2023-2024 B1G Basketball Thread

[ELA]

I miss one Purdue game, and apparently they lose to Northwestern (allegedly).  So I'm like, maybe I missed something, watching them in Maui.  Nope, back to awesome

[bayareabadger]

Big ole game tomorrow night in EL. Interested what this version of MSU looks like

[bayareabadger]

Big Red.

Good game. 

UW ran out to a solid lead. MU fought back in. Badgers closing was impressive.

The fact that the three wings who are playing well are taking a lot of play-making work away from Hepburn is good. He's not at the level of a lot of UW PGs, but they're helping that not matter. 

[ELA]

Big ole game tomorrow night in EL. Interested what this version of MSU looks like

As of now it looks like a team that could have won a national title 20 years ago.  It's loaded with athletic 2s and 3s, with no true point guard, not enough shooting, and no rim protection.

It's also a very deep roster, but as has been the case for 4 straight years doesn't seem to have a clear top.  Izzo says he is tightening the rotation going into the Wisconsin game, but I'll believe it when I see it.  He has struggled with that for years now.  I think 2016 was the last time he did so in an impactful way.  2019, the Langford and Ward injuries forced him to, and that team was elite down the stretch.  They lost 2 starters and wound up winning the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, and reached the Final 4.

[medinabuckeye1]

I saw that. It does make some sense to leave out the bottom 4.

Didn't the old Big East do something like that? Seems to ring a bell.

This is in reply to the OP on the subject by @ELA  (a twitter link) then this reply by @847badgerfan and a further reply by ELA stating that he would like to see 12 (leaving out the bottom six) to avoid a double-bye.  

I don't think this is as complicated as it is being made out to be but perhaps arena availability is a bigger problem than I realize.  

You need eight teams remaining going into Friday such that you have:

• Four games Friday to get to four
• Two games Saturday to get to two
• A Championship game on Sunday

One way or another (exclusion or games) you need to get rid of 10 teams by the end of Thursday.  As I see it, the most logical ways are:
Drop the bottom two and just have a 16-team tournament starting on Wednesday:
Wednesday:

• #1 vs #16
• #2 vs #15
• #8 vs #9
• #7 vs #10

Thursday:

• #3 vs #14
• #4 vs #13
• #5 vs #12
• #6 vs #11

Friday:

• 1/16 vs 8/9
• 2/15 vs 7/10
• 3/14 vs 6/11
• 4/13 vs 5/12

Drop the bottom two, Feed-in method:
Wednesday:

• #16 vs 12
• #15 vs 11
• #14 vs 10
• #13 vs 9

Thursday:

• #8 vs 9/13
• #7 vs 10/14
• #6 vs 11/15
• #5 vs 12/16

Friday:

• #1 vs 8/9/13
• #2 vs 7/10/14
• #3 vs 6/11/15
• #4 vs 5/12/16

An alternative that I prefer including all teams:
Tuesday:

• #18 vs #15
• #17 vs #16

Wednesday:

• #1 vs 17/16
• #2 vs 15/18
• #8 vs #9
• #7 vs #10

Thursday:

• #3 vs #14
• #4 vs #13
• #5 vs #12
• #6 vs #11

Friday:

• #1/16/17 vs #8/9
• #2/15/18 vs #7/10
• #3/14 vs #6/11
• #4/13 vs #5/12

[847badgerfan]

This is in reply to the OP on the subject by @ELA  (a twitter link) then this reply by @847badgerfan and a further reply by ELA stating that he would like to see 12 (leaving out the bottom six) to avoid a double-bye. 

I don't think this is as complicated as it is being made out to be but perhaps arena availability is a bigger problem than I realize. 

You need eight teams remaining going into Friday such that you have:

• Four games Friday to get to four
• Two games Saturday to get to two
• A Championship game on Sunday

One way or another (exclusion or games) you need to get rid of 10 teams by the end of Thursday.  As I see it, the most logical ways are:
Drop the bottom two and just have a 16-team tournament starting on Wednesday:
Wednesday:

• #1 vs #16
• #2 vs #15
• #8 vs #9
• #7 vs #10

Thursday:

• #3 vs #14
• #4 vs #13
• #5 vs #12
• #6 vs #11

Friday:

• 1/16 vs 8/9
• 2/15 vs 7/10
• 3/14 vs 6/11
• 4/13 vs 5/12

Drop the bottom two, Feed-in method:
Wednesday:

• #16 vs 12
• #15 vs 11
• #14 vs 10
• #13 vs 9

Thursday:

• #8 vs 9/13
• #7 vs 10/14
• #6 vs 11/15
• #5 vs 12/16

Friday:

• #1 vs 8/9/13
• #2 vs 7/10/14
• #3 vs 6/11/15
• #4 vs 5/12/16

An alternative that I prefer including all teams:
Tuesday:

• #18 vs #15
• #17 vs #16

Wednesday:

• #1 vs 17/16
• #2 vs 15/18
• #8 vs #9
• #7 vs #10

Thursday:

• #3 vs #14
• #4 vs #13
• #5 vs #12
• #6 vs #11

Friday:

• #1/16/17 vs #8/9
• #2/15/18 vs #7/10
• #3/14 vs #6/11
• #4/13 vs #5/12

That's kinda unwieldy, but it's the bed that's been made for us. And it's not a comfy bed.

[847badgerfan]

Big ole game tomorrow night in EL. Interested what this version of MSU looks like

I'm interested in what UW brings. If they can maintain the energy they showed against Market, they have a good chance.

I hope they haven't even given one thought about the coming game Saturday in Tucson.

[SuperMario]

I’m not sure why Michigan is heavy favorites against Indiana tonight. They have not looked good at all. I don’t dislike Juwan, but I miss Beilein style basketball.

[medinabuckeye1]

I’m not sure why Michigan is heavy favorites against Indiana tonight. They have not looked good at all. I don’t dislike Juwan, but I miss Beilein style basketball.

Well, according to KenPom:

• 2 Purdue
• 15 Wisconsin
• 16 Illinois
• 19 MSU
• 24 Ohio State
• 40 Iowa
• 48 Northwestern
• 49 Michigan
• 58 Nebraska
• 62 Rutgers
• 69 Indiana
• 70 Maryland
• 116 Minnesota
• 127 Penn State

While we are on the subject, new proposed tiers:

• Purdue
• Wisconsin, Illinois, MSU
• Ohio State, Iowa, Northwestern
• Michigan, Nebraska, Rutgers, Indiana, Maryland
• Blank
• Minnesota, Penn State

Thoughts?

[MaximumSam]

I’m not sure why Michigan is heavy favorites against Indiana tonight. They have not looked good at all. I don’t dislike Juwan, but I miss Beilein style basketball.

Because Michigan can't play defense but Indiana struggles to score against an open gym

[847badgerfan]

Well, according to KenPom:

• 2 Purdue
• 15 Wisconsin
• 16 Illinois
• 19 MSU
• 24 Ohio State
• 40 Iowa
• 48 Northwestern
• 49 Michigan
• 58 Nebraska
• 62 Rutgers
• 69 Indiana
• 70 Maryland
• 116 Minnesota
• 127 Penn State

While we are on the subject, new proposed tiers:

• Purdue
• Wisconsin, Illinois, MSU
• Ohio State, Iowa, Northwestern
• Michigan, Nebraska, Rutgers, Indiana, Maryland
• Blank
• Minnesota, Penn State

Thoughts?

UM in tier 3, I think.

[ELA]

UM in tier 3, I think.

Agreed

[medinabuckeye1]

I’m not sure why Michigan is heavy favorites against Indiana tonight. They have not looked good at all. I don’t dislike Juwan, but I miss Beilein style basketball.

UM in tier 3, I think.

Agreed

From my perspective, Michigan is difficult to figure out.  The NET rankings are out, I think for the first time this season and Michigan is 1-0 in quad-1 games.  That is really good even with the lack of high-end opposition, here are all B1G teams' records in Quad-1 games:

• 1-0 Michigan
• 3-1 Purdue
• 2-2 Wisconsin
• 1-1 tOSU, IL, NU
• 0-3 Iowa
• 0-2 MSU, RU, MN, PSU
• 0-1 UNL, IU, UMD

So Michigan is the only team perfect in Quad-1 games and they have at least as many Quad-1 wins as all but PU and UW.  Good so far, but then we get to records in Quad-2 and below games.  Here are total losses in Quad-2 and below games:

• 0:  PU, tOSU, IL, UW, IA, NU, RU, UNL, IU, 
• 1:  MSU, MN
• 2:  PSU
• 3:  Maryland
• 4:  Michigan

Based on Quad-1 wins, Michigan is one of the best teams in the league.  Based on Quad-2 and below losses, Michigan is one of the worst teams in the league.  

Maybe it is a high-ceiling, low-floor situation?  

[SuperMario]

Because Michigan can't play defense but Indiana struggles to score against an open gym

haha.. exactly. They don't play defense. I've watched three of their games, Memphis, Texas Tech and Oregon game on the split screen on Saturday and this is the most unimpressive UM team I've seen in probably a decade. Nkamhoua is nothing special. I really don't understand what all the hype was about Tarris Reed coming out of high school at all. I thought he was a huge liability on the floor last year and his game looks like it's regressed. 

Khayat was supposed to be this stud coming from overseas and I don't see it. It's like Dug McDaniel and then a pretty significant dropoff. Maybe they progress as the season goes on, but this looks like an NIT team.