1/4 of the Way Through the Big Ten Schedule; Let's Discuss
With the conclusion of the two Big Ten games for today, each Big Ten team has now completed at least 5 of their 20 game conference schedule. I think now would be a good time to reassess the conference so far and give our HAWT TAYKES for how we see the rest of the year shaking out.
Give us:
- Most disappointing Big Ten team thus far
- Most overachieving Big Ten team thus far
- Who in the Big Ten is about to plummet
- And who in the Big Ten is about to make a run
Most disappointing has to be Nebraska in my eyes, who has already lost thrice for a 2-3 record. They were expected to compete for the conference, and they've pretty much done what they've always done: hold serve at home (won home games against Illinois and PSU, but can't win on the road (losses at MD, MINN, and Iowa). It's hard to win on the road in the Big Ten, but they still have to go to West Lafayette, Bloomington, East Lansing, and Ann Arbor. Only gonna get harder for them on the road. Honorable Mention: OSU (lost three in a row, including to Ruggers)
Most overachieving seems to be Maryland at 5-1, but they've also had a decently easy schedule so far. Road games at MSU and OSU and a home game against Wiscy will let us know if this team is for real.
I personally don't think they're for real, and are gonna get exposed pretty bad in the next few games, so they're my prediction for a team about to plummet.
And lastly, I think Wiscy is gonna go on a run the next few weeks. I think they're already feeling the pressure of a few early season losses and know that they have to take advantage of a home against against Michigan if they want to improve seeding and take a shot at the Big Ten. They're gonna be ready to play.
Tell us your thoughts! Go Blue, Beat the Chris Collins Barking Dogs!
January 12th, 2019 at 5:11 PM ^
Overacheiving - Rugers
Underachieving - OSU
January 12th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^
The hope is by 2020 that Rutgers will lose so many of its letters in its name out of sheer disrespect, that they'll just be referred to as R
January 12th, 2019 at 6:16 PM ^
Rut
- in furtherance of their perpetual state.
January 12th, 2019 at 5:14 PM ^
Disappointing: That MSU hasn't lost anymore games.
Overachieving: Minnesota 3-2 (won @Wisc)
About to fall off: OSU
About to win more: Purdue
January 12th, 2019 at 5:18 PM ^
Overachieving: MD is a good choice, otherwise I'd go Minnesota. I don't think anyone saw them going 13-3 with wins vs Nebraska and at Wisconsin.
Underachieving: PSU. Nebraska is also a decent choice, but PSU and Illinois are the only winless/under .500 B1G teams. That's expected for Illinois but not PSU. They weren't going to be as good as the NIT team last year without Carr, but Watkins/Stevens/Reaves is a good enough core to compete, not be 0-5.
Collapse: MD has to be the choice. Currently 5-1 but their next 3 games are vs Wisky, @OSU and @MSU. In February they have @Wisky, @Nebraska, vs Purdue, @Michigan, @Iowa, vs OSU and @PSU. That's going to bring them back to earth real quick.
On a run: Record wise Iowa could do good for themselves. Up to 3-3 now, have games against Illinois, PSU and Minnesota coming up this month.
January 12th, 2019 at 7:17 PM ^
Wisconsin lost at home again yesterday. I don’t think the Minnesota win at WI was over achieving, I think WI may not be good.
January 12th, 2019 at 7:45 PM ^
January 12th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
I agree that Nebraska is the most disappointing.
Putting aside the Beilein factor, I would say that Michigan is the most overachieving team seeing as how we lost three of our four leading scorers from last year's team and somehow managed to improve.
I think Indiana is about to take a tumble since they're entering a tough stretch in their schedule. Four of their next five are on the road, with their only home game against us. And that will be their third game in seven days.
Hate to say it, but the team about to make a run could be MSU. They may very well come to Crisler on 2/24 undefeated in the B1G.
January 12th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
I will say that I exempted Michigan for my considerations of overachieving because I'm a huge damn homer and always expect us to be excellent. But like, I think the number is 49% of our scoring from last year moved on and we're arguably better than last year. The concern was who was going to step up to fill that scoring gap, and the answer has been, well, kinda everyone. All five starters had double digits against Illinois and Livers had 9. I think that's a good microcosm of how this offense operates. I didn't expect the offense to be as polished as it has been so far this year. And while there have been frustrating games, definitely a lot fewer rock fights than I anticipated at this point in the season. Hail Beilein!
January 12th, 2019 at 5:34 PM ^
Disappointing: Penn State followed by Nebraska. I put PSU first here because they were coming off of an NIT title and while expectations weren't necessarily that high, they're off to a horrendous start both in the league and outside of it. Nebraska had high expectations but still has time and opportunity to meet those expectations.
Overachieving: I guess Maryland, but they're the beneficiary of an extremely weak schedule thus far. Next choice: Michigan - Let's be honest, no one expected this. They have far outplayed preseason expectations thus far.
Team about to plummet: Maryland. They will get exposed in the next few weeks and will struggle to finish above .500 in the league.
Team about to make a run: I'll say Michigan - why not? There's no reason they can't keep this up. The schedule is not ridiculous and every team besides MSU appears to be a notch below them.
Side note: I see the regular season race in the Big Ten as a two team fight to the finish. Many have said that 15-5 might be good enough to win the conference and that there will be cannibalization, but I think UM and MSU are rising above as the clear co-favorites. One of them goes 18-2 or 17-3.
January 12th, 2019 at 5:44 PM ^
The team from Ann Arbor is looking good. 16-0 so far...
January 12th, 2019 at 5:45 PM ^
It will come down to us and MSU. All the other teams are circling around above average to good but none of them are great. Us and MSU are top 10 basketball teams and both of us will be ahead of the 3rd place Big 10 team by a couple games at the end of the season.
January 12th, 2019 at 5:49 PM ^
Don't think Maryland will win 80 percent of their games but I'm not so sure about plummeting. They have a great inside -outside combo with Cowan and Fernando. The latter is a grown man. Teske better eat his Wheaties before we play them.
January 12th, 2019 at 5:52 PM ^
I actually think Maryland will hold up for 3rd place. Cowan can really shoot and that Bruno character brings toughness and athleticism.
January 12th, 2019 at 8:12 PM ^
Bruno also banks in 3 pointers as it were intentional
January 12th, 2019 at 5:56 PM ^
Outside of MSU, Indiana is the only team that really scares me. The don't have much scoring outside of Morgan and Langford, but both of those players are the real deal. At Assembly Hall we will have to play a very good game. The emergence of Trevion Williams for Purdue last night might have saved that team's season. Against any of the above squads we could have a night of poor shooting, but thank god for the game planning and adjustments of Beilein and Yaklich, I like our odds anywhere.
Going to be a thrilling second half of the season.
January 12th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Braska, Maryland, Whiskey, VictorsValiant
January 12th, 2019 at 6:50 PM ^
The Big Ten is deep this year. UM and MSU are elite, but the second tier of teams is also very very good- Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, OSU, Purdue, and Iowa. There won’t be very many easy wins to come across this year.
January 12th, 2019 at 7:04 PM ^
Disappointing: Nebraska at 2-3
Overachieving: MSU - the offensive production has been surprising and Cassius has really raised his game (need X to put on the clamps)
Plummet: MD - just not as good at 5-1 indicates
Run: Northwestern - just a guess and schedule is hard over the next few games, but I think NU will make a run after UM beats them in AA
January 12th, 2019 at 8:17 PM ^
Cowan and Fernando are big time players for Maryland. Not much supporting cast for them, similar to Modern and Langford for IU and Cline and Edwards at Purdue.
All 3 teams are even in my eyes, not sure why so many think Maryland is way inferior to the other two.
Most disappointing maybe IU because of their injuries and not winning on the road.
Most overachieving maybe Rutgers. Who thought they'd beat osu.
About to plummet is osu they are losing and don't have enough scorers to compete with the big boys.
About to go on a run maybe IU since they finally got their PG back.
The league is clearly Michigan vs msu. Nobody else has the depth and scoring to keep up. IU is the closest despite losing @Maryland.
January 12th, 2019 at 8:37 PM ^
January 12th, 2019 at 11:27 PM ^
Go Blue