2025-2026 B1G Basketball Thread

[medinabuckeye1]

A&M is probably just a bad basketball school.  We're like most other football centric schools, nobody really gives a shit about BB.  Surprised it hasn't been said, but I think we lost our last coach (who at least won the SEC in BB) Mark Turgeon to Maryland as well. 

Buzz probably reached a ceiling here at A&M, but he went out this year with a whimper.  Gave up a couple of games to bad teams where we were winning handily, and played like complete crap in 3-4 other games that we should have easily won. 

I *THINK* that the reason Bama has improved dramatically of late is mostly tied in with the modern NIL/Portal system.  There is a LOT more money in CFB than there is in CBB so any of the FB Helmets or near Helmets that choose to can spend a fraction of their FB Cash on BB and become at least decent at CBB.  

If I had to guess, I would predict that over the next decade or so the FB powers will gain BB success and some of the BB Blue Bloods may find it hard to keep up.  

Also, the football schools haven't generally been nearly as bad at BB as the BB powers have been at FB.  Ohio State is probably #1 in BB success among FB schools all-time but Michigan, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and some others aren't too far behind.  Here are top FB programs from CFN, based on all-time AP finishes with all-time BB ranking from the AP via Yahoo:

• Ohio State, 10
• Alabama, 37
• Oklahoma, 22
• Notre Dame, 16
• Michigan, 13
• USC, 64
• Texas, 44
• Nebraska, 122
• Penn State, 116
• Tennessee, 44
• Georgia, 113
• LSU, 46
• Florida State, 46
• Auburn, 66
• Florida, 43

Your own aTm Aggies are #23 in football and #108 in BB so they more closely fit the mold you identified than most of the football powers.  

Of the top-15 all-time football programs three are also top-16 in BB (#10 tOSU, #13 Michigan, and #16 Notre Dame).  Most of the rest have at least a decent BB history with the big exceptions being Nebraska, Penn State, and Georgia.  Also note that this year's F4 includes two top-15 all-time FB Schools (#14 Auburn and #15 Florida) and that this year's E8 included those two plus two more (#2 Bama and #10 Tennessee) so I think the FB schools in general are already improving their CBB stock.  

Doing this the other way around shows that while the FB powers are generally at least decent at BB, that is NOT true in the reverse.  Here are the top BB schools with their FB rankings:

• Kentucky, 61
• North Carolina, 40
• Dook, 44
• Kansas, 64
• UCLA, 18
• Louisville, 62
• Arizona, 69
• Indiana, 68
• Michigan State, 
• Ohio State, 1
• Syracuse, 46
• Cincinnati, 72
• Michigan, 5
• Illinois, 49
• Villanova, 86 (Villanova is ranked right behind Iowa Pre-Flight which only existed for a few years during WWII.  

Of the top-15 all-time BB programs, Ohio State (1) and Michigan (5) are far-and-away the best at FB.  Next is UCLA (18) then UNC (40).  

[bayareabadger]

Now I know that I don't care about BB at A&M.  I had the coaches mixed up, Turgeon never coached A&M in the SEC.  He left in 2011, Billy Kennedy was our coach when we won the SEC.  I had literally forgotten all about him, and he was one of the best coaches we ever had. 

He missed the tournament six times in eight years?

[Gigem]

He missed the tournament six times in eight years?

Are you asking me or telling me ?  I have no idea. I only remember that he had several pretty good seasons here and we won ( co-champions) the SEC in BB. 

[Gigem]

Also, I despise the whole notion of the NCAA tournament being some kind of high water mark. 64 teams or whatever, you could have a 32 team tournament and have the exact same final 4 99% of the time. 

I remember a few years ago A&M was left out of the tourney after a dismal start to the season but a very strong 2nd half. Anyways, we go on to the NIT and nearly win the damn thing. I think we played in the championship game. I remember thinking I would much rather win the NIT than be a mediocre team in a field of 64 where you would probably only make it to the 2nd round. 

Either way, I just never cared much for BB on any level. 

[ELA]

I don't think it's a high water mark, it's sort of a minimum standard mark.  I view making the tournament like making a bowl game.  It means you were at least mediocre.

[FearlessF]

Nebraska’s first transfer portal addition of the 2025 cycle is officially in the books, as Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort announced his commitment to the Huskers on Friday.

The 6-foot-7 wing took his first portal visit to Lincoln last week and also visited Illinois this past weekend. Ohio State had also been in the mix, as was a potential return to the Hawkeyes.

“Nebraska was one of my first calls,” Sandfort said. “Fred (Hoiberg) called me pretty much right away, and I knew it was going to be a place I wanted to look at again just from my previous relationships. Obviously, I’m really close with Fred. I grew up going to his camps (at Iowa State), so there was a really tight relationship there.

[bayareabadger]

I don't think it's a high water mark, it's sort of a minimum standard mark.  I view making the tournament like making a bowl game.  It means you were at least mediocre.

I think, depending on your program, it isn’t necessarily an annual minimum, but it’s definitely a big dividing mark. Like if you are a mediocre program like South Carolina or something, making it at least once every three years and more often than not twice every three years is a lot of job security.

[bayareabadger]

Badgers at a transfer from Virginia, Andrew Rhode.

Interesting player. Was a highly productive lead guard at a low Major. Transferred to UVA and was terrible two years ago. Last year he was a decidedly good spot up three-point shooter and handed out a lot of assists.

He’s 6-6, so it will be interesting to see if he spends more time as a wing, or doing some point stuff. Or if they can recruit a set or talent where he ends up being a very nice sixth man.

[FearlessF]

the Huskers are a less than mediocre program and if they're not making the dance, Hoiberg should be gone!

[medinabuckeye1]

For Ohio State, making the Tournament is a minimum standard.  

Matta did marvelous things at Ohio State.  He made two F4's and an NCG.  He won multiple league titles including a bunch in a row and at one point he had (IIRC) four or five straight S16's.  He missed the Tournament twice and wasn't given the opportunity to miss it a third time.  

Holtmann was a disaster at Ohio State but the catalyst to get rid of him was when it became apparent that the Buckeyes were about to miss the Tournament for the second straight year.  

Buckeye coaches don't have to make it EVERY year, but they are on notice after one miss and generally gone after a second consecutive miss.  

[ELA]

I think, depending on your program, it isn’t necessarily an annual minimum, but it’s definitely a big dividing mark. Like if you are a mediocre program like South Carolina or something, making it at least once every three years and more often than not twice every three years is a lot of job security.

Yeah, I guess making a bowl is probably a little easier than making the tournament.  I guess making the NCAA or NIT (under the old format) is probably on par with making a bowl.

[bayareabadger]

Yeah, I guess making a bowl is probably a little easier than making the tournament.  I guess making the NCAA or NIT (under the old format) is probably on par with making a bowl.

I do think the bowl and tournament are for the majority of big programs a “head above water line.” 

If a lot of programs are at least bowling most of the time, the coach is in OK shape. If you’re making the tournament basically every year, you’re in pretty good shape. And only a few programs have really high standards for making deeper runs.

[betarhoalphadelta]

For Ohio State, making the Tournament is a minimum standard. 

Matta did marvelous things at Ohio State.  He made two F4's and an NCG.  He won multiple league titles including a bunch in a row and at one point he had (IIRC) four or five straight S16's.  He missed the Tournament twice and wasn't given the opportunity to miss it a third time. 

Holtmann was a disaster at Ohio State but the catalyst to get rid of him was when it became apparent that the Buckeyes were about to miss the Tournament for the second straight year. 

Buckeye coaches don't have to make it EVERY year, but they are on notice after one miss and generally gone after a second consecutive miss. 

Yep. For Purdue, making the tournament is a minimum standard as well. 

Painter had a four year stretch (07-08 through 10-11) where he finished first or second in the B1G. In those four years he made the S16 twice despite losing Hummel to season-ending injury twice. He was a young coach and was clearly a winner.

Then he missed the tourney two years in a row, was on the hot seat, and fans wanted him gone. 

I firmly believe that the only reason he kept his job is that I think he went in to the AD and said "Here are the mistakes that I think I've made that got us here, and here is my plan to fix those mistakes." But a third year I'm 100% sure would have tanked him.

You just don't miss the tournament at programs like this. And if you do, you sure as HELL don't do it twice in a row. 

[ELA]

I firmly believe that the only reason he kept his job is that I think he went in to the AD and said "Here are the mistakes that I think I've made that got us here, and here is my plan to fix those mistakes."