B1G Power Rankings for 2/11

JonDMiller

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
The Big Ten conference is tough as nails this year and we are entering the home stretch. My Big Ten Power Rankings are all sorts of crazy this week.

1. Indiana: Blew a big lead late at Illinois to drop their second conference game of the season. Rebounded on Sunday with an impressive win at Ohio State, scoring 81 points in the process against a great defensive team. 9-2 in the league.

2. Michigan State: The highest the Spartans have been all year in my rankings. They are now 9-2 and have a ‘prove it’ game against Michigan at home this week. Beat the Wolverines and there are no more questions. They play ranked teams in four of their next five outings, or likely five out of six as Wisconsin could be ranked come Monday. 9-2 in league.

3. Michigan: Two losses in three games for the Wolverines after they got to #1 in the nation for the first time since the Fab Five were on campus. How they lost to Wisconsin seems almost criminal. The Badgers were down three and the Wolverines didn’t foul and Ben Brust shot a 40-footer at the buzzer and made it to send the game to overtime. Perhaps I am becoming more of a proponent of fouling when leading by three. 8-3 in league.

4. Wisconsin: Only because they are playing better than Ohio State right now, but the Buckeyes beat the Badgers in Columbus earlier this year. The rematch in Madison is coming up soon. I give Bo Ryan credit; he produces results, even though he is unlikable. 8-3 in league.

5. Ohio State: I am impressed that the Buckeyes have hung around as long as they have this year, given their reliance on Deshaun Thomas. 7-4 in league.

6. Illinois: The Illini make a big move. Beating #1 Indiana at home and showing some heart (for the first time in at least two years) in the process then rallying from yet another double-digit deficit to beat Minnesota on the road on Sunday moves them here, along with Minnesota’s continued poor play. 4-7 in league.

7. Minnesota: Just barely. I suspect they keep sliding as they are at Wisconsin Thursday and at Iowa Sunday. 5-6 in league.

8. Iowa: The Hawkeyes won at home against Northwestern and Devyn Marble finally had a game. The Hawks were so close to a key win in recent weeks and while this one will not pad the RPI rankings, it helps in the confidence department. Beat Penn State on Thursday and then Minnesota at home on Sunday and the Hawks will be in the seventh spot next week, or perhaps sixth. 4-7 in league.

9. Purdue: They may only be favored in one more game all year. 5-6 in league.

10. Northwestern
11. Nebraska
12. Penn State
 
Good stuff! Hard to believe Minnesota has fallen so far as there is a lot of talent on that team. I can't help but wonder if Tubby will not be on the hot seat if Minnesota continues to slide.
 
ssckelley said:
Good stuff! Hard to believe Minnesota has fallen so far as there is a lot of talent on that team. I can't help but wonder if Tubby will not be on the hot seat if Minnesota continues to slide.
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I don't see a lot of talent when I watch that team
 
JonDMiller said:
4. Wisconsin: Only because they are playing better than Ohio State right now, but the Buckeyes beat the Badgers in Columbus earlier this year. The rematch in Madison is coming up soon. I give Bo Ryan credit; he produces results, even though he is unlikable. 8-3 in league.
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I love it! Every reference you make the entire season is a slam on Wisconsin. "they beat Indiana @ Indiana but I'm still not sold on this team."

The only reason that you hate Coach Ryan is that he wins and you're jealous. If it's his nature on the sidelines then that's pretty hypocritical because Fran might be even more demonstrative.
 
activebadger said:
I love it! Every reference you make the entire season is a slam on Wisconsin. "they beat Indiana @ Indiana but I'm still not sold on this team."

The only reason that you hate Coach Ryan is that he wins and you're jealous. If it's his nature on the sidelines then that's pretty hypocritical because Fran might be even more demonstrative.
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I don't hate coach Ryan. I dislike him. The only thing I admire about him is his consistent success. So you are off the mark

The reason I dislike him is his hypocrisy related to Brust and Uthoff, and how he acted like a total arse last spring on mike and mike and elsewhere, as if he had just been the victim of something unique or that he'd never approached such waters himself in the past. He knows how things happen

I am sure when Brust contacted Wisconsin (or am agent thereof) said contact referred them to the NCAA handbook and told them they can't talk to them
 
Minnesota is what a team looks like with a lot of talent and no true PG to lead the offense.
 
activebadger said:
Really? Mbakwe, Hollins and Williams might be 3 of the most physically talented players in the entire league....
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Williams is an elite "athlete". Mbakwe isn't the same after injury. Hollins is ok. That's 3 guys though, the rest of their team is average at best. They have little good depth
 
JonDMiller said:
I don't hate coach Ryan. I dislike him. The only thing I admire about him is his consistent success. So you are off the mark

The reason I dislike him is his hypocrisy related to Brust and Uthoff, and how he acted like a total arse last spring on mike and mike and elsewhere, as if he had just been the victim of something unique or that he'd never approached such waters himself in the past. He knows how things happen

I am sure when Brust contacted Wisconsin (or am agent thereof) said contact referred them to the NCAA handbook and told them they can't talk to them
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A little different than your player (Uthoff) being poached or recruited while he is redshirting at your school.
 
I think it helped Wiscy to start off with two cakewalks on their B1G schedule. They got confidence early and it has stayed with them, along with a bit of luck. I wonder what their record would be now if they had Iowa's B1G schedule. Regardless, they are where they are and on a roll.
 
activebadger said:
The only reason that you hate Coach Ryan is that he wins and you're jealous.
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There's no "only" reason to hate Bo. He's a deplorable character and an odious personality. He was an *** regarding Uthoff's transfer. His team always plays a style that no one likes to watch, with slow offense and hand-checking, flopping defense. His behavior on the sideline is worse than Calipari's. Nobody is jealous of him, nobody hates him simply because he wins, and I don't think anyone hates him only because he is at Wisconsin.
 
I was way off on the love I had for Minnesota a the beginning of B1G play.

I forgot to account for the annual Tubby Smith led collapse.

Hawks will be catching them at the right time in Carver on Sunday, hopefully the Gophs are still ranked.
 
Problem with Minnesota and Illinois is the same thing.
Athletes, potential, talent - just do not perform consistently in games.

Players go absent too often.
 
Section136 said:
I was way off on the love I had for Minnesota a the beginning of B1G play.

I forgot to account for the annual Tubby Smith led collapse.

Hawks will be catching them at the right time in Carver on Sunday, hopefully the Gophs are still ranked.
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I was there with you.
I thought MN could be a 3rd or 4th in the B1G. Not the case. Collapse happened, then Iowa lost a game they should have won in the The Barn, small resurge, then collapse again. MN could lose 4 in a row again... hell maybe 6 in a row with that schedule.
 
storminspank said:
Problem with Minnesota and Illinois is the same thing.
Athletes, potential, talent - just do not perform consistently in games.

Players go absent too often.
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Minnesota isn't that talented. Where does this thought come from? Tubby has consistently recruited 3 star players and Mbakwe isn't the same player he use to be. Minnesota, IMO, won't make the dance. They will lose 11+ Big 10 games
 
storminspank said:
I was there with you.
I thought MN could be a 3rd or 4th in the B1G. Not the case. Collapse happened, then Iowa lost a game they should have won in the The Barn, small resurge, then collapse again. MN could lose 4 in a row again... hell maybe 6 in a row with that schedule.
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Do you think the Gophs are in any trouble of missing the Dance?
 
Wassabbe said:
Minnesota isn't that talented. Where does this thought come from? Tubby has consistently recruited 3 star players and Mbakwe isn't the same player he use to be. Minnesota, IMO, won't make the dance. They will lose 11+ Big 10 games
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Rodney Williams was a stud recruit, Mbakwe is just not being aggressive.
Hollins can go off at any point in time.
Real issue is depth. Not as good as projected - Welch and Eliason are worse than predicted and taking the RS off that frosh was dumb.
 
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