JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
CURRENT STANDINGS
Michigan's win against Michigan State on Sunday combined with Purdue's upset in Madison on senior day sets up a four-way tie and a wild finish for seeding for the Big Ten Tournament.
We'll talk some seeding angles within the Power Rankings this week:
1. Indiana: The Hoosiers have a two game lead on the field with a home game against Ohio State and a road game at Michigan this week. They are guaranteed a share of the Big Ten title and if they win one of those games they will be outright champs. That will happen Tuesday night against Ohio State. Projected record: 15-3
2. Michigan State: Michigan has more basketball talent than does Michigan State and you could argue Michigan State has the better team. Then again, the Spartans have lost three in a row while Michigan lost at Penn State. You could go either way but when I think about a neutral court setting, I'd take Michigan State right now, plus the Spartans recently beat Michigan 75-52 in East Lansing. They host Wisconsin and Northwestern. Projected record: 13-5
3. Michigan: They are more talented than Wisconsin. We'll see if they can get past Purdue on the road in advance of Sunday's season ender at Indiana. Projected record: 12-6
4. Wisconsin: As much as I can't stand watching them play, I respect the Badger system and the success Bo Ryan has had year after year. But you can't lose by 13 at home to Purdue on Senior Day when you are Wisconsin. That was shocking to say the least and has rattled my confidence in them. They can beat any team in the league and they are probably capable of losing to any team in the league. They close things out at Michigan State and at Penn State. Projected record: 12-6
5. Ohio State: By season's end, we'll look back on the Buckeyes season and be more impressed in the one man gang that is Deshaun Thomas. Without Thomas the Buckeyes would be battling for the nine seed in this league. With him they are in a four-way tie for second in the season's final week. They will lose at Indiana Tuesday and beat Illinois at home in the season finale for a respectful 12-6.
6. Minnesota: The Gophers are getting a little bit of their groove back and they close at Nebraska and Purdue and I believe they'll get both of those to finish at 10-8.
7. Illinois: The Illini are playing better than Iowa right now so I slot them here but by the time you get to the bottom of this item, things will be reversed. Illinois plays at Iowa and Ohio State this week. Projected record: 8-10
8. Iowa: Sure do wish Mike Gesell were available. Iowa played poorly at Indiana. The Hoosiers had something to do with that, Iowa got no help from the officials but the Hoosiers are simply better. Iowa hosts Illinois Tuesday night and Nebraska on Saturday. Projected record: 9-9
9. Purdue: Nice win in Madison. Nobody saw that coming, much less by 13 points. The Boilers have two at home to close the season, but they are against Michigan and Minnesota. Projected record: 7-11
10: Nebraska: Close call in Champaign. The starters are playing with a lot of heart and great lung capacity. They host Minnesota and play at Iowa this week. Projected record: 4-14
11. Northwestern: I'll move the Cats back here pending the outcome of their home game against Penn State on Thursday night. They follow that up with a roadie at Michigan State: Projected record: 4-14
12. Penn State: That was a horrible way to follow up a great win; losing 73-44 at Minnesota. They are at Northwestern and then host Wisconsin to finish the year. Projected record: 2-16
PROJECTED FINAL SEEDINGS
1. Indiana 15-3
2. Michigan State 13-5
3. Wisconsin 12-6: they get the three seed due to a winning percentage tiebreaker
4. Ohio State 12-6: Same (projected) record v Indiana, and MSU. OSU better v Wisconsin
5. Michigan 12-6
6. Minnesota 10-8
7. Iowa 9-9
8. Illinois 8-10
9. Purdue 7-11
10. Nebraska 4-14
11. Northwestern 4-14
12. Penn State 2-16
Iowa Note: If Iowa ties with Purdue or Minnesota, Iowa would lose those tiebreakers. While Iowa split with both of those teams, you then go to the record you have against the highest rated teams in the standings. Minnesota beat Indiana, so we stop there for a tie with Minnesota. Purdue and Iowa would need to go down to the results against Wisconsin. Iowa split with Wisconsin while Purdue played the Badgers just once and beat them. That is a higher winning percentage than what Iowa has in a 1-1 split, so Iowa would lose the tiebreaker with Purdue.
HawkeyeNation's Final Projected Big Ten Tournament Bracket
BLUDER'S BUNCH: Lisa Bluder's Iowa Hawkeyes finished in 7th place in the Big Ten and will face Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa lost five straight games at one point but won three of four to finish the season. Four of Iowa's eight Big Ten losses came by four points or less, including a one-point home loss to ranked Nebraska, the team Iowa would face in the first round if it gets by Northwestern. Iowa split with the Cats, losing on a buzzer beater by two at home and winning by 17 in Evanston on Sunday.
Michigan's win against Michigan State on Sunday combined with Purdue's upset in Madison on senior day sets up a four-way tie and a wild finish for seeding for the Big Ten Tournament.
We'll talk some seeding angles within the Power Rankings this week:
1. Indiana: The Hoosiers have a two game lead on the field with a home game against Ohio State and a road game at Michigan this week. They are guaranteed a share of the Big Ten title and if they win one of those games they will be outright champs. That will happen Tuesday night against Ohio State. Projected record: 15-3
2. Michigan State: Michigan has more basketball talent than does Michigan State and you could argue Michigan State has the better team. Then again, the Spartans have lost three in a row while Michigan lost at Penn State. You could go either way but when I think about a neutral court setting, I'd take Michigan State right now, plus the Spartans recently beat Michigan 75-52 in East Lansing. They host Wisconsin and Northwestern. Projected record: 13-5
3. Michigan: They are more talented than Wisconsin. We'll see if they can get past Purdue on the road in advance of Sunday's season ender at Indiana. Projected record: 12-6
4. Wisconsin: As much as I can't stand watching them play, I respect the Badger system and the success Bo Ryan has had year after year. But you can't lose by 13 at home to Purdue on Senior Day when you are Wisconsin. That was shocking to say the least and has rattled my confidence in them. They can beat any team in the league and they are probably capable of losing to any team in the league. They close things out at Michigan State and at Penn State. Projected record: 12-6
5. Ohio State: By season's end, we'll look back on the Buckeyes season and be more impressed in the one man gang that is Deshaun Thomas. Without Thomas the Buckeyes would be battling for the nine seed in this league. With him they are in a four-way tie for second in the season's final week. They will lose at Indiana Tuesday and beat Illinois at home in the season finale for a respectful 12-6.
6. Minnesota: The Gophers are getting a little bit of their groove back and they close at Nebraska and Purdue and I believe they'll get both of those to finish at 10-8.
7. Illinois: The Illini are playing better than Iowa right now so I slot them here but by the time you get to the bottom of this item, things will be reversed. Illinois plays at Iowa and Ohio State this week. Projected record: 8-10
8. Iowa: Sure do wish Mike Gesell were available. Iowa played poorly at Indiana. The Hoosiers had something to do with that, Iowa got no help from the officials but the Hoosiers are simply better. Iowa hosts Illinois Tuesday night and Nebraska on Saturday. Projected record: 9-9
9. Purdue: Nice win in Madison. Nobody saw that coming, much less by 13 points. The Boilers have two at home to close the season, but they are against Michigan and Minnesota. Projected record: 7-11
10: Nebraska: Close call in Champaign. The starters are playing with a lot of heart and great lung capacity. They host Minnesota and play at Iowa this week. Projected record: 4-14
11. Northwestern: I'll move the Cats back here pending the outcome of their home game against Penn State on Thursday night. They follow that up with a roadie at Michigan State: Projected record: 4-14
12. Penn State: That was a horrible way to follow up a great win; losing 73-44 at Minnesota. They are at Northwestern and then host Wisconsin to finish the year. Projected record: 2-16
PROJECTED FINAL SEEDINGS
1. Indiana 15-3
2. Michigan State 13-5
3. Wisconsin 12-6: they get the three seed due to a winning percentage tiebreaker
4. Ohio State 12-6: Same (projected) record v Indiana, and MSU. OSU better v Wisconsin
5. Michigan 12-6
6. Minnesota 10-8
7. Iowa 9-9
8. Illinois 8-10
9. Purdue 7-11
10. Nebraska 4-14
11. Northwestern 4-14
12. Penn State 2-16
Iowa Note: If Iowa ties with Purdue or Minnesota, Iowa would lose those tiebreakers. While Iowa split with both of those teams, you then go to the record you have against the highest rated teams in the standings. Minnesota beat Indiana, so we stop there for a tie with Minnesota. Purdue and Iowa would need to go down to the results against Wisconsin. Iowa split with Wisconsin while Purdue played the Badgers just once and beat them. That is a higher winning percentage than what Iowa has in a 1-1 split, so Iowa would lose the tiebreaker with Purdue.
HawkeyeNation's Final Projected Big Ten Tournament Bracket
BLUDER'S BUNCH: Lisa Bluder's Iowa Hawkeyes finished in 7th place in the Big Ten and will face Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa lost five straight games at one point but won three of four to finish the season. Four of Iowa's eight Big Ten losses came by four points or less, including a one-point home loss to ranked Nebraska, the team Iowa would face in the first round if it gets by Northwestern. Iowa split with the Cats, losing on a buzzer beater by two at home and winning by 17 in Evanston on Sunday.
(go OSU, Wisky and anyone playing IU).
