Braden Smith’s defense
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Thought about him but he has games where he is simply invisible. 2nd team probably but I'm definitely taking Walker ahead of him.
I think Young will be second team.....he's tough but not quite as effective as last season and Maryland has been really disappointing as a team (not that those factors should really matter, but I think the voters factor them in anyway). Shannon/Domask I would expect to be split between 1st and 2nd teams - again just a prediction - you could make a case for either or both of them.
You might also see splits among media/coaches. Buie and Edey might be the only two UNANIMOUS.....we shall see.
Jones maybe honorable mention and defensive team with Zach Edey?
Hoiberg will get a lot of votes for COY.
I mean if you look at the programs atop of the B1G, outside of Purdue and Illinois it's pretty clear the B1G is down. Pre-Conference told us this as well. To assume B1G teams have improved significantly from there we should also assume other teams outside of the B1G would have also improved. Looking at BYU and Iowa State. Looking at Florida and Seton Hall and their improvements... I believe most would agree the Big 10 is down... I believe it shows in most all the metrics as well.
Pretty sure the Johnson family said a lot of things of this nature about Ronnie...
I mean its just semantics and pointless, but wasnt John Wooden a point guard? Obviously h e played over 90 years ago and basketball was probably different, but 3 time all American is hard to beat, lol
I would tend to agree with this.....on the flip side, the top two teams this year are better than last year, but there's a bigger drop off this year. It will be interesting to see how NW and Nebraska fare, although losing Berry really hurts NW.
Iowa and Minnesota have improved, IMO, but not enough to really move the needle much. Also, like it or not - when you have four notable schools (Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, and Michigan State (to a lesser extent)) not even contending at all - that's going to significantly dampen the noise around the conference.
Yep, I ultimate think it will end up being TSJ as the 5th and the clear two best teams in the B1G will have 4 of the 5 spots.
It may be, but again that assumption is that the teams that played...and at the location played along with any individual player differences...and age of teams have no bearing because the other assumption is that all teams improve the same even though the variables are not, and yet sooooooo many right or wrong have stated that Purdue is great in November and not in March.
It may very well be that the preconference results are still a good predictor? As I said, if Purdue was good in November and some other big team was not as good (maybe 5th best team in conference as an example) and when conference started had suffered some losses preconference (whatever the conditions) but improved greatly since, but still fifth in the Big after playing in the Big...how does one compare? In a series of multiple correlations as a final predictor that model can be good with weak correlations between each of the variables that make up the model.
I'm certainly not saying the Big is not down, but it really is hard to say without a lot of assumptions of comparable change and change over time is not one of the assumptions being considered. WE know improvements only take place over time if they do and correlated comparisons are not made since once conference begins teams comparisons are heavily weighted with the conference and the assumptions that preconference is still a good predictor of comparison. OSU might be one of those teams that is improved today?
So, I can't say for certainty that it is or isn't and there is no way of really knowing except for assumptions as you state, with no test on that or those assumption (s) for accuracy.
If you watch hoops outside of the B1G, it's pretty obvious that the SEC and B12 are better conferences. ACC is not as strong as it often is. Big East has Uconn, Marquette and Creighton and then a drop off. I wouldn't personally say the B1G is "down" I would instead say it is about what it has been for many years. To say it is down is to imply that it has been good recently or even last year.
I don't say that to diminish what PU has done. I think our out of conference record the past 2 years speaks for itself.
If some other schools aren't going to pick up the slack, we need MSU, IU, MIch and WI to be good for us to have a good conference. Otherwise you are left with what we have this year, PU, Illinois and then everybody else in a quagmire of mediocrity.
I don't say that to diminish what PU has done. I think our out of conference record the past 2 years speaks for itself.
If some other schools aren't going to pick up the slack, we need MSU, IU, MIch and WI to be good for us to have a good conference. Otherwise you are left with what we have this year, PU, Illinois and then everybody else in a quagmire of mediocrity.
Well it's the age-old question. Is the B1G down because Purdue is dominating and everyone else's record is mediocre? Or is Purdue that much better than everyone else, so it makes it appear like you say?
Conversely, are the B12 and SEC leaders better as a whole? Or is just the fact that they're all on the same level as each other so they're beating each other more. While only a few teams can beat Purdue because Purdue is on such a different level.
I think the common perception is what you're saying, but I'm not sure if it's true.
Yes, they will be announced before the start of the BTT.
The BTT starts Wednesday, March 13, in the Target Center (Minneapolis), and I think the Awards press release is usually the day before.
By the way - Purdue will play its opening BTT game (quarterfinal) @ noon Friday on BTN - versus the 8/9 winner, which play in the first game TH.
Wednesday games are on Peacock.
TH/F games (preliminary and QF's) are BTN
Saturday (semi-finals) are CBS
Sunday (Championship) - CBS
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My late , beloved father always said that “never” and “always” were the two most difficult words in the English language to use correctly…
I will assume nothing about how much better Braden Smith can become at anything 😎😉
I believe that when playing to our abilities, PU is the best team I have seen all year. After PU, I do not believe that the rest of our conference is as good as the B12 or the SEC. PU being very good doesn't have anything to do with the rest of our conference. We only play the other teams twice and in some cases once. So them being mediocre has nothing to do with us. The other "premiere" teams in our league are not good teams this year, period. Do you think IU, MSU, MI, WI are good basketball teams? You're into gambling like I am, what would you think the spread would be on these games on neutral court? I believe PU would be the only favorite and it wouldn't be by more than a point or 2.
PU vs Houston
Illinois vs Iowa State
NW vs Baylor
Neb vs Kansas
WIS vs Texas Tech
It's just my opinion, and I know it's not a popular one here. But the B1G is not strong and it has nothing to do with PU being very good.
FWIW I saw Braden in the junior/senior all star game telling Dustin I was going to be there. Dustin saw me enter the gym and came over to talk. It had been over 20 years since I saw him. I left the gym very impressed with Braden's vision and signaled such to Dustin on my way out. Saw Dustin's dad and he gave me a shooting movement as I was walking up the steps to see him saying Braden needs to shoot more. I think Braden only shot once or twice the first half. Tried to see Braden his senior year and then he got hurt. Dustin said they were trying to get him back for the sectional and so I went to the sectional and his vision and passing stood out...and then it was his shooting...his intelligence, competitive spirit and control of the game. I knew he and Zach could be good from their pre college play, but both have exceeded any ceiling I might have imagined. When Braden hit the 3 with 18 seconds or so to go I told Kim every game I see him I just get more impressed and this was after a bit of a rough start to the game.
Like Zach, Braden had something to prove as well and like Zach he too went to work. I don't know what will happen the rest of the season, but this is a very special group of "people" that play on the team. The sacrifices different players have made, the work put in with no guarantee their work would result in such success and the confidence resulting from the success while crediting others is a good story...even Mason's rehab and growth as an inside player in high school to more of a perimeter player on the top team is a story. So many stories that if understood well could help others in their lives in meeting head on obstacles in the way. An impressive group of people that happen to make a great team as well. This collection of talent is not an accident. Matt sought winners, good kids...smart kids that could learn and had the substance to improve and make immediate sacrifices for a greater good. I hope they are justly rewarded with no odd, bad game, but continue to win to reach their goals!
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It's a valid point, whether it's unpopular. I don't know that answer, was just giving the other side of it.
I would hazard to guess that each of those matchups you listed would be within 2-3 points. I can see Illinois being favored vs Iowa State. Nebraska/Kansas is certainly interesting, and the spread would be pro Kansas by a point or 2 simply because they're Kansas. Northwestern would be in trouble because of their recent injuries. And Wisconsin stinks right now.
I'd continue that though. Michigan State is probably a strong favorite over Oklahoma or Texas. I would take Ohio State over a bottom-half B12 team on a neutral court. Minnesota vs, say UCF or Cincinnati? Probably Minny.
Stay humble but still have that edge to them where they know they’re better and crush the weaker team. Don’t get complacent…I don’t think that this team operates that way.
I think KU would be much bigger favorite than a point or 2 vs Nebraska. While neither has been good on the road KU is just a much better team than NEB. #16 NET vs #43.
Not according to KenPom:
| Conference | Rating | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big 12 Conference | +17.36 |
| 2 | Big East Conference | +15.30 |
| 3 | Big Ten Conference | +14.82 |
| 4 | Southeastern Conference | +14.43 |
| 5 | Atlantic Coast Conference | +11.98 |
| 6 | Pac 12 Conference | +10.88 |
| 7 | Mountain West Conference | +10.28 |
MSU can be very good and could probably beat quite a few teams in the tourney...same with OSU and Minny. There just isn't a unbiased way of comparing outside of assumptions made... that "could" be valid assumptions and yet maybe not for or against. Many of us understand the translative property can have many errors in sports.
What I meant was the line, whatever it would be, would be inflated by 1 or 2 because of the word "Kansas." So it might be 5 but could be a good value to take the points.
I'm impressed Braden didn't fall victim to the "Sophomore slump" this year and has improved as much as he has. I was teammates with his dad for a couple of years when we were in high school, along with Austin Parkinson.
So then I may know you or your father. PM me if you wish to tell me. I knew some of Dustin's class and Dewayne's class. Austin's class not so much. I worked with some of those kids in a summer league. There was another kid a lefty maybe Comer ? Think maybe Joseph Parker and Corey Cline??? may have been in Austin's class. The woman in my pic is a sister to Mark F. in Dustin's class. Shoot me a PM if you want. I won't disclose who you are, but I've listed enough for you to know I knew some of them years ago...
Dustin was a Senior when I was a Freshman and Austin was a junior (he graduated with my sister) I lived close to Joseph Parker and Corey Kurtz (I think that's who you meant) and somewhat close to Mark Fernandez. Brent Comer graduated the year before I was in high school. I was the manager for the basketball team from 1998-02. Jim Yeakel was the coach my Freshman and Sophomore years, Delroy Ortmann was the coach my Junior and Senior years.So then I may know you or your father. PM me if you wish to tell me. I knew some of Dustin's class and Dewayne's class. Austin's class not so much. I worked with some of those kids in a summer league. There was another kid a lefty maybe Comer ? Think maybe Joseph Parker and Corey Cline??? may have been in Austin's class. The woman in my pic is a sister to Mark F. in Dustin's class. Shoot me a PM if you want. I won't disclose who you are, but I've listed enough for you to know I knew some of them years ago...
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That's why I hedged with "likely never". I'm kinda smart like that.
Probably for people smarter than me but after Smith hit the last 3, why did we call timeout? Didn’t check the box score but the announcers said it was a Purdue timeout. Plus my feed went dead so didn’t get to see anything after that.
I think it was actually an Illinois TO. Announcer was a little "excited."
Yes. People got in his dad's ear and told him the blue bloods would be calling. Ronnie tweeted something about decommitting was a good move because Purdue wouldn't let him show his sauce.
Wasn't it last year that the B1G won both the ACC and Big East challenges. It may have been the year before.
It was Corey and his name wouldn't come to me. Mark is Fernande "s" (Portuguese). Guessing at that time you lived in Spice Run or across the street or Green Acres when Joseph was younger. Know Mike and Julie McCool as well and the husband of your old Supt Debbie...Greg????? (helped the football team and had a son that played BBall) when you were younger. Any idea how long Jim was coach? I saw his first game at Tipton around 88 or so...guessing 12 years with your numbers? I know Greg and Janet Parker and haven't seen either in over a decade.
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2022 was the last year of the B1G/ACC challenge. The ACC won that last year of it.
The Gavitt Games is what I think you are referring to with the Big East. That only involves 8 teams from each conference. This latest version ended up in a 4-4 tie.
I said I thought the B12 and SEC were both better than the B1G. I don't necessarily feel the same way about ACC or Big East.
Those challenges make you scratch your head with who plays who sometimes and depending on which game...the challenge could be different with just flipping the home team in each game. Over the course of many years you would like to have a comparison, but it can be flaky in a given year. Have the better team good enough to win away and the close team play at home and you stack your hand....
These are not randomized draws as you know, but selected teams and sites for those teams
So by that Metric the B12 is significantly better and the SEC is about the same.
How About the NET:
Teams in the Top 20 of the NET:
B12 - 5
SEC - 4
B1G - 2
Avg NET per conference:
B12 - 46.21
SEC - 69 Vandy is the killer here
B1G - 59.71
AVG of the top 10 schools in SEC and B1G. Just showing that the SEC is better at the top of the conference which may be what makes me think they are a better conference.
SEC - 36.6
B1G - 42.2
The eye test would be for each individual to decide for themselves. I think the B12 and SEC are better, you and others may feel differently. Nothing wrong with that.
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