Muddling along in the BIG 10

[oldude]

Last night was "upset night" in the BIG as #20 Iowa lost by 9 at unranked Nebraska, #8 tOSU lost at home by 9 to #19 Mich as Kelsey Mitchell shot an abysmal 5-14, and #14 MD barely hung on by 4 at home against unranked IN. The BIG is pretty much a tossup this year. Currently, MD, tOSU and surprising Rutgers are all tied for the conference lead at 5-1. Just behind with 2 losses each are Mich, MI St, Neb & Purdue.

The BIG is clearly a competitive conference, but not so much because everyone has gotten better. The BIG is competitive because MD & tOSU have come back to the pack. With MD losing 4 key players to graduation, transfer and injury, there decline is understandable. But tOSU has some of the best talent in the nation.

The Buckeyes defense is questionable and their offense often relies on the performance of one player, preseason NPOY candidate Kelsey Mitchell, who no longer appears to be a NPOY candidate IMO. I've often commented that tOSU is the TN of the BIG. But that's really not fair to TN anymore. The team in Knoxville is playing really hard this year. Kevin McGuff is not getting it done at tOSU.

With the FF on tOSU's home court, I do believe that tOSU WBB will be at the FF in Columbus this year - watching the games in the stands or in their dorm rooms with their teammates.

 

[Oldbones]

So, the AAC is not the only conference having a down year?

 

[bbsamjj]

While I agree it seems the top of the B10 may be down, there seems to be more parity and good to pretty good teams than in the past. Both RU and Nebraska are having resurgent seasons, Purdue suddenly just beat RU and Iowa in the same week, Michigan St seems like they can beat or lose to anyone, and Minnesota almost assuredly has the FOY in Destiny Pitts. It seems like the injuries are finally catching up to Iowa unfortunately, but Gustafson could very well be the POY (though I bet it still goes to Mitchell if OSU finishes in first). At this point, very few results would surprise me.

 

[Dillon77]

Last night was "upset night" in the BIG as #20 Iowa lost by 9 at unranked Nebraska, #8 tOSU lost at home by 9 to #19 Mich as Kelsey Mitchell shot an abysmal 5-14, and #14 MD barely hung on by 4 at home against unranked IN. The BIG is pretty much a tossup this year. Currently, MD, tOSU and surprising Rutgers are all tied for the conference lead at 5-1. Just behind with 2 losses each are Mich, MI St, Neb & Purdue.

The BIG is clearly a competitive conference, but not so much because everyone has gotten better. The BIG is competitive because MD & tOSU have come back to the pack. With MD losing 4 key players to graduation, transfer and injury, there decline is understandable. But tOSU has some of the best talent in the nation.

The Buckeyes defense is questionable and their offense often relies on the performance of one player, preseason NPOY candidate Kelsey Mitchell, who no longer appears to be a NPOY candidate IMO. I've often commented that tOSU is the TN of the BIG. But that's really not fair to TN anymore. The team in Knoxville is playing really hard this year. Kevin McGuff is not getting it done at tOSU.

With the FF on tOSU's home court, I do believe that tOSU WBB will be at the FF in Columbus this year - watching the games in the stands or in their dorm rooms with their teammates.

The Michigan - OSU match was an interesting game in that each team had three players dominate their team's scoring totals:

- Michigan: Center Hallie Thome (27 points); guard Katelynn Flaherty (21 points); and, guard Nicole Munger (20 points).
- Ohio State: Forward Stephanie Mavunga (21 points); guard Kelsey Mitchell (20 points); and guard Linnae Harper (15 points).

Michigan needed this kind of win to use for their NCAA-qualifying tool kit. Remember, they were on the bubble last year, didn't get in and went to the NIT...which they won over Georgia Tech (another team that is trending upwards and will continue to do so with an excellent 2018 recruiting class).

Ohio State will really go as far as the three listed above -- and Sierra Calhoun -- take them. And next year it will be "start over" because all three of them -- Mavunga, Mitchell and Harper -- are gone.

For Michigan, Flaherty graduates but Thome and Munger are back. Thome, btw, also had a good game against Notre Dame. She's improved over the course of her career...not terribly swift, but hustles and has good fundamentals.

BTW, here's an article on Flaherty that was something of a preview of this game. Some interesting notes on how she creates space for her shot, given that she'd 5'7".

Women's basketball: Michigan's record-breaking sharp-shooter Katelynn Flaherty leaving a legacy

 

[oldude]

So, the AAC is not the only conference having a down year?

Last season the AAC was ranked higher than the BIG, primarily on the strength of UConn. This year, it could be close, although the AAC’s OOC performance has been pretty bad except for you know who.

 

[oldude]

While I agree it seems the top of the B10 may be down, there seems to be more parity and good to pretty good teams than in the past. Both RU and Nebraska are having resurgent seasons, Purdue suddenly just beat RU and Iowa in the same week, Michigan St seems like they can beat or lose to anyone, and Minnesota almost assuredly has the FOY in Destiny Pitts. It seems like the injuries are finally catching up to Iowa unfortunately, but Gustafson could very well be the POY (though I bet it still goes to Mitchell if OSU finishes in first). At this point, very few results would surprise me.

Clearly C Viv’s Scarlet Knights are the most pleasant surprise in the BIG. Also pleased to see the talented young coach at Neb having some success. She stepped into a tough situation and then lost her best player to ND.

 

[Plebe]

The Big Ten on the whole is better than last year. Rutgers and Nebraska were dreadfully bad last year, but Rutgers is an NCAA tournament team this year and Nebraska is clearly much improved, very nearly beating Michigan (robbed by a horrible foul call IMO) and then completing the deed against Iowa.

Speaking of Iowa, they are also much better than last year, although their backcourt has taken a big hit with injuries.

The only Big Ten teams that really took a step backward are Maryland and Northwestern. Everyone else is either better or about the same.

Of course that doesn’t mean they have any strong Final Four contenders. Ohio State would seem the best bet among them, but they’re only a borderline top 10 team.

 

[oldude]

The Big Ten on the whole is better than last year. Rutgers and Nebraska were dreadfully bad last year, but Rutgers is an NCAA tournament team this year and Nebraska is clearly much improved, very nearly beating Michigan (robbed by a horrible foul call IMO) and then completing the deed against Iowa.

Speaking of Iowa, they are also much better than last year, although their backcourt has taken a big hit with injuries.

The only Big Ten teams that really took a step backward are Maryland and Northwestern. Everyone else is either better or about the same.

Of course that doesn’t mean they have any strong Final Four contenders. Ohio State would seem the best bet among them, but they’re only a borderline top 10 team.

While the BIG as a whole may well be up, as you point out, MD is clearly down this year, and the team that should be the flagship program in the BIG, tOSU is clearly underperforming.

 

[mhshuskies]

Does more competitive mean better overall if that means the quality has been improved for a few, but elite quality of a few is no longer there?

 

[boontonbomber]

Last season the AAC was ranked higher than the BIG, primarily on the strength of UConn. This year, it could be close, although the AAC’s OOC performance has been pretty bad except for you know who.

even with UConn, who was it that ranked the AAC above the BIG last year? just curious.

 

[oldude]

even with UConn, who was it that ranked the AAC above the BIG last year? just curious.

The NCAA ranks the conferences based on each conference’s culmutive RPI.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The Big Ten on the whole is better than last year. Rutgers and Nebraska were dreadfully bad last year, but Rutgers is an NCAA tournament team this year and Nebraska is clearly much improved, very nearly beating Michigan (robbed by a horrible foul call IMO) and then completing the deed against Iowa.

Speaking of Iowa, they are also much better than last year, although their backcourt has taken a big hit with injuries.

The only Big Ten teams that really took a step backward are Maryland and Northwestern. Everyone else is either better or about the same.

Of course that doesn’t mean they have any strong Final Four contenders. Ohio State would seem the best bet among them, but they’re only a borderline top 10 team.

I recently posted this, but I think it was on the RU board, not the BY, so if I am repeating forgive me.

Historically - and still - the B1G teams have a fair amount of parity and there is no guarantee that teams will win the games they would be expected to win and lose the games they would be expected to lose (in conference). There are always exceptions at the top and bottom - and Illinois and Wisconsin are this year's bottom dwellers - but this inconsistency in the middle of the conference hurts the conference in the NCAA's as the 2nd tier teams - that would be shoo-ins to the NCAA in the SEC and ACC - have losses they shouldn't (again, I'm talking in-conference) which lowers their RPI and record, while other teams that aren't going anywhere post-season may get to the WNIT afterall.

This "beat each other up" syndrome is also an issue in the PAC, a bit in the Big 12, and not really in the SEC and ACC where there are limited real upsets. Some of the talk on the RU board is about winning the games you are predicted to win - and that is the important thing. RU already had the loss to Purdue

 

[Plebe]

The NCAA ranks the conferences based on each conference’s culmutive RPI.

Does the NCAA do this? I'm not sure that they do. Conference RPI is not among the selection criteria. I think that other sources calculate conference RPI because it's something fans are interested in. But I haven't seen any indication that the NCAA looks at it.

 

[oldude]

Does the NCAA do this? I'm not sure that they do. Conference RPI is not among the selection criteria. I think that other sources calculate conference RPI because it's something fans are interested in. But I haven't seen any indication that the NCAA looks at it.

It gets a little complicated. Yes, the NCAA calculates team and conference RPI, but it’s not the only organization that does so. ESPN, CNN/SI and others also calculate RPI.

What complicates things is that there are subtle differences in each groups RPI formula that can affect ratings, plus different groups release their RPI indexes at different times, with the result that not all of the same games and results are included in different RPI calculations.

Obviously, RPI is as much an art as it is a science.

 

[mbr33ct]

Here's WarrenNolan.com's last years Conference RPI's. The AAC is ranked 6th after the Big10.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Here's WarrenNolan.com's last years Conference RPI's. The AAC is ranked 6th after the Big10.

Why mess up a good discussion with the facts?

 

[mbr33ct]

Why mess up a good discussion with the facts?

I want to make certain the AAC gets it's just due!

 

[iamcbs]

Last night was "upset night" in the BIG as #20 Iowa lost by 9 at unranked Nebraska, #8 tOSU lost at home by 9 to #19 Mich as Kelsey Mitchell shot an abysmal 5-14, and #14 MD barely hung on by 4 at home against unranked IN. The BIG is pretty much a tossup this year. Currently, MD, tOSU and surprising Rutgers are all tied for the conference lead at 5-1. Just behind with 2 losses each are Mich, MI St, Neb & Purdue.

The BIG is clearly a competitive conference, but not so much because everyone has gotten better. The BIG is competitive because MD & tOSU have come back to the pack. With MD losing 4 key players to graduation, transfer and injury, there decline is understandable. But tOSU has some of the best talent in the nation.

The Buckeyes defense is questionable and their offense often relies on the performance of one player, preseason NPOY candidate Kelsey Mitchell, who no longer appears to be a NPOY candidate IMO. I've often commented that tOSU is the TN of the BIG. But that's really not fair to TN anymore. The team in Knoxville is playing really hard this year. Kevin McGuff is not getting it done at tOSU.

With the FF on tOSU's home court, I do believe that tOSU WBB will be at the FF in Columbus this year - watching the games in the stands or in their dorm rooms with their teammates.

I agree with everything you say about McGuff and tOSU, as a matter of fact I've said the same things in this very forum but for a fan who's team plays in the AAC it seems the height of hypocrisy to criticize any other conference. Absent Connecticut, the AAC is no better than any Mid-Major Conference. Connecticut hasn't lost a conference game in 3 1/2 seasons and that trend is likely to continue since they just beat the 2nd best team in the conference by almost 50 points.

 

[oldude]

I agree with everything you say about McGuff and tOSU, as a matter of fact I've said the same things in this very forum but for a fan who's team plays in the AAC it seems the height of hypocrisy to criticize any other conference. Absent Connecticut, the AAC is no better than any Mid-Major Conference. Connecticut hasn't lost a conference game in 3 1/2 seasons and that trend is likely to continue since they just beat the 2nd best team in the conference by almost 50 points.

I can assure you that I am an “equal opportunity” critic when it comes to the various conferences in WBB. Evidently, you did not see a post I made earlier this season on another thread where I was highly critical of the mediocrity that prevails in the AAC after UConn.