2024-2025 B1G Basketball Thread

[boilerbanger]

Hell, Purdue's top rated 2024 recruit asked out of his NLI today.  Who even knows what 2024 will look like

Yes, word is he had a call with Painter and wanted assurances (assuming around playing time) and Painter doesn't give those assurances (Swanigan is the lone exception there) and he asked to be released and it was granted.  Going to be interesting to see where he ends up and how this plays out for him in the future.  His support system has strong ties to Purdue, he allegedly decommitted awhile back from Purdue without his support systems knowledge and they overrode him at that time.  Kids gonna be kids. 

[ELA]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1801624902794924145?t=hyDRklhl_kfn_MHtoyXjCg&s=19

[847badgerfan]

That's sick money.

[medinabuckeye1]

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-basketball/2024/06/147565/ohio-state-guard-taison-chatman-out-for-2024-25-season-with-knee-injury?amp

[bayareabadger]

Was trying to think my way through UW’s roster, which it might look like next year

Starters
PG Cam Hunter (though wouldn’t be surprised with Freitag here. Just going with the seasoned transfer for now)
SG Max Klesmit
SF John Blackwell (though I could see John Tonje here if he had some starting promise as a transfer)
PF Xavier Amos
C Steven Crowl

Bench
Daniel Freitag - Backing up the point, maybe sharing the floor with Hunter if there’s chemistry and no shooting issues
John Tonje - Backing up the 2 and 3 spots. Even if he starts, I expect Klesmit and Blackwell to be closer 30 minutes than him. 
Nolan Winter - Backup 5, maybe 4 if his defense takes a big jump
Carter Gilmore - Unless Winter can really defend 4s or Ilver is suddenly a quality back of the rotation two-way player (or someone else steps up), I’d guess Gilmore again leads an unsatisfying platoon behind Amos. If one of those things happens, he’s a really nice spot defensive option.
Markus Ilver - In theory he could be the two-way backup for Amos, but has yet to show he’s really a big-ten quality guy. If he can’t be that, he’ll be in that unsatisfying platoon at the 4. 
Kamari McGee - A spot defensive guy at the point and insurance if Hunter or Freitag falters. I think he’s a low-end backup, but the other two guys should be better.
Andrija Vukovic - If he can be a good defensive big body (has played at a pro level before), seems like a spot backup. If not, scrap minutes. 

Chris Hodges - Scrap minutes as a big
Jack Robison - scrap minutes as a wing or RS

I should note, scrap minutes are like mop up work. Spot minutes mean you’re not playing all that much, but there are odd situations where you can get thrown in. 

[847badgerfan]

Can't believe Hodges hasn't left yet.

[bayareabadger]

Can't believe Hodges hasn't left yet.

He represents an interesting sort of player to me in the new days of roster management.

Basically, UW is never quite bringing in so many rotation guys or freshmen that he's getting squeezed out. Some of that is from modest portal failures. Maybe from not recruiting projects to a strong enough degree. But in an era where you can always add someone who can play, you might end up seeing more program guys who hang around, help in the way they can and don't belly ache about not getting to play.

And when that spot is needed by someone better or more interesting, he's probably out. I'm wondering if you'll have a class of guys who are on the bottom or rosters, either doing what he's done or being more of projects if they accept that lifestyle.

I'm honestly surprised Ilver stuck around. Hodges makes more sense. Gard didn't throw him out and he's close to a degree, with a chance to play next year. Ilver is done after this year, he'll need a decided jump to be impactful next season. 

[medinabuckeye1]

The B1G actually dropped this a couple months ago but I just now got around to keying the information in (getting ready for my annual tier spreadsheet, more on that later).  

With 18 teams and 20 games the format is:

• Play three teams H&A, 6 games
• Play seven teams Home Only, 7 games, 13 cumulative
• Play seven teams Away Only, 7 games, 20 cumulative.  

[medinabuckeye1]

Thoughts on the above:

First, it was a lot of keying in info so if I screwed one up please let me know and I'll adjust accordingly. 

The first thing that jumped out to me is that they made the LA schools and the Pac-NW schools into "travel partners" essentially:

• Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin each visit both LA schools and host both Pac-NW schools. 
• Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Rutgers each visit both Pac-NW schools and host both LA schools. 

Unless they are going to schedule these together as a "road swing", that doesn't really make sense to me. 

My thinking is that for a guy like @betarhoalphadelta (Purdue alum, lives in LA), it would be better to have his school come to town once a year (alternating between USC and UCLA) rather than twice every other year.  However, this makes sense if they are doing it to minimize travel costs by planning to have Purdue (example) play at Washington on a Thursday then at Oregon that weekend so Purdue only makes one trip to the Pac-NW for two games.

The problem with that, as I see it, is that it is pretty much the worst-case-scenario for people like @betarhoalphadelta because not only will he only get to see his school locally every other year, the two times they do show up will be something like two days apart.  

[betarhoalphadelta]

Thoughts on the above:

First, it was a lot of keying in info so if I screwed one up please let me know and I'll adjust accordingly. 

The first thing that jumped out to me is that they made the LA schools and the Pac-NW schools into "travel partners" essentially:

• Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin each visit both LA schools and host both Pac-NW schools. 
• Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Rutgers each visit both Pac-NW schools and host both LA schools. 

Unless they are going to schedule these together as a "road swing", that doesn't really make sense to me. 

My thinking is that for a guy like @betarhoalphadelta (Purdue alum, lives in LA), it would be better to have his school come to town once a year (alternating between USC and UCLA) rather than twice every other year.  However, this makes sense if they are doing it to minimize travel costs by planning to have Purdue (example) play at Washington on a Thursday then at Oregon that weekend so Purdue only makes one trip to the Pac-NW for two games.

The problem with that, as I see it, is that it is pretty much the worst-case-scenario for people like @betarhoalphadelta because not only will he only get to see his school locally every other year, the two times they do show up will be something like two days apart. 

Are the four west coast schools always going to be a H&A with each other? I think that would make sense and would comprise the 6 required H&A games for each team in this format... I would wonder then if they'll make H&A "pods" that are closely geographic for other schools as well. IMHO all I care about as a Purdue fan is that IU should always be a H&A between the two teams. I would assume other schools with major rivalries (UM/OSU) would want the same. 

As I mentioned in the 2024 football attendance thread, going to a basketball game is likely to be significantly harder than a football game. It's more likely to occur on a weekday (or Friday night), which basically means I'm not going. USC is 50+ miles away, which is fine if there's no traffic, but could be terrible if I'm trying to fight through rush hour. UCLA is even worse, at 60+ miles. Looking at Google Maps and assuming leaving at 4:30 PM (to make an evening game), driving to UCLA supposedly could range between an hour and a half and almost 3 hours. No thank you. 

If that's the case, having games a few days apart is likely BETTER for me to see my team at least once, because there's probably a higher chance that one of those days will fall on a weekend. 

[medinabuckeye1]

As far as the tiers and projections:

Note the new abbreviation.  Wisconsin was UW but since we now have another UW, Wisconsin is WI and Washington it WA.  

A double-round-robin with 18 teams would consist of 34 games (each of the other 17 teams home and away).  We only have 20 so there are now 14 "games not played".  That is going to make this thing more complicated to create and maintain.  I'm migrating it from excel to google sheets so if anybody has an interest and is reasonably well acquainted with spreadsheets, I'd be happy to share it and thus share the time inputting things.  

Schedule is now a MUCH bigger factor.  Now it will be, 2024/25-?:

• 7 teams home only, 41%
• 7 teams away only, 41%
• 3 teams H&A, 18%

For some history:
2018/19-2023/24:  14 teams, 20 games:

• 3 teams home only, 23%
• 3 teams away only, 23%
• 7 teams H&A, 54%

2014/15-2017/18:  14 teams, 18 games:

• 4 teams home only, 31%
• 4 teams away only, 31%
• 5 teams H&A, 38%

2011-12-2013-14:  12 teams, 18 games:

• 2 teams home only, 18%
• 2 teams away only, 18%
• 7 teams H&A, 64%

2006/07-2010-11:  11 teams, 18 games:

• 1 team home only, 10%
• 1 team away only, 10%
• 8 teams H&A, 80%

1997/98-2006/07:  11 teams, 16 games:

• 2 teams home only, 20%
• 2 teams away only, 20%
• 6 teams H&A, 60%

1992/93-1996/97:  11 teams, 18 games:

• 1 team home only, 10%
• 1 team away only, 10%
• 8 teams H&A, 80%

1992/93 was Penn State's first season in the league.  The year prior to that we had 10 members and played 18 games on a full double-round-robin schedule.  

Since PSU joined, each year, each team in the league has played between 38% (2014/15-2018/18) and 80% (two different stretches, see above) of the league's other teams twice each.  With the new schedule it will only be 18%.  

The net result of this is that SoS will vary MUCH more than it has in the past.  Examples:
Suppose your team is one of the best in the league and they get the 7 best teams at home with the 7 worst teams on the road.  They should go close to 20-0.  Home Court Advantage should help propel them past most of the best teams and they should beat the bad teams just because they are bad teams.  Conversely, if this same team gets the 7 best teams on the road and the 7 worst teams at home they'll likely end up close to .500 because they'll lose most of the road games against good/great teams and win the easy ones at home.  

Similarly, if your team is one of the worst in the league and gets the 7 worst teams at home and the 7 best teams on the road they should go close to .500.  They'll generally lose to the good teams on the road and beat the bad teams at home.  Conversely, if they get the 7 worst teams on the road and the 7 best teams at home they'll be winless or close to it.  

[847badgerfan]

Thoughts on the above:

For Wisconsin, NMSU should be MSU. I think that's the only one I saw out of whack.

[medinabuckeye1]

If that's the case, having games a few days apart is likely BETTER for me to see my team at least once, because there's probably a higher chance that one of those days will fall on a weekend.

I hadn't actually thought of that.  This also would be relevant for people who are farther than you.  Lets say I lived in Phoenix or Vegas which are roughly 7 and 5 hours from LA respectively.  I'm obviously not driving to USC or UCLA after work for a weekday evening game but I *MIGHT* drive to LA for a weekend game.  

Are the four west coast schools always going to be a H&A with each other? 

I have no idea.  They obviously are for the 2024/25 season but who knows if that is permanent or just a "welcome".  

I think that would make sense and would comprise the 6 required H&A games for each team in this format... I would wonder then if they'll make H&A "pods" that are closely geographic for other schools as well. IMHO all I care about as a Purdue fan is that IU should always be a H&A between the two teams. I would assume other schools with major rivalries (UM/OSU) would want the same.

This makes sense to me as well but the League has been terrible about it over the years.  I know that there have been years when PU/IU was NOT H/A.  Same for tOSU/M.  It is a little difficult for BB because M/MSU might be bigger to Michigan fans than M/tOSU in BB anyway.  

For this year, you got your wish.  PU/IU are H/A.  Purdue's three H/A opponents are IU and Michigan (ok, makes sense both are geographically close) then . . . Rutgers.  Ah, why?  

Ohio State's are Indiana which makes sense (proximity) then Maryland and Rutgers.  Again, why?  

I don't get it because Michigan's three H/A opponents are MSU (makes sense), Purdue (kinda makes sense), and Rutgers (why?).  

It would make sense to me for Ohio State and Michigan to replace Nebraska and Rutgers respectively with each other.  Then Nebraska and Rutgers could play H/A.  I don't think it would make much difference to UNL/RU to replace tOSU/M with each other and it would create an extra STRONG draw game for tOSU/M.  

[medinabuckeye1]

For Wisconsin, NMSU should be MSU. I think that's the only one I saw out of whack.

Oops, I fatfingered that one.  It is fixed now.