2023-2024 B1G Basketball Thread

[847badgerfan]

I read that UW is not gonna play UWGB or Milwaukee any time soon. Might be some bad blood there.

[medinabuckeye1]

If we want to get NET rankings for all B1G OOC opponents, I'll compile a list but I'm not looking up 11 or 12 opponents each for 13 more teams. 

I read that UW is not gonna play UWGB or Milwaukee any time soon. Might be some bad blood there.

I tried to look this up for Wisconsin but the only announced OOC games that I saw were:

• #5 Tennessee at home 
• #10 Arizona away
• #12 Marquette at home
• #51 Providence away

Then, within the Gavitt Games apparently the Badgers will play two out of three of #24 WVU, #29 UVA, and #209 SMU

Do you @847badgerfan or @bayareabadger know who the rest of UW's OOC opponents are going to be?  

The format I am looking to create is:

Notes:

• As part of the Emerald Coast Classic Ohio State will play either #45 Oregon or #87 Santa Clara so I've listed that as playing 1/2 game against each.  
• As part of the Gavitt Games Wisconsin will play two-out-of-three of #24 WVU, #29 UVA, and #209 SMU so I've listed that as playing 2/3 game against each.  

I'd be interested in getting this compiled for all 14 B1G teams to be able to compare.  

I don't think that Ohio State's OOC schedule is particularly weak.  As @bayareabadger pointed out: 

But that top of the list is solid.

I agree, the top end is really solid with games against #2 Bama, #4 UCLA, #24 WVU, #28 aTm, and either #45 Oregon or #87 Santa Clara.  However there is no "middle" and six games against punching bags does seem excessive as BAB said:

It gets weird at the bottom because you’re trying to decide if there’s that much difference between six or four or five body bag games.  Like, four is low. Six is a tad high. 

Part of the problem is that Ohio State, probably mostly coincidentally, is playing three of last year's four worst MAC teams.  Here are the final NET rankings for the MAC:

• 68 Kent
• 82 Toledo
• 105 Akron
• 133 Ohio 
• 156 Ball State
• 194 Buffalo
• 255 NIU
• 286 BGSU
• 287 MiamiOH
• 321 EMU
• 326 WMU
• 331 CMU

The Buckeyes OOC schedule would look a lot better if they were instead playing three of last year's four best MAC teams:

• #68 Kent instead of #331 CMU
• #82 Toledo instead of #326 WMU
• #133 Ohio instead of #287 Ohio

[847badgerfan]

I tried to look this up for Wisconsin but the only announced OOC games that I saw were:

• #5 Tennessee at home
• #10 Arizona away
• #12 Marquette at home
• #51 Providence away Gavitt

Then, within the Gavitt Games Fort Myers Tipoff apparently the Badgers will play two out of three of #24 WVU, #29 UVA, and #209 SMU They start with UVA in that one. WVU gets SMU. I'll probably be at those games.

Do you @847badgerfan or @bayareabadger know who the rest of UW's OOC opponents are going to be? 

Not yet. Those usually come out in the month of July/August. Probably 4 body bags. 

[bayareabadger]

I read that UW is not gonna play UWGB or Milwaukee any time soon. Might be some bad blood there.

I know UWM has been sort of run badly, and the Jeter thing left a bad taste. They also maybe tried to flex in terms of asking for more money. 

GB has some roster stuff. No idea if that impacts if. UW added their point guard. They just nabbed a Badgers commit. Prolly not on the Christmas card lists. 

[bayareabadger]

I feel like UW at four bad opponents is lower than normal. Was last year and became a dumb talking point for some. 

In any case, Medina is right, many fewer middle class teams. I think some of that is that if you are gonna get a team you should beat that no one has heard of, might as well be a bad one. Also, bad teams often take a little less money. 

It’s the opposite of the RPI era, where the difference between 200 and 300 was significant in ratings, win or lose. 

[medinabuckeye1]

I feel like UW at four bad opponents is lower than normal. Was last year and became a dumb talking point for some.

In any case, Medina is right, many fewer middle class teams. I think some of that is that if you are gonna get a team you should beat that no one has heard of, might as well be a bad one. Also, bad teams often take a little less money.

It’s the opposite of the RPI era, where the difference between 200 and 300 was significant in ratings, win or lose.

I think you have a good point, in the NET era the relative quality of your bad opponents matters less. There are the Quads, of course, but it seems like most of the discussion around that concerns:

• Having Quad 1 wins, and
• Avoiding Quad 3 and 4 losses.

So, to your point, the difference between beating #276 and beating #176 is probably nominal.

For Ohio State (using them for example because they are my school but also because their full OOC schedule is available):

• #276 Oakland could be replaced by #176 Brown
• #287 MiamiOH could be replaced by #187 NCCentral
• #301 Merrimack could be replaced by #201 StJoe
• #326 WMU could be replaced but #226 Sacramento St
• #331 CMU could be replaced by #226 Campbell
• #342 NOLA could be replaced by #242 N Alabama

Those changes would obviously improve tOSU's SoS but at a high cost:

• Much greater chance of taking a loss,
• The replacements would likely demand more cash,
• It wouldn't help sell tickets because the average Ohio State fan would see little difference between them. Either way it is a game that Ohio State *SHOULD* easily win. All you are doing is trading a body bag for a somewhat less laughably weak opponent.

Additionally, in the NET system, all six of the above would still be in Quad 4 because for home games, Quad 4 starts at #161. To your point, it might as well be a bad one. In the NET system hosting #161 LaTech or hosting #363 Hartford is Quad 4 either way so you might as well choose the easier game especially considering that your potential ticket buyers probably don't care.

[CatsbyAZ]

I have no idea what West Virginia will end up looking like, any thoughts @Kris60 ? 

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https://twitter.com/HoppyKercheval/status/1677853009496113152

[MaximumSam]

I was drunk when I wrote that resignation letter. 

[Kris60]

🤔🤔🤔


https://twitter.com/HoppyKercheval/status/1677853009496113152

It’s insane and we are watching a guy who was probably the most beloved figure in the state flushing his goodwill down the toilet one stupid decision at a time.  The biggest attribute that Huggs had going for him was he was one of “us.”  He seemingly loved the state and the school.  He wanted to be here. He didn’t view it as a shithole that he had to put up with for a few years to advance his career.  Turning this into a circus that was all his doing seems to counteract that sentiment to me.

The prevailing thought is this is a desperate attempt to see if WVU will pay him the balance of his contract that was due him through April 2024 before he resigned.  Huggs apparently has no one in his life who is strong enough to disagree with him, or keep him in check.  

Two months ago I would have wagered that at some point the court would be named after him.  Now, I’m not so sure he could step back in the Coliseum without being booed by most of the crowd.  It’s a real shame.

[847badgerfan]

He hasn't made enough money?

Come on dude. Just go away.

[FearlessF]

he might have a legit beef with someone up the ladder and just wants to cause some trouble on his way out

or maybe it's not legit

[Kris60]

he might have a legit beef with someone up the ladder and just wants to cause some trouble on his way out

or maybe it's not legit

It’s no big secret that he doesn’t get along with the school president, Gordon Gee.  And there is a large portion of the fanbase that is ready for Gee to leave, too.  But there is just no excuse for doing this.  He’s just embarrassing himself and the school he professed to love and turning it into a big joke.  He’s pulling a George Costanza where he quits and then tries to come back to work.

It’s ridiculous.

[FearlessF]

agreed

[bayareabadger]

He hasn't made enough money?

Come on dude. Just go away.

Could always use another mil.