2020-2021 B1G Basketball Thread

[medinabuckeye1]

Life in the B1G is rough. With the cancelation/postponement of the PSU game, the Buckeyes are now in the midst of a five game stretch where four of the five are road games against ranked teams:

• 1/3 @ #21 Minnesota, L 77-60
• 1/9 @ #15 Rutgers, W 79-68
• 1/13 vs nr Northwestern 
• 1/16 @ #12 Illinois 
• 1/23 @ #8 Wisconsin 

Yikes!

[MaximumSam]

Yeah, I don't think Meechie is ready for big minutes.  Maybe play Washington at PG and bump Jallow to the starting lineup?

I assume that's what they'll do, but man Washington as the main ball handler always feels like an adventure. 

[bayareabadger]

I think UW loses at Michigan on Tuesday, but should be one worth tuning in for. 

[Brutus Buckeye]

How on earth could a loss to the wolverines be worth tuning in for? 

[FearlessF]

The University of Nebraska men's basketball program has paused full team activities due to positive COVID-19 results among its Tier 1 personnel.  Tier 1 personnel include student athletes, coaches and any staff member whose job requires close regular contact.

Due to the pause, the Huskers' home game against Illinois (Wed., Jan. 13) has been postponed. The institutions will work with the Big Ten Conference to identify rescheduling options. At this time, no determination has been made on how the pause may impact scheduled games beyond Jan. 13.

[bayareabadger]

There’s an irony that in the off-season etc wondered about Michigan’s guard depth. It appears they solved that by only playing two guards and sliding forwards up to the 2 to fill out lineups. 

At least that’s the sense I get from the stats. 

[bayareabadger]

Update: Michigan is kicking Wisconsin to death

[ELA]

Michigan pretty clearly playing the best ball in the conference right now

[ELA]

36-3 run

I don't think I've seen a more dominating stretch of basketball ever in Big Ten play

[Kris60]

I had the Michigan game on in the background all evening. It’s rare that you see a 23 point victory but know it wasn’t nearly that close.

[847badgerfan]

Update: Michigan is kicking Wisconsin to death

I turned it to DDD after the 36-3 run. Couldn't take the pain anymore.

[fezzador]

Michigan not only is playing lights-out, but has about as favorable of a conference schedule as it gets.  They get both Illinois and Iowa just once, and both are at home no less.  Not sure what their toughest remaining road game is (probably a toss-up between Wisconsin, OSU, and Sparty) but after watching the complete domination of Wisconsin last night, it's entirely possible UM wins all three.  The way they're playing, and even as brutal as this league is, I have a hard time seeing UM doing worse than 17-3 in B1G play.  Maybe even 18-2.

[HawkFrenzy]

Michigan is playing solid on both ends of the floor. If I had one problem with their game last night was the 13 assists to 32 FG but if it's not broke, don't fix it. Howard has them playing well and has to be the leading candidate for COY. It's still early tho, it's hard to make many projections in this league 1/3 in to the conference season. Still if I had to rank the conference at this point it would be difficult. Since this is not official like FB:

1. Michigan

2. Iowa

3-8 depends on the day/week but in any order: Illinois, Wisconsin, OSU, Purdue, Minn, IU

09-11 MSU, Rutgers or Northwestern

12 Maryland

13 PSU

13.5 Nebraska

[fezzador]

What's even more impressive is that Michigan wasn't getting the preseason love that Illinois, Iowa, MSU, and Wisconsin were getting.  In retrospect, MSU is clearly not playing up to the preseason hype; Wisconsin and Illinois are probably a smidge below expectations, Iowa is about where it's expected to be, but it's upstart Michigan that has taken the conference by the horns.  I initially thought that 14-6 was going to win the conference - unless UM has some sort of mid-February meltdown, I have a very hard time seeing them losing six games.