UM BBall - 2011-12 Big 10 sched: Play Iowa/Neb/Wis/Minn only once
http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-basketball/michigan-basketball-teams-…
Tough draw - Got a break playing Wisco only once, and at home. But not getting Iowa and Nebraska at home is not good - probably the #9 and #10 teams in the league.
I'm happy getting Nebraska on the road. Ill be there!
Me too!
Who is gonna be worse than Iowa and Nebraska?
Penn State will be much worse. They'll definitely finish last. They return about 20% of minutes played this year. Combine that with a new coach and that's a recipe for disaster.
That was the one I could think of to rival the terribleness of Iowa and Nebraska (though I think they finish ahead of Nebraska). I really can't imagine another team down in that echelon.
I wonder if the OP forgot there are now 12 teams in the B1G.
PSU also probably got the easiest draw. All of their single-plays should be some of the best teams in the big ten. OSU, MSU, ILL, Minn. They could escape the cellar of the Big Ten, maybe.
Not what I'd call a favorable draw for Michigan. At all. Can't we trade a game with Illinois for a game with Iowa? Or is that too big of a rivalry?
As with many of Michigan's opponents, Illinois is only a "rivalry game" on their end.
I guess my sarcasm about an Illinois rivalry didn't make it through.
...Iowa and Nebraska >>> home wins vs. Iowa and Nebraska. Since Michigan is good enough to achieve this, this is a positive thing.
I don't hate the draw - I'd rather have our road one-off's be against bad teams than good. Going to Wisconsin is generally a guaranteed loss, and Minny, with Mbakwe and Sampson coming back, probably won't be a slouch (thought we've played very well in the Barn under Beilein).
I don't see why getting road games against bad teams is worse than getting them against good teams.
People here are selling Iowa short. They made strides over the course of the season and return almost everyone. They could be a breakthrough team next year. I won't go so far as to say that playing them once is a break, but it's not necessary that bad.