STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
Right now, I see the conference finishing:
#1 - Michigan: either 15-3 or 14-4.
#2 - Wisconsin: I think Wisconsin wins out (bursting Nebby's bubble) to finish 13-5.
#3 - MSU: I also think MSU finishes 13-5 (losing last game @ OSU) and loses tiebreaker (Wisky beat them 1-0 and split with Michigan while MSU was 0-3 against Mich and Wisky).
#4 - fOSU wins out over @PSU, @Indy, vs MSU to finish 12-6.
#5 - Nebby finishes 11-7 after beating PU, @Illannoy, NwU, losing last one to Wisky.
#6 - Iowa goes 2-2 to finish 10-8.
I know, Hawks should win @ Indy, to go 3-1, finish 11-7 and in 5th (win tiebreaker over Nebby) but, as I've been posting since the debacle down the stretch last Saturday, Hawks are sideways. I just don't think they're up to the task of emotionally and mentally rebounding, especially on a 2-day turnaround on the road. As we saw last night (and what seems to be thousands of times througout history) Jekyll / Hyde teams tend to be in good form against Iowa.
Not only are they more likely to go 2-2, to finish 10-8, this is actually what should be hoped for.
-- 6th vs. 11th (Illannoy, PSU or NwU) on Thursday.
-- Play #3 on Friday. That's a damaged MSU, coming off a physical loss @ fOSU, that swept them 2 straight seasons, including 3 that slipped away. Hawks should want to beat Sparty more than any team.
-- Play #2 on Saturday. That's Wisky. Another team that you squandered decisive leads to that you just know you can beat.
That gives you 3 more wins (24-10), 2 over top-3 seeded tourney teams on a nuetral court. That, alone, pushes the Hawks seed from a 6/5 up to a solid 4. More importantly, it jump starts the tourney setting run by giving Iowa back some much needed mo-jo. At that point, they're probably feeling they're just going to win the whole damn BTT and leave no doubt!
The althernative is to come out of the 5 and have to face 2 teams that have played through their own funks and are now peaking hot -- Michigan and fOSU. Sure, you split with them but that might actually dampen the motivation to beat them. Also, these were the only 2 teams that really stood up and punched Iowa in the face from the opening tip. All those others felt more like the Hawks lost it rather than getting beat; Michigan and fOSU felt like they just beat Iowa.
Summary, I think 2-2 and a #6 seed offers a much greater potential for the Hawks to get their **** together in the BTT and be ready for the NCAA. Facing a team like fOSU, that can beat you up, or Michigan, that can Gopherize you, is more bad medicine for an already mentally struggling Iowa team.
#1 - Michigan: either 15-3 or 14-4.
#2 - Wisconsin: I think Wisconsin wins out (bursting Nebby's bubble) to finish 13-5.
#3 - MSU: I also think MSU finishes 13-5 (losing last game @ OSU) and loses tiebreaker (Wisky beat them 1-0 and split with Michigan while MSU was 0-3 against Mich and Wisky).
#4 - fOSU wins out over @PSU, @Indy, vs MSU to finish 12-6.
#5 - Nebby finishes 11-7 after beating PU, @Illannoy, NwU, losing last one to Wisky.
#6 - Iowa goes 2-2 to finish 10-8.
I know, Hawks should win @ Indy, to go 3-1, finish 11-7 and in 5th (win tiebreaker over Nebby) but, as I've been posting since the debacle down the stretch last Saturday, Hawks are sideways. I just don't think they're up to the task of emotionally and mentally rebounding, especially on a 2-day turnaround on the road. As we saw last night (and what seems to be thousands of times througout history) Jekyll / Hyde teams tend to be in good form against Iowa.
Not only are they more likely to go 2-2, to finish 10-8, this is actually what should be hoped for.
-- 6th vs. 11th (Illannoy, PSU or NwU) on Thursday.
-- Play #3 on Friday. That's a damaged MSU, coming off a physical loss @ fOSU, that swept them 2 straight seasons, including 3 that slipped away. Hawks should want to beat Sparty more than any team.
-- Play #2 on Saturday. That's Wisky. Another team that you squandered decisive leads to that you just know you can beat.
That gives you 3 more wins (24-10), 2 over top-3 seeded tourney teams on a nuetral court. That, alone, pushes the Hawks seed from a 6/5 up to a solid 4. More importantly, it jump starts the tourney setting run by giving Iowa back some much needed mo-jo. At that point, they're probably feeling they're just going to win the whole damn BTT and leave no doubt!
The althernative is to come out of the 5 and have to face 2 teams that have played through their own funks and are now peaking hot -- Michigan and fOSU. Sure, you split with them but that might actually dampen the motivation to beat them. Also, these were the only 2 teams that really stood up and punched Iowa in the face from the opening tip. All those others felt more like the Hawks lost it rather than getting beat; Michigan and fOSU felt like they just beat Iowa.
Summary, I think 2-2 and a #6 seed offers a much greater potential for the Hawks to get their **** together in the BTT and be ready for the NCAA. Facing a team like fOSU, that can beat you up, or Michigan, that can Gopherize you, is more bad medicine for an already mentally struggling Iowa team.
