2025-2026 B1G Basketball Thread

[847badgerfan]

he would have trouble getting Wisconsin kids to come to the new gig?

He would recruit 5* kids at the new gig.

There's not many of those coming out of Wisconsin, and when they do, they go to a blueblood or get paid too much.

UW was lucky to keep Brian Butch and Sam Dekker home.

[medinabuckeye1]

I don't know about Izzo, but Painter has been active to fill holes with transfers / grad transfers / portal where he can. He was active in the grad transfer market for years when they were the only ones who could play immediately. Now he's making us of the portal.

Just this year, Oscar Cluff came in as the #1 portal guy. We needed it. We had a gap at the 5. TKR is a more natural 4 and was forced to play the 5 too much last year after Daniel Jacobsen went down with a season-ending injury. And we didn't know whether Jacobsen was going to be good enough to hold down the position this year (note: he wasn't).

So it's not either-or. You can try build your core around recruiting, but you're not going to hit on every recruit. You have to supplement and fill holes when they develop.

What I think separates Painter and Izzo is that they understand what they want in players, and they know how to go out into living rooms and recruit THEIR guys. And they know that they can get those guys on campus and develop them to build a cohesive core of a program. Then you reach into the portal when/where you need to fill the gaps.

This is exactly what I meant.  I think that building a core through recruiting then filling holes through the Portal is probably the best long-term plan.  

[medinabuckeye1]

Hubert Davis fired.  Brad Stevens has already said no.  Apparently Dusty May is their next highest target?
Wow, if somehow that happens, both the IU and the Michigan fans are going to be murderous for a few days.

As an Ohio State fan I'd be happy if Dusty May left but would he? 

Michigan's success the past couple years indicates that he has sufficient NIL resources to compete at the highest level at Michigan. 

Obviously North Carolina is a Basketball Blue Blood while Michigan is not but as I see it that is more of a curse than a blessing.  At some point Dusty May will miss on a few portal guys or get the talent evaluation wrong or just wind up with a bunch of guys who are individually talented but don't fit together right and his team will have an off year and miss the NCAA altogether or at best sneak in with a middling seed and exit the first weekend.  If that happens at Michigan it is a football school.  The fans will grumble for a few days then go back to looking ahead at the Spring Game.  If that happens at North Carolina well, Davis just got fired after a 24-9 season that included a win over #1 seed and arch-rival Duke.  Furthermore, Davis is two years from a S16 and just four years from losing the National Championship Game by one possession. 

Achievements like that at Michigan would be celebrated and would buy the coach enough goodwill to survive a few clunker seasons.  At Blue Blood North Carolina those aren't considered achievements, those are considered "the norm". 

[grillrat]

As an Ohio State fan I'd be happy if Dusty May left but would he? 

Michigan's success the past couple years indicates that he has sufficient NIL resources to compete at the highest level at Michigan. 

Obviously North Carolina is a Basketball Blue Blood while Michigan is not but as I see it that is more of a curse than a blessing.  At some point Dusty May will miss on a few portal guys or get the talent evaluation wrong or just wind up with a bunch of guys who are individually talented but don't fit together right and his team will have an off year and miss the NCAA altogether or at best sneak in with a middling seed and exit the first weekend.  If that happens at Michigan it is a football school.  The fans will grumble for a few days then go back to looking ahead at the Spring Game.  If that happens at North Carolina well, Davis just got fired after a 24-9 season that included a win over #1 seed and arch-rival Duke.  Furthermore, Davis is two years from a S16 and just four years from losing the National Championship Game by one possession. 

Achievements like that at Michigan would be celebrated and would buy the coach enough goodwill to survive a few clunker seasons.  At Blue Blood North Carolina those aren't considered achievements, those are considered "the norm". 

True, but by the same token, UNC is a basketball school.  ALL of the money goes to Bball.
While I am sure that Michigan could match UNC's offer, would they?
It's also a good time to go to the ACC as the Big is historically strong right now and the ACC is the weakest it's been in decades.

[medinabuckeye1]

How many B1G teams will make the E8?

It has to be between 1-5 because the UNL/IA winner will and the UNL/IA loser will NOT.  

The UNL/IA winner could be joined by:

• Michigan is a 9.5 point favorite over Bama in Chicago
• Purdue is a 7.5 point favorite over Texas in San Jose
• Michigan State is a 1.5 point underdog to UCONN in DC
• Illinois is a 3.5 point underdog to Houston in Houston

I will guess three but say more likely four than two.  

[FearlessF]

True, but by the same token, UNC is a basketball school.  ALL of the money goes to Bball.
While I am sure that Michigan could match UNC's offer, would they?
It's also a good time to go to the ACC as the Big is historically strong right now and the ACC is the weakest it's been in decades.

were I May, I'd jump to UNC in a heartbeat

michigan and UNC offer the same cash or very close - kid is probably going to UNC
with the same talent - is it easier to win in the ACC or B1G???

[medinabuckeye1]

michigan and UNC offer the same cash or very close - kid is probably going to UNC

Pre-NIL, sure. Most kids would rather play BB at Blue-Blood UNC than occasional contender Michigan. 

Is that still true or is it just money now?

[FearlessF]

as I said, the money isn't an issue as UNC can afford to match Michigan or get close enuff

[bayareabadger]

Feels like it would be surprising if North Carolina can offer more than Michigan in terms of roster spend. just because that number seems bananas right now

I mean, I’d like a potentially less talented coach in that spot, but seems unlikely I’ll get it. 

[FearlessF]

well, if Michigan can spend more on the roster than UNC, they can also spend more on the coach