JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
1. Michigan (15-0): Indiana had occupied this space all year. I went start to finish with Ohio State in football and was wondering if the same would apply in hoops. After getting a close up look at both the Hoosiers and Wolverines this week I have to give the nod to Michigan. While Indiana has something in Cody Zeller that the Wolverines don’t have, nobody in the league has a point guard as good as Trey Burke and that is always the difference in college basketball. I can’t wait to watch the Hoosiers and Wolverines square off two times this year, including the regular season finale in Ann Arbor in early March. I think there is a good chance these teams split those games but I think on a neutral court, Michigan is the better team right now.
2. Indiana (13-1): Still very good. Still a team I would not be surprised to see in the Final Four. It's just that the league has two of those this year and I favor Michigan's offensive star power right now and PG play.
3. Minnesota (14-1): The Gophers are riding a 10-game winning streak and were +25 on the glass against Northwestern on Sunday night. They remain my favorite defensive team in the Big Ten and nobody has a more athletic front court. We’ll learn a lot about them this week as they play at Illinois and Indiana.
4. Michigan State (12-3): The Spartans have a chance to get real healthy this week as they play Iowa, Nebraska and Penn State. They lost by double-digits at Minnesota and then crushed Purdue at home on Saturday. It’s going to take defense and an ability to turn their transition game. I think Iowa can do it.
5. Illinois (14-2): Very impressive win against what I think is an overrated Ohio State team. It was impressive in that Illinois didn’t shoot all that well from three in this game and certainly not in the first half, yet had the game blown open by intermission.
6. Ohio State (11-3): They are 2-2 in their last four with convincing losses against Kansas (at home) and at Illinois. Deshaun Thomas is legit, but the drop off to the next most dangerous Buckeye is precipitous, far more so than any other team in the league. It’s tough to zero in on what Ohio State can consistently do well and I think they struggle to get any higher than 5th in the league this year.
7. Iowa (11-4): Some could call this a homer pick and I am fine with that. I just think Iowa is better than Wisconsin and the records for both teams in Big Ten play has everything to do with the schedule; Iowa has lost to #5 and #2 while Wisconsin has a nine-point home win against a bad Penn State team (and shot 26 free throws to Penn State’s one) and a six-point win at Nebraska. Those are two of the three worst teams in the league. Iowa needs to show some life this week, however and beat the Spartans and Wildcats.
8. Wisconsin (11-4)
9. Purdue (7-7): The Boilermakers had a very nice home win against Illinois and then lost badly at Michigan State. They are a very challenged offensive team but also tough minded on the glass and defense. To win, they will have to ugly it up.
10. Nebraska (9-6)
11. Northwestern (9-6)
12. Penn State (8-5)
As of now, I would put Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota in a top tier. Then Michigan State and Illinois in the next tier. Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue in the following tier and then the last three. As of now, I’d say the league has six teams that will qualify for the NCAA tournament but still think they get to seven. If Iowa loses to Michigan State this week, their chances to build an NCAA tournament resume take a big hit.
2. Indiana (13-1): Still very good. Still a team I would not be surprised to see in the Final Four. It's just that the league has two of those this year and I favor Michigan's offensive star power right now and PG play.
3. Minnesota (14-1): The Gophers are riding a 10-game winning streak and were +25 on the glass against Northwestern on Sunday night. They remain my favorite defensive team in the Big Ten and nobody has a more athletic front court. We’ll learn a lot about them this week as they play at Illinois and Indiana.
4. Michigan State (12-3): The Spartans have a chance to get real healthy this week as they play Iowa, Nebraska and Penn State. They lost by double-digits at Minnesota and then crushed Purdue at home on Saturday. It’s going to take defense and an ability to turn their transition game. I think Iowa can do it.
5. Illinois (14-2): Very impressive win against what I think is an overrated Ohio State team. It was impressive in that Illinois didn’t shoot all that well from three in this game and certainly not in the first half, yet had the game blown open by intermission.
6. Ohio State (11-3): They are 2-2 in their last four with convincing losses against Kansas (at home) and at Illinois. Deshaun Thomas is legit, but the drop off to the next most dangerous Buckeye is precipitous, far more so than any other team in the league. It’s tough to zero in on what Ohio State can consistently do well and I think they struggle to get any higher than 5th in the league this year.
7. Iowa (11-4): Some could call this a homer pick and I am fine with that. I just think Iowa is better than Wisconsin and the records for both teams in Big Ten play has everything to do with the schedule; Iowa has lost to #5 and #2 while Wisconsin has a nine-point home win against a bad Penn State team (and shot 26 free throws to Penn State’s one) and a six-point win at Nebraska. Those are two of the three worst teams in the league. Iowa needs to show some life this week, however and beat the Spartans and Wildcats.
8. Wisconsin (11-4)
9. Purdue (7-7): The Boilermakers had a very nice home win against Illinois and then lost badly at Michigan State. They are a very challenged offensive team but also tough minded on the glass and defense. To win, they will have to ugly it up.
10. Nebraska (9-6)
11. Northwestern (9-6)
12. Penn State (8-5)
As of now, I would put Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota in a top tier. Then Michigan State and Illinois in the next tier. Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue in the following tier and then the last three. As of now, I’d say the league has six teams that will qualify for the NCAA tournament but still think they get to seven. If Iowa loses to Michigan State this week, their chances to build an NCAA tournament resume take a big hit.
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