B1G Things: My Hoops Power Rankings for 12/5

WindsorHawk said:
Is it so impossible to believe this Iowa team is up rather than the Big 10 being down? It's no secret that I have picked Iowa to finish 2nd since last spring and it wasn't because I thought the conference would be down.

How do we know Iowa hasn't played a Kentucky or NC level team? I think Villanova and ND may be as good as these 2 teams. We will find out about NC and ND when they play their in conference games. Kentucky isn't as good now as they will be at the end of the season.
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Notre Dame lost by double digits at home to Indiana State. They aren't as good as Kentucky or UNC. Neither is Villanova but they are still a solid squad.

I think this is the 4th best team. That's pretty solid. I just don't know how anyone can have us ahead of Wisky (although I think we beat them twice!), Ohio State, or MSU at this point in the season.
 


Wassabbe said:
Notre Dame lost by double digits at home to Indiana State. They aren't as good as Kentucky or UNC. Neither is Villanova but they are still a solid squad.

I think this is the 4th best team. That's pretty solid. I just don't know how anyone can have us ahead of Wisky (although I think we beat them twice!), Ohio State, or MSU at this point in the season.
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I agreed with Jon's ranking of the top 5 as stated earlier in the thread...at this point in the season. We lost on a neutral court in OT to an undefeated team that beat Kansas. We beat ND to protect our home court...playing our 4th game in 6 days.

Based on Jon's criteria I think Iowa belongs ahead of MSU. I won't argue against OSU being ahead of us. That's a flip of the coin IMO as of now. I'm always taking the Hawks in a coin toss scenario...my glass half full mentality.
 


I don't think Wisconsin's that hard to defend. Play man-to-man defense and pick their guards up 3 steps behind the arc. The only one that is a threat to drive is Jackson and he's a chucker. Don't play a zone defense under any circumstances. Make them shoot long 3s and then run them out of the building in transition. I expect us to beat them both home and away.
MSU and OSU are different stories. They have guys that can get to the basket. They will be much harder to defend. In my opinion.
It's a 4 team race for the BIG title.
 


Iowa being in the race for the title would be a miracle considering they haven't improved.
 


The next 8 days are going to be interesting, Drake is a decent opponent on Saturday with Iowa State the following Friday (with a worthless game squeezed in the middle).
 










Wisky plays another tough game on Saturday against Marquette. They could drop that one and fall in the rankings. OSU plays Notre Dame. There's a chance Iowa could be the highest ranked B1G team in early January with a win @Hilton.
 


JonDMiller said:
B1G Things: Basketball Power Rankings 12/5 « Hawkeye NationHawkeye Nation

Here is my latest set of power rankings following the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. These rankings are based on who is doing what now, not necessarily based on where I think things will play out in March. They are a week to week barometer of play.



2. Iowa: I know, you're hollering 'HOMER!'. Right now, if Iowa played any team in the Big Ten on a neutral court and without Ted Valentine as one of the officials, I wouldn't be shocked one bit if Iowa were the victor. The games at Michigan State and Ohio State are still going to favor those teams, as they would at Wisconsin and Michigan, possibly even Minnesota...at least in Vegas. I am emphasizing right now because having watched every Big Ten team play parts of at least one game, most of them have a good deal of work to get done. That's the case with most every team right now, including Michigan State and Ohio State. I think Iowa has fewer questions right now than does Ohio State, whose played just seven games and Maryland being their toughest foe.

4. Ohio State: It's still early and the Buckeyes haven't been tested. Really, they won't be tested until the Big Ten season begins as their pre-conference schedule just doesn't have those tough outs you'd expect to see from a team ranked as highly as they are; Notre Dame is their highest rated foe the rest of the way and they'll begin the Big Ten season against Purdue and Nebraska. So the Buckeyes will start the year 15-0 before they play at Michigan State and then they host Iowa. I'm just not a believer in their lofty ranking and on a neutral court and again, no Valentine and if the rules are called the way they are supposed to be called, I'd take the three teams listed over Ohio State.



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Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous John. I have watched them play 3 times and they are more athletic than Iowa (and most of the B1G) at virtually every position and have looked extremely impressive. You mention the new rules? If they are quicker and more athletic and play the best perimeter D in the nation how will the new rules help Iowa against them (Have you seen how quick Shannon Scott is with the ball? He's insane). Also they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has, how does that make Iowa better "right now"? Not to mention their top 6 players are all upperclassman who have a ton of experience on teams that have been dominant in the B1G. Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player yet the buckeyes team of upperclassman have more questions? Wow.
 


Tskinner said:
Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous John. I have watched them play 3 times and they are more athletic than Iowa (and most of the B1G) at virtually every position and have looked extremely impressive. You mention the new rules? If they are quicker and more athletic and play the best perimeter D in the nation how will the new rules help Iowa against them (Have you seen how quick Shannon Scott is with the ball? He's insane). Also they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has, how does that make Iowa better "right now"? Not to mention their top 6 players are all upperclassman who have a ton of experience on teams that have been dominant in the B1G. Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player yet the buckeyes team of upperclassman have more questions? Wow.
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Well when you say it like that........:)

Yeah, OSU is good, no argument. I think people (jon included) saying Craft would suffer due to new rules emphasis failed to realize that he's just a heady player and would still be good.

OSU has my vote for #1
 




Tskinner said:
Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous John. I have watched them play 3 times and they are more athletic than Iowa (and most of the B1G) at virtually every position and have looked extremely impressive. You mention the new rules? If they are quicker and more athletic and play the best perimeter D in the nation how will the new rules help Iowa against them (Have you seen how quick Shannon Scott is with the ball? He's insane). Also they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has, how does that make Iowa better "right now"? Not to mention their top 6 players are all upperclassman who have a ton of experience on teams that have been dominant in the B1G. Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player yet the buckeyes team of upperclassman have more questions? Wow.
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If they played on a neutral floor right now I'd feel just fine about Iowa's chances. I think they have a higher ceiling than Iowa this year but I like Iowa right now.
 






Tskinner said:
Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous John. I have watched them play 3 times and they are more athletic than Iowa (and most of the B1G) at virtually every position and have looked extremely impressive. You mention the new rules? If they are quicker and more athletic and play the best perimeter D in the nation how will the new rules help Iowa against them (Have you seen how quick Shannon Scott is with the ball? He's insane). Also they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has, how does that make Iowa better "right now"? Not to mention their top 6 players are all upperclassman who have a ton of experience on teams that have been dominant in the B1G. Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player yet the buckeyes team of upperclassman have more questions? Wow.
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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I hope you realize this post of yours is simply an opinion even though you state it as if it's fact. The good news is that Iowa and Ohio State will play twice this year. If one or the other sweeps then it will be clear who was of the right opinion. If they split then it's safe to say either opinion made sense at this point in time.
 


Tskinner said:
Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous...they are more athletic than Iowa...at virtually every position...play the best perimeter D in the nation...Shannon Scott is...insane...they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has...have been dominant in the B1G...Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player...
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These points would all be opinions rather than facts...just to clarify my post.
 


Tskinner said:
Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous John. I have watched them play 3 times and they are more athletic than Iowa (and most of the B1G) at virtually every position and have looked extremely impressive. You mention the new rules? If they are quicker and more athletic and play the best perimeter D in the nation how will the new rules help Iowa against them (Have you seen how quick Shannon Scott is with the ball? He's insane). Also they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has, how does that make Iowa better "right now"? Not to mention their top 6 players are all upperclassman who have a ton of experience on teams that have been dominant in the B1G. Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player yet the buckeyes team of upperclassman have more questions? Wow.
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What two wins would those be? Beating Marquette on the road and....
 


Tskinner said:
Rating Iowa ahead Oho State is completely ridiculous John. I have watched them play 3 times and they are more athletic than Iowa (and most of the B1G) at virtually every position and have looked extremely impressive. You mention the new rules? If they are quicker and more athletic and play the best perimeter D in the nation how will the new rules help Iowa against them (Have you seen how quick Shannon Scott is with the ball? He's insane). Also they have 2 wins that are far better than anything Iowa has, how does that make Iowa better "right now"? Not to mention their top 6 players are all upperclassman who have a ton of experience on teams that have been dominant in the B1G. Uthoff is Iowa's 3rd best player yet the buckeyes team of upperclassman have more questions? Wow.
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Looks like Jon touched a nerve with a Buckeye fan! :)


Seriously, though....not sure how your opinion is any better or worse than Jon's. The good news is that we'll get 2 (maybe more in the BTT) chances to see who's right.
 


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