Let’s just get 4…if berg and Waddell leave (his gf transferred to Louisville—isn’t that like Durant moving from OKC to golden state?!)
Big Ten
- Thread starter SaratogaBoiler1
- Start date
I would hope he’s stronger after a year in the program. He could be a “freshman clingan” type where he doesn’t dominate offensively but is a force down low on the defensive side for 18-25 mins a game.
I think he'll be servicable for D, rebounding, etc., but he'll still be young, inexperienced. if Painter believes he has a NC shot next year, I think he has to get an experienced 5 and 1-2 other guys from the portal.
We have arguably more talent than the 2018-19 elite 8 team which won a share of the Big Ten title.
You are correct:
| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 5 Michigan State † | 16 | – | 4 | .800 | 32 | – | 7 | .821 | ||||
| No. 13 Purdue | 16 | – | 4 | .800 | 26 | – | 10 | .722 | ||||
| No. 8 Michigan | 15 | – | 5 | .750 | 30 | – | 7 | .811 | ||||
| No. 21 Wisconsin | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 23 | – | 11 | .676 | ||||
| Maryland | 13 | – | 7 | .650 | 23 | – | 11 | .676 |
What does that have to do with unequal schedules?
Nothing. It just points out the Big Ten finished that regular season with 4 ranked teams out of 14. As of today, Big has 5 ranked teams out of 18. Note: I agreed, this isn't the 2018 B10.
Indeed. Oregon looks good. But we will see how they shake out in the B1G schedule. This has been an ongoing problem for the Big Ten. Over the years the amount of elite talent has started to drop off. A lot of it going to the SEC. The thing about the Big Ten is that coaches are good at game planning against other Big Ten schools. It isn't like Big Ten schools aren't good, they just aren't elite. Like the past two years there was Purdue. There have been great years throughout the 2010s where you had Michigan State who was nationally elite. Ohio State. Purdue. Wisconsin. Illinois a couple of years. Indiana a couple of years. Maryland a couple of years. Michigan. Just don't have that elite talent and nationally elite teams. Oregon, UCLA and Michigan State look like the best. Michigan and Purdue right behind that or even in that group.
In the final AP Poll since 2020
2024- Purdue(2), Illinois(6)
2023- Purdue(3), Indiana(21)
2022- Purdue(10), Wisconsin(14), Iowa(16), Illinois(19)
2021- Illinois(2), Michigan(4), Ohio State(7), Iowa(8), Purdue(20)
2020- Michigan St(9), Maryland(12), Wisconsin(17), Ohio State(19), Illinois(21), Iowa(25)
Last 2 seasons... Not great. 2023 was the first time since the 2008-2009 season that the B1G only had 2 teams in the final AP Poll. Michigan St(8) and Purdue(17). 2012-2013 might be the best year for the top of the league as 4 teams finished in the Top 10. Indiana(4), Ohio State(7), Michigan St(9), Michigan(10). Also goes a long with the 2020-2021 season.
2025 as of now- Oregon(9), UCLA(15), Michigan St(18), Purdue(20), Illinois(22).
This is better than last year where at this point it was Purdue(1), Illinois(9), Wisconsin(21).
So all in all, yea the Big Ten was down the past couple years and this year is... Okayish but you added 4 teams and 2 of them suck.
2024- Purdue(2), Illinois(6)
2023- Purdue(3), Indiana(21)
2022- Purdue(10), Wisconsin(14), Iowa(16), Illinois(19)
2021- Illinois(2), Michigan(4), Ohio State(7), Iowa(8), Purdue(20)
2020- Michigan St(9), Maryland(12), Wisconsin(17), Ohio State(19), Illinois(21), Iowa(25)
Last 2 seasons... Not great. 2023 was the first time since the 2008-2009 season that the B1G only had 2 teams in the final AP Poll. Michigan St(8) and Purdue(17). 2012-2013 might be the best year for the top of the league as 4 teams finished in the Top 10. Indiana(4), Ohio State(7), Michigan St(9), Michigan(10). Also goes a long with the 2020-2021 season.
2025 as of now- Oregon(9), UCLA(15), Michigan St(18), Purdue(20), Illinois(22).
This is better than last year where at this point it was Purdue(1), Illinois(9), Wisconsin(21).
So all in all, yea the Big Ten was down the past couple years and this year is... Okayish but you added 4 teams and 2 of them suck.
That team had Carsen Edwards, who put on a tourney performance of historical proportions. This team doesn't have a Carsen Edwards who can carry them.
Time will tell if we do or don't? Carsen is one of my all time favorite Boilers, but Cox & Smith can get hot too.
We may not have a singular player like Carsen but may have several that prove capable when the time comes.
Yea... Neither of those guys are going off for 30ppg in the NCAA tourney.
Most importantly, get some "long, athletics" players. I am so tired of hearing this every year that team like penn state have more athletics players, and I don't get it.
Maybe not 30 ppg but Smith is figuring out he has to score - a lot - for this team to be successful. Loyer can go off a few games and then you are in the elite 8.
And we all saw how that turned out!! Meanwhile people said all year how bad the Big Ten was in 2005, and we had 3 Elite Eight teams, 2 Final Four teams and 1 team in the NC game. I just think beyond the obvious (e.g., the SEC looks really good this year), it’s really hard to say a conference is up or down.
I know it’s been 10-15 years since we’ve beat you and all, but you REALLY underrate the Illini.
Nah - I really thought you would beat us at home last year and Smith said no - don’t underestimate the Boilers
He is an IU fan
Bank Shot is an IU fan. I'm pretty sure the Illini have beaten them a few times in the past 10-15 years.
Lol yes. Just wanted to make sure you knew we did not claim him
You sure about that? Cuz All that SEC talent has resulted in only 2 appearances in the F4 the last 5 tourneys
Washington over Maryland. Good battle between Osobor and Reese. Queen not ready to mix it up with the big boys. Looks like Illinois will blow out Oregon out west.
Who hasn’t!! 🥁Bank Shot is an IU fan. I'm pretty sure the Illini have beaten them a few times in the past 10-15 years.
Illinois just destroyed Oregon in Eugene.
Two B1G teams won conference games by 20+ points on the road tonight. I bet that hasn't happened very often.
Two B1G teams won conference games by 20+ points on the road tonight. I bet that hasn't happened very often.
That's just the beauty of the NCAA tourney. Nothing is guaranteed expect for chaos.
The funny thing is that Indiana is 14-12 against Illinois over the past 15 seasons and 10-6 over the past 10.
I bet your one proud puppy! Illinois has only 1 BT title in that stretch. IUs problem has been teams like Nebraska(who just torches IU), Northwestern, Penn St, and Rutgers have played WHACK-O-Mole with ya! No need to talk about the Purdue vs IU series. Purdue has won 4 of the last 8, and Michigan St has 3 in the last 10 years!
And how many of those wins came during the historically bad Groce years and the two seasons it took Underwood to dig out of that? Shit’s ancient history and irrelevant, pal. Illinois and Purdue are much healthier programs than Indiana and have been for 5+ years now. Your “brand” died a long time ago.
Neither of those guys are Carsen level, not many players are. There's a difference between getting hot and staying hot. Carsen stayed hot for several games in a row.
Smith is pretty hot right now and Cox got hot vs Bama, but we haven't seen any consistency from him yet. Granted, Cox is still young and learning.
Carsen was awesome but the only way he was helping you was with his scoring. Agree that Braden is not that level of scorer but he does other things that could help win NCAAT games. Braden needs to continue to improve and become more consistent if he want to lead a March run, just as CE did his junior year.
Weber was 1-2
Groce was 3-6
Underwood is 6-6(4-3 vs Archie. 2-3 vs Woodson)
BTN is reporting that Illinois's win at Oregon last night was the largest margins of victory ever for a road team at an AP top-10 opponent.
It's been a rough few days for Oregon.
It's been a rough few days for Oregon.
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