Conference predictions

L

Linesetter

Well-Known Member
I'm excited for football but also ready for hoops season.

I've read about every publication you could possibly read and ready to take a stab at the conference prior to season tipping off. Always comes back to bite me:

1. Michigan--great returning corp and an excellent coach in Beilein. Undervalued talent.

2. MSU--several returning players and big transfer in Eron Harris to go with Valentine.

3. Maryland--won a lot of close games and sometimes harder to incorporate egos.

4. Purdue--best frontcourt in the league

5. Indian--oodles of talent but an over tanned coach on sidelines

6. Iowa--veteran team, veteran guards. Should equal another NCAA tourney

7. Wisky--hardest team of all to predict. Could end up surprising as they always do but too many graduation losses/Dekker to NBA.

8. Osu--young talent galore

9. NW--an NCAA bube team this year with upward trajectory

10. Penn State--chambers making recruiting strides

11. Illini--injuries

12. Nebraska

13. Ninny--Richy needs more strippers

14. Rutgers--league embarrassment
 
The fact that teams like Ohio State and Wisconsin who seem to be in the tourney every single year and may be on the outside looking in tells you all you need to know about the quality of the conference.
 
I don't really get the love affair for Michigan, they were not a good team last year. Yes it was largely due to injuries and yes they get LaVert back, and they get Walton back, but both are returning from pretty serious injuries. I understand all of that. I don't get how that makes them favorites though.

I would put Maryland at #1. I would dare to have them at #1 in the country even.
 
mopkins said:
I don't really get the love affair for Michigan, they were not a good team last year. Yes it was largely due to injuries and yes they get LaVert back, and they get Walton back, but both are returning from pretty serious injuries. I understand all of that. I don't get how that makes them favorites though.

I would put Maryland at #1. I would dare to have them at #1 in the country even.
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Levert is a Top 20 national player. Lots of experience for him and Spike and Walton.

Maryland has great talent but they won a lot of games that were coin tosses last year. Actually won every close game.

wisconsin lost too much to be good again.
 
Iowa #1, I don't really care about the rest of the order. However it would be nice to see Wisconsin at MSU fall flat on their faces.
 
ClintonIAfan said:
Iowa #1, I don't really care about the rest of the order. However it would be nice to see Wisconsin at MSU fall flat on their faces.
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Lol, kinda like Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Michigan in football. It was enjoyable while it lasted. Then there is Texas........ ROFLMAO!!!!!!!
 
ClintonIAfan said:
Iowa #1, I don't really care about the rest of the order. However it would be nice to see Wisconsin at MSU fall flat on their faces.
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Let's not get carried away. Not winning the league but still making the dance is a long way from falling on their faces.

we are still talking about 2 HOF coaches
 
Linesetter said:
Levert is a Top 20 national player. Lots of experience for him and Spike and Walton.

Maryland has great talent but they won a lot of games that were coin tosses last year. Actually won every close game.
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I believe Maryland is very much improved. I think you'll see those close games they won last year they will win again this year only it won't be close. I definitely have them #1 in the B1G.
 
1. Wisconsin - Nigel Hayes is life
2. Michigan State - Can Eron Harris produce like Trice did down the stretch?
3. Michigan - Getting their guards back is huge. Size inside is a question.
4. Maryland - There's only 1 ball.... Turgeon has to show that he can handle having more than 1 or 2 mouths to feed.
5. Iowa - I believe the gap in talent between us and everyone in the conference is a little overstated. I sense that there is a little identity crisis with this team however and hope that Fran can find what works best for the team.
6. Purdue - The Caleb Swanigan/AJ Hammons/Matt Painter dynamic is interesting to me. Guard Play questionable.
7. Indiana - The defensive impact of their newbie center appears to be a little overstated on the surface. Crean gone.
8. Ohio State - Thad Matta doesn't seem confident in his team. They'll be inconsistent.
9. Northwestern - The NCAA tournament will have to wait a couple more years for them IMO.
10. Illinois - Groce is a joke and I hope he stays there forever and ever.
11. Penn State - I don't think Chambers can get a team into the dance but I think he's a good fit there.
12. Minnesota - Loses too much and not enough coming in.
13. Nebraska - I like Shields.
14. Rutgers - Poo
 
Saw Michigan St. on TV last night (suprise!), and they have very good looking recruits coming in. I hope our newcomers can contribute half as much as theirs will.
 
I did this without looking at others. I'm already doubting myself about Crean and where I put Indiana. Don't think that because Wisconsin lost so many guys that they are going to be mid-pack this year, they will stay towards the top.

1. Maryland
2. Wisconsin
3. Indiana
4. Michigan
5. Michigan State
6. Purdue
7. Iowa
8. Ohio State
9. Northwestern
10. Illinois
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska
13. Minnesota
14. Rutgers

Likely underrated: Ohio State or Iowa
Likely overrated: Indiana
 
Linesetter said:
Levert is a Top 20 national player. Lots of experience for him and Spike and Walton.

Maryland has great talent but they won a lot of games that were coin tosses last year. Actually won every close game.

wisconsin lost too much to be good again.
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Depending on what you mean by "good", I'd make a wager.
 
Cydkar said:
Depending on what you mean by "good", I'd make a wager.
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I was intending to say they won't challenge for the B10 title. I thought they'd be a fringe NCAA team this year. I saw on Saturday they beat UNI by 14 pts in one of those secret scrimmages.

still think their ceiling is about 5th in the Big Ten.
 
Linesetter said:
I was intending to say they won't challenge for the B10 title. I thought they'd be a fringe NCAA team this year. I saw on Saturday they beat UNI by 14 pts in one of those secret scrimmages.

still think their ceiling is about 5th in the Big Ten.
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I guess we can have a friendly wager of pride. I think Wisconsin's floor is 5th. Hayes is a stud and have the pieces to fill in.
 
Linesetter said:
I was intending to say they won't challenge for the B10 title. I thought they'd be a fringe NCAA team this year. I saw on Saturday they beat UNI by 14 pts in one of those secret scrimmages.

still think their ceiling is about 5th in the Big Ten.
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I guess you are unaware of the stat that Bo Ryan has never finished lower than 4th in the Big10. This is far from his worst team.
 
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