2022-2023 B1G Basketball Thread

[847badgerfan]

He’s the coach of a team that’s struggling. I’m pretty sure he’s paying attention.

The rules are mostly the same. The leash isn’t long, but it’s longer than “freak out over a bad season.”

Miss the tournament two years in a row, you’re done. Right now, it’s one bad but often competitive year off two Big Ten titles in three years.

Shoot, an almost millennial is put in charge of the department and suddenly the older fans want to run everything based on vibes. At year’s end, we’ll assess the big picture.

Yes, I'm sure he will address the big picture. Need to look at recruiting too. Nice class coming in, at least on paper. 

As for recruiting, this staff does a fantastic job of identifying talent for the blue bloods to swoop in later.

[medinabuckeye1]

A couple of interesting games tonight both on FS1:

• Iowa at Michigan State at 7
• Purdue at Michigan at 9.

Iowa had won four in a row and was looking pretty good until last weekend when they got drilled in Columbus. That wouldn't be so bad except that the win over Iowa is the only sign of life from the Buckeyes in nearly a month. So the question is whether that was Ohio State suddenly being a decent team in the midst of their ongoing tailspin or did Iowa suddenly fall off a cliff?

For their part MSU has lost three of their last four but two of the losses were on the road (IL, IU) and the third was to National #1 Purdue by only a point. Additionally the win was a solid one over Rutgers and prior to those four the Spartans picked up a rare win in Madison. 

Michigan is tied for third and only a half game out of second in the league but frankly I think they are a bit of a paper tiger. Their five victims are Minnesota twice, PSU, NU, and UMD with only one of the MN wins coming outside the friendly confines of Crisler. So yeah, the Wolverines are 5-3 but outside of MN, UNL, and tOSU every team in the league would probably be 5-3 or better against their schedule. 

Purdue is 8-1 in the league, 19-1 overall, and #1 in the country. That said, they haven't seemed invincible. They:

• Beat Maryland by 3 at home
• Beat MSU by 1
• Beat tOSU by a bucket 
• Needed OT to dispense with Nebraska. 

Literally half if their league wins could have been flipped by a single shot.

[boilerbanger]

I agree with you Medina, Purdue has been fortunate (not sure the right word) to come out on top of those close games, maybe with that consistency in close games it shows that have some fortitude and don't panic.

How much creed do you give that Purdue gets everyone's best shot since they are highly ranked?  Fair to say teams elevate their focus and play against them vs some of the other conference opponents?

[ELA]

-14 when Malik Hall is out.  Story of the season.  He can't stay healthy, and they can't play without him.

[boilerbanger]

Did he reinjure his foot during the game tonight or just not able to play enough minutes?  I saw he was playing in the first half. 

[ELA]

Did he reinjure his foot during the game tonight or just not able to play enough minutes?  I saw he was playing in the first half.

He's not 100%.  It was a surprise he is playing at all, but he can't give full minutes.  But they can't afford to be conservative.  I say play him as much as he can take, then rest him for the certain loss on Sunday.  Then you have 6 days til the next game

[ELA]

And now Walker leaving with a foot/ankle injury.

[ELA]

AJ Hoggards 81% FT shooting must be 100% in low leverage situations, and 30% in the clutch

[ELA]

Dangerous AF play, but resulted in a good look. Phew 

[ELA]

Is this bad?


https://twitter.com/SpartansRivals/status/1618789241986895873?t=Rn_Q1rWQ_eZ-Z8Ml4dU8Iw&s=19

[FearlessF]

Iowa and Fran Suck

[FearlessF]

Is this bad?

yup, it's bad

[rolltidefan]

yup, it's bad

this is the hard hitting analysis i came for. 

[medinabuckeye1]

I agree with you Medina, Purdue has been fortunate (not sure the right word) to come out on top of those close games, maybe with that consistency in close games it shows that have some fortitude and don't panic.

How much creed do you give that Purdue gets everyone's best shot since they are highly ranked?  Fair to say teams elevate their focus and play against them vs some of the other conference opponents?

I do think it is beyond merely "fortunate". You mentioned consistency and I agree. Purdue is consistently coming out on top in these close games because they are the best team in the league but they aren't quite putting teams away like I would expect for the #1 team in the nation.

That isn't really a knock on Purdue. I'm holding them to an incredibly high standard because they are #1.

Last nights game is another example. Purdue got a road win over a more talented than their record Michigan squad and they led for the entire second half and almost the entire game so good for them. That said, watching as someone with no dog in the fight, Michigan was in the game until the final seconds. It seemed like the entire second half was played with Purdue holding about a 5-10 point lead. It always felt like Purdue was probably going to win and yet there remained the possibility that Michigan could hit a couple shots, go on a little run, and take the lead.

I definitely think that Purdue gets everyone's best shot. For Michigan's guys, last night was what they play for (well aside from money and girls), a shot at #1!

Sunday they'll get MSU's best shot. Last Sunday they got Maryland's best shot. That is true but it also isn't unique to Purdue. That is just life near the top of the mountain.

So I'm not really criticizing Purdue and I realize that I am holding them to a VERY high standard. They are a very good team, but just how good? To be honest, I'd expect a little more domination from #1 in the nation.

Maybe that is too high of a bar. Maybe this is just a product of the league being so deep. There are 12 B1G teams that, at their best, can challenge #1. Purdue gets their best twice a week and basically gets no breaks and that is a really tough grind.