2023-2024 B1G Basketball Thread

[ELA]

Massey composite rankings (24 rankings)

• Kansas
• PURDUE
• Houston
• Connecticut
• Arizona
• Tennessee
• Alabama
• Marquette
• Gonzaga
• Creighton
• Duke
• Texas A&M
• Arkansas
• Texas
• Kentucky
• Baylor
• USC
• North Carolina
• Virginia
• Memphis
• Miami
• Florida Atlantic
• Iowa State
• UCLA
• TCU

• 26. Michigan
• 29. Iowa
• 33. Michigan State
• 34. Illinois
• 41. Wisconsin
• 43. Northwestern
• 54. Indiana
• 55. Maryland
• 56. Ohio State
• 59. Penn State
• 66. Rutgers
• 74. Nebraska
• 121. Minnesota

[SuperMario]

Massey composite rankings (24 rankings)

• 26. Michigan
• 29. Iowa
• 33. Michigan State
• 34. Illinois
• 41. Wisconsin
• 43. Northwestern
• 54. Indiana
• 55. Maryland
• 56. Ohio State
• 59. Penn State
• 66. Rutgers
• 74. Nebraska
• 121. Minnesota

As much as I want the colored listings to be correct so I can poke the ELA bear, I think it's very premature to have Michigan above MSU. Yes, people are going to verbally trash MSU next week after a loss to Arizona, but people can't seem to learn that an Izzo team is far better in March than November.  You seem to grasp that well. 

[ELA]

Michigan has been better than MSU thus far.  I said last night that Michigan looks like the 2nd best team in the Big Ten right now.  Does that mean they'll be the second best team in March?  Nope.  But college basketball, and to some extend basketball in general, largely boils down to 3 point shooting.  Michigan has been very good, MSU has been very bad.

Battle 4 Atlantis will be a good test for them.  Both Michigan and Memphis have looked better than expected.  Their only Top 60 opponents in the OOC will be in that tournament, but there's a chance they'll see 3 of them if they beat Memphis.  Massey favors Michigan in 11 of their next 13 games.  The two games they are underdogs, are neutral vs. Oregon (47% chance to win) and at Iowa (40% chance to win).  And 8 of those 11 games they are >60% chance to win.  The only games projected to be close are 52% chance vs. Memphis, 59% neutral vs. Penn State, and 51% at Maryland.

They could very well be 14-4 going to Purdue on January 23

[Benthere2]

Massey composite rankings (24 rankings)

• Kansas
• PURDUE
• Houston
• Connecticut
• Arizona
• Tennessee
• Alabama
• Marquette
• Gonzaga
• Creighton
• Duke
• Texas A&M
• Arkansas
• Texas
• Kentucky
• Baylor
• USC
• North Carolina
• Virginia
• Memphis
• Miami
• Florida Atlantic
• Iowa State
• UCLA
• TCU

• 26. Michigan
• 29. Iowa
• 33. Michigan State
• 34. Illinois
• 41. Wisconsin
• 43. Northwestern
• 54. Indiana
• 55. Maryland
• 56. Ohio State
• 59. Penn State
• 66. Rutgers
• 74. Nebraska
• 121. Minnesota

not sure Minn at 121 is correct but after 2 games against teams that do not register a pulse  this years squad is way more fun to watch.

They have guys that can actually shoot from the outside and heck they have been making free throws and have played a little defense
this is a huge step up form last year 

better still might not be good enough but at least it is better

[ELA]

not sure Minn at 121 is correct but after 2 games against teams that do not register a pulse  this years squad is way more fun to watch.

They have guys that can actually shoot from the outside and heck they have been making free throws and have played a little defense
this is a huge step up form last year

better still might not be good enough but at least it is better

Considering they finished last year at #201, #121 is a MASSIVE step up

[Brutus Buckeye]

Which team has taken the largest step in the wrong direction? 

[ELA]

Which team has taken the largest step in the wrong direction?

In the Big Ten?  It has to be Maryland.  They already have 2 mid major losses

[grillrat]

Yeah, it's kinda funny that three of the teams that were considered contenders for the Big Ten this year after Purdue:  Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Maryland, are the first three teams with two losses.

[ELA]

Yeah, it's kinda funny that three of the teams that were considered contenders for the Big Ten this year after Purdue:  Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Maryland, are the first three teams with two losses.

I'm not that worried about losses, as much as the fact that zero Big Ten teams have a good win yet.  What's the best win for the conference this far?  Michigan over St. Johns?  Teams basically have as many losses as they've played good teams.  All of the wins have been against garbage opponents 

[ELA]

I'm not that worried about losses, as much as the fact that zero Big Ten teams have a good win yet.  What's the best win for the conference this far?  Michigan over St. Johns?  Teams basically have as many losses as they've played good teams.  All of the wins have been against garbage opponents

Per Massey, the Big Ten is 1-9 against the top 80, with Purdue over #39 Xavier being the only win.

27-1 against teams outside the top 80, with the lone loss being Maryland to #96 UAB

[medinabuckeye1]

Is Mizzou awful or is Minnesota's close loss to them a sign of progress?

[MaximumSam]

Is Mizzou awful or is Minnesota's close loss to them a sign of progress?

Minny was up 20 then blew it so maybe both or neither

[medinabuckeye1]

Minny was up 20 then blew it so maybe both or neither

I didn't realize that. I didn't watch, just noticed the final.

[ELA]

And also, I always thought that gym was the hardest place to play relative to the level of the team.  Obviously Kohl and Mackey are tough, but 90% of that is how good the team is.  Williams was tough, even with bad Minnesota teams.  It is totally empty now.  It seems like Minnesota fans have totally abandoned basketball.  It's like what I saw with MSU hockey.  I was there on the back end of their elite years, and it was still a tough ticket.  For the past 15 years, it was an empty rink