Post/Article by Wes Powell
2/3/2019
Corn Fed Sports and Entertainment
With just over a month remaining in the regular season, the race for the Big Ten title is just heating up. As we saw last night and tonight, the powerhouses of Michigan and Michigan State were knocked off. In fact, it's been an absolutely crazy weekend for college basketball. A top 25 team in NC State scored a shocking 24 total points at home, the lowest ever during the shot clock era. Oh, and if you follow DIII ball, you probably saw Greenville University top Fontebonne College 200-146. Yes, you read that right, 200 points, 176 more than NC State. Never change college basketball, never change. But, back to the point, you truly cannot take a night off in the Big Ten Conference. With the last half of conference play finally upon us, the number of scenarios are unimaginable. Anything can happen.
To start, after Saturday's action the current Big Ten Standings are as followed:
| 1. | Michigan St 18-4 (9-2) | |||
| 1. | Michigan 20-2 (9-2) | |||
| 3. | Purdue 15-6 (8-2) 0.5 GB | |||
| 4. | Wisconsin 16-6 (8-3) 1.0 GB | |||
| 5. | Maryland 17-6 (8-4) 1.5 GB | |||
| 6. | Minnesota 16-5 (6-4) 2.5 GB | |||
| 7. |
Iowa 17-5 (6-5) 3 GB
|
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For weeks we all have thought the race would come to the Sparty and Maize & Blue rivalry, but the wear and tear that this conference brings has opened opportunities throughout the standings. Purdue and Wisconsin both started their seasons much slower than they hoped but are beginning to show what how important it is to have stars that take over games like Carsen Edwards and Ethan Happ.
Now, let's dive into the remaining schedules for each of these top seven teams in the Big Ten.
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS:
Currently tied for first and coming off a tough loss at home versus a stumbling Indiana team, are the Spartans of Michigan State. Tom Izzo and company head to Champaign, Illinois to take on a stingy and young Illini team. Over the month of February, they host Minnesota, Ohio State, and Rutgers while also traveling to a tough atmosphere in Madison in a date with the Badgers of Wisconsin. The haul doesn't get much easier as they take on Michigan twice to finish the year, on the road versus the Indiana team that knocked them off, and Nebraska at home. Even with this difficult remaining schedule, I like Sparty to take the crown for the regular season conference title. I believe Big Ten POY nominee, Cassius Winston and company will finish their final nine games with eight wins and their only loss coming on the road at Michigan. However, don't be surprised if they slip up once again versus Indiana on the road and also in Madison later this month. Spartan nation, take a deep breath, the madness is only starting.
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES:
Also tied for first as of Saturday are the Wolverines of Ann Arbor, Michigan. They too didn't have a "super" weekend while getting stifled at Iowa Friday night. Like the Spartans, the Wolverines remaining schedule is no cake walk by any mean. Their next stretch includes a couple road games versus Rutgers and Penn State while also coming home to face two tough opponents in Wisconsin and Maryland. Life doesn't get much easier, with three of the last five on the road versus Minnesota, Maryland, and of course Michigan State. They do host Sparty and the Cornhuskers as well. Personally, I have been high on this Wolverine team all year since their revenge event at Villanova to start the year. Over the last nine games, I see the folks of Ann Arbor finishing with seven more wins and a couple tough losses at Michigan State and Maryland. Overall, finishing second in the regular season race.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS:
If you were to ask me who I had finishing third in the conference a month ago, it wouldn't be the team I have now. The Boilermakers of Purdue have simply turned their season around thanks to the tremendous effort from their leader Carsen Edwards (my favorite to win Big Ten POY). Purdue, unlike the teams in the state of Michigan, has a reasonably last stretch of their schedule. Likely having only one more matchup with a ranked team in which they would face Maryland on the road. With ten games remaining, I see Purdue finishing with eight more wins, with slip-ups at Indiana and at Maryland. Considering the early circumstances this year, a third-place finish in the nations best conference surely should make Matt Painter smile in West Lafayette.
WISCONISN BADGERS:
Ah, finally, my least favorite team in the conference. The Badgers of Madison, Wisconsin. This team is very odd, with one star and a very average remaining squad. But, this team somehow finds ways to win big games at Iowa and at home against Maryland and Michigan. The Badgers remaining schedule isn't easy but isn't too difficult with big matchups at home vs. Michigan State and a most likely top twenty team come Monday, in Iowa. They also travel to Michigan on Friday the 9th. Out of the Badgers remaining nine games, I see them finishing with a very average 5-4 record. I predict Greg Gard and company will struggle and fall to Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, and Ohio State. Three out of four of those on the road. However, I predict Wisconsin to knock off my Iowa Hawkeyes in the second to last game of the year to hold off the talented Hawkeyes for a fourth-place finish.
IOWA HAWKEYES:
"Fire Fran!" and "I love Fran" are two things I have heard throughout this wild year. Even with low expectations and no love in the preseason, Fran the man and company have put together a sneaky good 2018-19 campaign. Including a big resume victory this past Friday versus a top five Michigan team, 74-59. Iowa's remaining nine game stretch doesn't look to shabby as well. With a pair of games each left against Rutgers and Indiana, also facing Northwestern and a tough Maryland team at home, and some tough road stops at Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. While observing this remaining schedule for my Hawks, I have seen my optimistic and disappointed sides. My optimistic sides see seven, eight, and yes even nine wins to finish the year. But, all Iowa fans also have a negative side with a tone of reality. This specific side wouldn't be surprised with a 5-4 finish to the year. I will say, it will take an absolute catastrophic let down for the Hawks to miss out on the tournament this March. Bracket expert, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, currently has the Hawks as a 5 seed. All in all, I see Iowa finishing the nine game stretch with seven more wins and tough losses on the road against Ohio State and Wisconsin. However, do not be surprised if Iowa goes into Madison and rips one from the Badgers to grab onto the fourth spot in the conference.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS:
Mark Turgeon and company are coming off a difficult loss at Wisconsin after starting hot in the first half. This team has some talent in their frontcourt with Jaylen Smith and Bruno Fernando, while holding some toughness with point guard, Anthony Cowan. Maryland's remaining schedule includes some difficult road trips to Nebraska and to a pair of top 25 teams in Iowa and Michigan. To go along with those, they also host Michigan again and another top 25 team in the Purdue Boilermakers. I actually have the Terps coming out on top in five of these eight remaining games, with all losses on the roads versus Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan. A sixth place finish in the conference with a very young group is something that should bring some joy to College Park.
MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS:
Lets just be honest and straight to the point... Coach Pitino and the Gophers remaining schedule is brutal. With six of their last ten games being against ranked teams, I find the Gophers finishing in the seven spot in the conference. I predict the Gophers finish the ten game carousel with only three victories and losses to Purdue (x2), Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska, Michigan, and Maryland. The most underrated player in the country, Jordan Murphy and the Minnesota Golden Gophers should be dancing in March and very happy with the overall state of their 2018-19 season.
Below is a visual of the predictions for each remaining games, the final standings, and NCCA tournament seeds for each of the top seven teams in the Big Ten.
The race for the Big Ten title is just getting started. The fun is just beginning!
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- post by Wes
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