~2017-18 Big Ten Basketball Thread~

[medinabuckeye1]

Penn State has one last gasp to make something of a tournament case.  Winning over Maryland last night was step one.  Not sure they have to win out, but can't lose @ILL for sure.  PSU plays three ranked teams to end the season (@PU, OSU and M) and a very strong Nebraska team so there are chances to make a case.  The utterly anemic non conference is going to really hurt them along with some losses @IU and home to Minne - missed opportunities.  

I very small possibility of PSU making the Dance is likely contingent on Penn State winning out (MAYBE could survive a loss to M or OSU, but the win at PU is necessary to show a very strong road win) as well as a good showing at MSG.

I predicted NIT for this team this year and I think that's where they will end up.  I can live with that.  

IMHO:
If PSU wins out they'd be a bubble team.  They would head to the BTT at MSG in NYC at 12-6/22-9.  That is a pretty good record but they would still have three bad losses dragging them down (@IU, vMN, vUW).  Their remaining schedule with RPI:

• @ #155 Illinois 
• vs #15 Ohio State
• @ #12 Purdue
• vs #38 Michigan
• @ #53 Nebraska

If they are going to lose one of the five, I disagree with you.  I think they would be better off losing at Purdue because that is more forgivable but it is probably irrelevant.  

One thing helping Penn State is that they have won four of their last five so if they finish 11-7 or 12-6 they will have won eight or nine of their last 10.  

Their major problem, like all of the B1G bubble teams is a critical lack of quality wins.  Penn State has a great win in Columbus and . . . crickets.  Per the worldwide leader, top 100 RPI wins:

• @ #15 Ohio State
• vs #53 Nebraska
• vs #61 Maryland
• vs #84 Northwestern
• vs #96 Montana

Even at 12-6 I believe that Penn State would have some work to do in NYC.  If they lose one and finish 11-7 I think they'll need an absolute minimum of one big quality win (ie, MSU, PU, or tOSU) in NYC.  If they finish 10-8 then they would most likely need to win the BTT but a B1GCG loss to one of the top-3 along with wins over the other two might do it.  Obviously 9-9 or worse and they would need to win the BTT.  

[ELA]

No movement in the latest Bracketology from the 5 Big Ten teams, even with UM losing, and OSU upsetting PU.

[mcwterps1]

What, this box out?

https://twitter.com/BuckeyeVideos/status/961441640173981696

He does it a lot and never gets called. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

He does it a lot and never gets called.

Maybe it's the refs swallowing their whistles evenly since they seem to allow people to hack the crap out of him and excuse the other team because they just think he's big enough to absorb the abuse.

[medinabuckeye1]

For this weekend I am one of the biggest Spartan fans you will ever meet.  

Go Green!

Go White!  

Beat the Boilermakers!  

(If you haven't already figured this out, Purdue and Michigan State both have substantially easier schedules than Ohio State after this weekend so I do not think the Buckeyes have much of a chance at a B1G Title unless they get out of this weekend with a lead.  In order for that to happen the Buckeyes need to avoid the hangover game against Iowa and MSU needs to beat Purdue in East Lansing.)

[MaximumSam]

MSU not doubling Haas, so should see a lot of him

[betarhoalphadelta]

Is there any human being more annoying than Dick Vitale? 

[mcwterps1]

Are they chanting, "Let's go Blue", or, "Let's go Duke"?

Oh, it's, "M-S-U". 

Hard to tell through the TV. 

[MaximumSam]

Heck of a game

[Brutus Buckeye]

First place on Feb 10. 

Hooda thunkit

[medinabuckeye1]

Mathematically the Wolverines and Cornhuskers are still in the B1G Championship race but as a practical matter it is between Ohio State, Purdue, and Michigan State.  

The set-up we have is as good as you could ask for as a fan.  The Buckeyes are a game up but they have a tougher schedule than the Spartans or Boilermakers so I see it as completely up in the air.  

[FearlessF]

Go Bucky!

[ELA]

Is there any human being more annoying than Dick Vitale?

Considering you seemingly wind up with one of two asshats in Vitale and Dakich every time you wind up on ESPN, I wish every MSU games was on CBS, FOX, FS1 or BTN.  I think Crispin is a major rising star.

[MichiFan87]

At least Michigan played well for 2/3 of the game today instead of just the first minutes I witnessed in person at Northwestern. I still don't understand how the team gets so complacent with a lead, but hopefully they're learning. Of course, giving Watson and Davis at all is asking for trouble. Even with Livers' injury, they shouldn't be on the floor.

Fortunately, the easiest game left is next - Iowa at home, before 3 challenging but winnable games against Ohio State, at Penn State, at Maryland, and whoever they draw in the BTT. With at least 3 more wins before the NCAA tournament, they should be able to stay ranked between 20 and 30 to get a 6 or 7 seed.... Maybe they'll be able to finish strong like last year, but the in-game inconsistency and bad FT shooting makes that unlikely.