The home loss to Minnesota caused a lot of “Here we’re gone, again” thinking, me included, because it seems like, for the past two decades, we’ve often knocked ourselves out of real Big Ten title runs before January even reaches double digits. I decided to see just how true that is, digging up all of our league starts since Mackey opened.
It is true that most of our championship teams have gone undefeated in Big Ten play at least through Jan. 10 -- six of our last nine champs did -- but we also won two Big Ten titles after starting with two early losses, including 1-2 and 0-2 league starts.
And though our past 16 perfect starts usually led to high finishes, we did have a 3-0 start end up in eighth place (in 2001, when our top two scorers and rebounders went down, killing the same team that earlier had beaten No. 1 Arizona in Indy). Injuries also led to our two worst records -- Keady’s last team and Painter’s first. Only two players appeared in all 28 games for Keady’s finale, and Painter for a time had six would-be starters in street clothes.
From our two previous 3-1 starts, one finished third and the other sixth. (I’ll bet this team beats those.)
Stroll down memory lane ...
Big Ten Starts (Opener thru Jan. 10)
2016-2017 -- (Final Record, Finish) W L W W
2015-2016 -- (12-6, T-3rd) W L W L
2014-2015 -- (12-6, T-3rd) W W L L
2013-2014 -- (5-13, 12th) L L
2012-2013 -- (8-10, T-7th) W L L
2011-2012 -- (10-8, 6th) W W L W
2010-2011 -- (14-4, 2nd) W W W W
2009-2010 -- (14-4, 1st) W W L
2008-2009 -- (11-7, T-2nd) L L
2007-2008 -- (15-3, 2nd) W L
2006-2007 -- (9-7, T-4th) L W L
2005-2006 -- (3-13, 11th) L L
2004-2005 -- (3-13, 10th) L L
2003-2004 -- (7-9, T-7th) L W
2002-2003 -- (10-6, T-3rd) 0-0
2001-2002 -- (5-11, 8th) L L W
2000-2001 -- (6-10, 8th) W W W
1999-2000 -- (12-4, 2nd) L
1998-1999 -- (7-9, 7th) W L
1997-1998 -- (12-4, 3rd) L W W W
1996-1997 -- (12-6, T-2nd) W L
1995-1996 -- (15-3, 1st) W W
1994-1995 -- (15-3, 1st) L W L
1993-1994 -- (14-4, 1st) W
1992-1993 -- (9-9, T-5th) L L
1991-1992 -- (8-10, T-6th) L
1990-1991 -- (9-9, T-5th) W L
1989-1990 -- (13-5, 2nd) W
1988-1989 -- (8-10, T-6th) W L
1987-1988 -- (16-2, 1st) W W W
1986-1987 -- (15-3, T-1st) W W W W
1985-1986 -- (11-7, T-4th) W W W
1984-1985 -- (11-7, 3rd) L W L
1983-1984 -- (15-3, T-1st) W W
1982-1983 -- (11-7, T-2nd) W L
1981-1982 -- (11-7, 5th) L W
1980-1981 -- (10-8, 4th) W W
1979-1980 -- (11-7, 3rd) W L W
1978-1979 -- (13-5, T-1st) L L
1977-1978 -- (11-7, T-4th) W W
1976-1977 -- (14-4, 2nd) W W
1975-1976 -- (11-7, 3rd) W W
1974-1975 -- (11-7, T-3rd) W L W
1973-1974 -- (10-4, 3rd) W W
1972-1973 -- (8-6, T-3rd) W
1971-1972 -- (6-8, T-5th) L
1970-1971 -- (11-3, 3rd) W
1969-1970 -- (11-3, 2nd) L W W
1968-1969 -- (13-1, 1st) W W
1967-1968 -- (9-5, 3rd) L W
It is true that most of our championship teams have gone undefeated in Big Ten play at least through Jan. 10 -- six of our last nine champs did -- but we also won two Big Ten titles after starting with two early losses, including 1-2 and 0-2 league starts.
And though our past 16 perfect starts usually led to high finishes, we did have a 3-0 start end up in eighth place (in 2001, when our top two scorers and rebounders went down, killing the same team that earlier had beaten No. 1 Arizona in Indy). Injuries also led to our two worst records -- Keady’s last team and Painter’s first. Only two players appeared in all 28 games for Keady’s finale, and Painter for a time had six would-be starters in street clothes.
From our two previous 3-1 starts, one finished third and the other sixth. (I’ll bet this team beats those.)
Stroll down memory lane ...
Big Ten Starts (Opener thru Jan. 10)
2016-2017 -- (Final Record, Finish) W L W W
2015-2016 -- (12-6, T-3rd) W L W L
2014-2015 -- (12-6, T-3rd) W W L L
2013-2014 -- (5-13, 12th) L L
2012-2013 -- (8-10, T-7th) W L L
2011-2012 -- (10-8, 6th) W W L W
2010-2011 -- (14-4, 2nd) W W W W
2009-2010 -- (14-4, 1st) W W L
2008-2009 -- (11-7, T-2nd) L L
2007-2008 -- (15-3, 2nd) W L
2006-2007 -- (9-7, T-4th) L W L
2005-2006 -- (3-13, 11th) L L
2004-2005 -- (3-13, 10th) L L
2003-2004 -- (7-9, T-7th) L W
2002-2003 -- (10-6, T-3rd) 0-0
2001-2002 -- (5-11, 8th) L L W
2000-2001 -- (6-10, 8th) W W W
1999-2000 -- (12-4, 2nd) L
1998-1999 -- (7-9, 7th) W L
1997-1998 -- (12-4, 3rd) L W W W
1996-1997 -- (12-6, T-2nd) W L
1995-1996 -- (15-3, 1st) W W
1994-1995 -- (15-3, 1st) L W L
1993-1994 -- (14-4, 1st) W
1992-1993 -- (9-9, T-5th) L L
1991-1992 -- (8-10, T-6th) L
1990-1991 -- (9-9, T-5th) W L
1989-1990 -- (13-5, 2nd) W
1988-1989 -- (8-10, T-6th) W L
1987-1988 -- (16-2, 1st) W W W
1986-1987 -- (15-3, T-1st) W W W W
1985-1986 -- (11-7, T-4th) W W W
1984-1985 -- (11-7, 3rd) L W L
1983-1984 -- (15-3, T-1st) W W
1982-1983 -- (11-7, T-2nd) W L
1981-1982 -- (11-7, 5th) L W
1980-1981 -- (10-8, 4th) W W
1979-1980 -- (11-7, 3rd) W L W
1978-1979 -- (13-5, T-1st) L L
1977-1978 -- (11-7, T-4th) W W
1976-1977 -- (14-4, 2nd) W W
1975-1976 -- (11-7, 3rd) W W
1974-1975 -- (11-7, T-3rd) W L W
1973-1974 -- (10-4, 3rd) W W
1972-1973 -- (8-6, T-3rd) W
1971-1972 -- (6-8, T-5th) L
1970-1971 -- (11-3, 3rd) W
1969-1970 -- (11-3, 2nd) L W W
1968-1969 -- (13-1, 1st) W W
1967-1968 -- (9-5, 3rd) L W
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