, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
drill sergeant used this one on us "Even the sun shines on a dog's ass some days".
March 20th, 2021 at 11:10 AM ^
I watched the last half of the game and it was fun seeing the Rutgers fans excitement after the final horn. Right before the comment about their first Tournament win since 1983, that commentator was talking about Rutgers long losing streak in B1G and other difficulties their basketball team had over the years. That one win yesterday released years of pent up frustration. Great to see.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:30 PM ^
RU serious Clark?
March 19th, 2021 at 11:37 PM ^
S(Clark)net (Knights)?!
Ok yea, that was bad
March 19th, 2021 at 11:30 PM ^
2-0 vs ACC. B1G time
March 19th, 2021 at 11:36 PM ^
Big Ten is overrated because of uncharacteristic weakness of ACC. Watch out for Big 12.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:44 PM ^
Doubtful it's overrated. I love this tournament but...shit happens. Oral Roberts doesn't best OSU out of the 9 more times out of 10 (as decent a team as they are) they could play. Purdue had a bad night but I'm confident they're better than North fucking Texas. It's random coincidence a couple Big10 teams didn't do well today. Wisconsin is helping prove this. Syracuse isn't a legit Final4 team tonight but jeez they looked it for one day.
To judge how good and tough the Big Ten this year was off of some tourney results, as lackluster as it's starting, isn't quite fair. I agree about the Big12, they've got some good and realllly good teams.
March 20th, 2021 at 12:41 AM ^
Oral Roberts doesn't best OSU out of the 9 more times out of 10 (as decent a team as they are) they could play.
Chris Holtmann is 6-7 in the postseason as a coach. At some point that ceases to be "bad luck."
Besides, Oral Roberts didn't even shoot that well (11-35 from 3).
we’ve been over this. this is holtmann’s sixth ncaa appearance. in his previous five trips, his teams have performed exactly to their seeds. all of them, five for five. look it up.
I think the problem for Holtman isn't that he performs to expectations as much as his time at OSU has been a relative disappointment from a recruiting standpoint, resulting in a lot of teams that can't quite compete with the other top teams in the conference and the NCAA tournament. He gets seeded (save this year) like a so-so team thus far at OSU, and at some point you expect that step up.
March 20th, 2021 at 12:51 AM ^
I said this in another thread, but teams, in particular the double digit auto qualifier seeds are going to be somewhat mis-seeded. There just weren't the full body of games to make the necessary judgments and COVID had different effects on every team.
Most 15 seeds don't look like they belong and need a hot shooting night to have a chance. Oral Roberts most definitely looked like they could hang (and you could tell that early in the game). They didn't shoot the ball particularly well and still won.
I only watched the last 10 minutes of regulation plus OT in the Purdue game, but North Texas definitely looked like the better team.
North Texas wasn't just throwing up junk and getting lucky shots to fall. They were more active on both ends of the floor, ran smart plays, took good shots, and defended well without fouling. Meanwhile Purdue mostly stood around while Williams and Ivey tried to play hero ball.
North Texas doesnt really have any bigs, which probably limits how far they can go, but they get really good guard play out of their seniors Bell and Hamlet. They won't be an easy out.
especially ivey. that guy was looking to shoot as soon as they got past half court for the last ten minutes.
I wonder if playing at Mackey screwed with the Buckeyes' minds. They lost there to Purdue earlier. Oh snap! We play at Mackey later today!
March 20th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
We won our game at Mackey.
March 20th, 2021 at 12:09 AM ^
Purdue is a pretty young team, N.. TX. had 4 seniors starting, give them credit, they just played a better game.
OSU just played an awful game and still took it to OT, if Liddell comes back all their starters will return.
Besides Michigan, Purdue and osu should be really good next year. Not sure about any of the other B1G teams, I gotta imagine Illinois and Iowa won't be nearly as good. MSU, who knows with them right now and Maryland is probably in that boat.
Indian and Minnesota will have new coaches and will probably struggle, Rutgers has a lot of seniors. Wisconsin has a good program but will lose a lot of guys.
The conference won't be as deep but probably 3 or 4 teams will be factors nationally.
I don't know why it seemed so many thought Purdue would be dangerous. They just don't have enough shooting. Trevion is a good player but he's not that great. We saw Austin handle him. He was defended well today and there ya go.
The OSU fans sending Liddell death threats may have squashed that possibility (of a return)
Seriously? WTF?
That mouth breathing crowd has never been in touch with reality...
revolting stuff...credit to him for calling it out publicly.
That's awful. I know every team has "fans" like that, but it still boggles my mind why people think threatening strangers because they didn't do what you wanted is acceptable.
March 20th, 2021 at 10:22 AM ^
This sort of disgusting behavior is beyond my comprehension. I know there are stupid and revolting people in every fan base but this seems to go even beyond that low norm.
March 20th, 2021 at 10:14 AM ^
It will be interesting to see how many come back. They have a lot of guys with an extra year of eligibility and no real shot at the NBA.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:37 PM ^
I don't see what we're complaining about with the B1G results. I like all of them except the Purdue game.
Yeah we're trending a little SEC football fandom. I love that OSU lost to Oral Roberts. Michigan - as a team which can reasonably expect to compete for top seeds - has very little to gain from the perception of the Big Ten. Maybe a seed line or two.
It's great that MSU and OSU lost. Looking forward to seeing Brad Davison cry and Illinois losing too
Yep, I agree. The other top teams from the Big Ten losing helps us on many fronts. I never have understood rooting "for the conference". Fuck that. I root for Michigan. I'm certainly not going to pull for a rival -- and we have so many -- just for the sake of some mythical Big Ten perception.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:37 PM ^
Two by seed upset wins. Two by seed upset losses. ....ok, nobody is pretending those are equal.
1-2 as the favorite, 2-1 as relatively even seeds
MSU didn’t make it to the real tournament. I don’t know why people insist on including them.
the number of sweet 16 teams and elite 8 teams tells a better story of how the conference is performing.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:38 PM ^
Yes. Was pulling for Rutgers. Chuckled a bit at Coaches interview at the end though, talking a bit of smack after one win (in 37 years NCAA tourney) "Don't count us out, we're tough". He's right somewhat right though, they do play tough.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:44 PM ^
Tough is clearly his favorite adjective
He's on the Scott Frost coaching tree?
March 20th, 2021 at 10:06 AM ^
I don't think Pikiell said that Rutgers outhit them in a bad loss like Frost did.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:39 PM ^
The B1G brought this on themselves. The B1G packed too many games and the tournament into the last couple of weeks of the season. OSU and Purdue looked tired and they're opponents looked fresh and hungry. Our league's teams need more rest down the stretch if we want to complete in the NCAA tournament
March 19th, 2021 at 11:41 PM ^
Agree. it was one consolation in losing to OSU last week when shorthanded.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:42 PM ^
Oh my god, seriously? They had nearly a week off. And everyone else had tournaments too. You win dumbest take of the day.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:46 PM ^
20 year olds in peak shape need 2 weeks off, doyy
We would surely find a way to say teams got rusty if they didn't play the games they did.
This was OSU's 5th game (including two overtime) in 9 days. Their legs were gone. You can try to dismiss this argument, but it was clear watching the game that they were out of gas.
March 20th, 2021 at 10:07 AM ^
This was OSU's 5th game (including two overtime) in 9 days.
This is sort of misleading. OSU played 4 games in 4 days from March 11th to March 14th during the BTT. They then had a full 5 days of rest, re-conditioning, and practice before they played yesterday. Your point about 5 games in 9 days gives the impression that OSU had been playing a game every other day leading up to yesterday, which isn't the case.
Their legs were gone. You can try to dismiss this argument, but it was clear watching the game that they were out of gas.
That wasn't all that clear to me. I watched almost the entire second half and overtime period (of course to enjoy the schadenfreude). OSU seemed to be playing extremely hard, but just couldn't pull out the win - of course missing 50% of your free throws, including some to win the game in regulation, will hurt.
I just don't buy the argument that OSU, Purdue, or other Big Ten teams lost/will lose because they didn't have as much rest as other teams. Take Houston for instance, the other 2-seed to play yesterday. They also played in the AAC tournament from March 12th to March 14th, 3 games in 3 days. Then had a 5 day period between the conclusion of that tournament and their game yesterday. They didn't have the full 5 days like OSU did though, Houston had to travel up to Indianapolis. All the Big Ten teams were already there.
I think the more likely explanation for why OSU lost is because they don't play great defense; their AdjD is ranked #79 in both Kenpom and Torvik. Since 2008, all 2-seeds that have AdjD or AdjO ranked below 50 are 5-3 against 15-seeds, well now 5-4 thanks to OSU. It's pretty clear that if a 2-seed is not so strong on one end of the court, they are much more susceptible to being upset. Factor in that Oral Roberts actually had the #74 AdjO in Kenpom and #47 AdjO in Torvik. Oral Roberts also has the leading scorer in the entire nation in Kevin Obanor. That's a much more likely reason for why OSU was upset.
What's your explanation? Just bad nights for Purdue and OSU? Better opponents? The B1G is overrated? I'm trying to add to the conversation. You may disagree but at least offer something to the conversation. This blog is better than most but mindless insults bring it down.
B1G teams lost to opponents with more rest and beat teams with similar rest (the exception is Illinois who is clearly better than the majority of teams). It is a small sample size this year but B1G teams often underperform in the NCAA tournament and it is time to start thinking about why. Just trying to participate in a conversation.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:47 PM ^
Every Power Conference had their tournament just a week ago; ACC, Big 12, Big East, SEC, etc. Also, there were plenty of conferences that played condensed schedules due to member-teams’ various COVID pauses. Neither of these issues you point out are unique to the Big Ten. But, whatever helps you rationalize the underperformance of Purdue and OSU.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:40 PM ^
As other people are saying, BIG should consider the record 3-0-3. Undefeated in regulation!
March 19th, 2021 at 11:42 PM ^
3-0-2
FIFY
Staee shitting the bed is not a tourney game.
March 20th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue can only wonder what might've happened if the NCAA had adopted the NHL Rules and had gone to 3-on-3 in overtime, and if it were still tied after the 3-on-3 period, then played a H-O-R-S-E "shootout" until a winner had been determined.
Of course, there are some overtime games that become classics.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:41 PM ^
If you went chalk, your bracket is fucked.
Also... LOL Tennessee
March 19th, 2021 at 11:47 PM ^
How does Clemson not foul in that spot with only about a 6 second difference between the shot clock and game clock. Put themselves in position where if Rutgers scores the game is over, but if they do get the stop they only have a few seconds to get downcourt and get a decent shot attempt. And Rutgers is a terrible free throw shooting team that would have been facing 3 straight one-and-ones. Terrible coaching not to extend the game there.
March 19th, 2021 at 11:48 PM ^
OSU really crapped the bed otherwise it wouldn't have been such big news! Tomorrow will be the final determination if the B1G is over-rated or not.
I don't care if every other big team gets bounced the first round so long as Michigan does well.
It just means more.
March 20th, 2021 at 12:10 AM ^
6 upsets (according to seed) on the right side of the bracket with 2 teams still playing.
What is the record for single sided bracket upsets in the first round?