B1G only conference with three teams in Elite 8. Best conference?
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Staee all made it to the Elite Eight, giving the B1G 3 teams to make it this far, more than any other conference. It's not hard to see since it's only 8 teams, but here's the breakdown:
B1G (3): Michigan, Wisconsin, Staee
SEC (2): Florida, Kentucky
Pac-12 (1): Arizona
AAC (1): Uconn
A-10 (1): Dayton
(Nicely done, ACC; Big 12.... nicely done.)
My question, then, is does this at all validate the B1G as the best conference in basketball? Last year it was a no-brainer. This year there has been more speculation. So are we the best or is this just the tournament being the tournament?
If we are the best, does that mean Michigan will finally get the respect we deserve, or do we have to make it past UK for anyone to start believing that this team can win it all?
I think that the B1G is definitely the best conference, and this just proves it. I'm not sure that the media or anyone else will give us a fighting chance in this game, though. I would hope that should we make a second-straight Final Four, the critics will drop. Thoughts?
March 29th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
In sports you earn/win your respect. Florida is getting respect due to how they are playing and the fact their coach has to titles. They have done it.
Ky is getting respect because the program is tops in bball, and they just won a title 2yrs ago and have top talent now, just very young and you see them growing up infront of us this tournament and the sec tournament.
Michigan, hasn't seen a ton of respect this tournament namely becuase the 3 stars from last yr's run are either in the nba, or injured now, mcgary! So looking at our games agianst msu and wisconsin it's obvious our team can be pushed inside. Hence, tennessee being the popular pick due to their length at the perimeter and strength of their inside game.
Msu, getting a ton of respect now getting their top inside players back and msu looking like an izzo team again. Like ky, they are playing very well and the team has taken big steps the last few weeks. Hence they became the hot pick to win it all.
Wisconsin, has beaten 2 teams nobody thought they actually would given the matchups.
Big10 just earned a ton of respect all 3 beating teams that were considered tough matchups for each team. All 3 into the elite 8! They won the nations respect as a conference. I'll say this, it doesn't matter who wins the national title as far as conference strength is concerned. I never got that arguement... alabama wins in football to me has no bearing. Fsu won it in football this yr and doesn't remotely convince me that the acc was the best. This yr sec 0-2 in bcs games and acc is 2-0 with the national title...who here thinks the acc is a better football conference? Same in basketball... Florida could win the tournament or kentucky, wouldn't remotely convince me the sec is a better bball conference than big10, big12, acc or pac12!
March 29th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^