Big Ten Power Rankings

• Cleveland Buck

  

  Azibuike does one of these (though more in depth than mine) for the SEC, so here is my take on the Big Ten. This is where I think they will finish, not necessarily how they are doing now.
  
  1. Michigan State (15-3, 5-0 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Gonzaga (13-3), Wisconsin (14-4), Northwestern (13-4), Minnesota (12-5)
  Projection: Big Ten Champion, NCAA Tournament
  
  2. Purdue (14-3, 2-3 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Tennessee (14-2), Wake Forest (12-3), West Virginia (13-3), Alabama (11-6), Minnesota (12-5)
  Projection: 2nd Big Ten, NCAA Tournament
  
  3. Ohio State (13-5, 3-3 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: California (11-6), Florida State (14-4), Purdue (14-3), Wisconsin (14-4)
  Projection: 3rd Big Ten, NCAA Tournament
  
  4. Wisconsin (14-4, 4-2 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Maryland (11-6), Duke (14-2), Marquette (10-6), Ohio State (13-5), Purdue (14-3), Northwestern (13-4)
  Projection: 4th Big Ten, NCAA Tournament
  
  5. Minnesota (12-5, 3-2 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Butler (14-4), Ohio State (13-5)
  Projection: 5th Big Ten, NCAA Tournament
  
  6. Northwestern (13-4, 2-3 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Notre Dame (14-4), N.C. State (12-6), Iowa State (12-5), Purdue (14-3)
  Projection: 6th Big Ten, NCAA Tournament
  
  7. Illinois (12-6, 4-1 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Clemson (15-3), Vanderbilt (14-3), Northwestern (14-3)
  Projection: 7th Big Ten, NCAA Tournament (Bubble)
  
  8. Michigan (9-7, 3-2 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Ohio State (13-5)
  Projection: 8th Big Ten, NIT Tournament
  
  9. Indiana (7-9, 1-3 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Pittsburgh (15-2)
  Projection: 9th Big Ten
  
  10. Penn State (8-9, 0-5 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: Virginia (11-4)
  Projection: 10th Big Ten
  
  11. Iowa (7-11, 1-4 Big Ten)
  Key Wins: None
  Projection: 11th Big Ten
• mallymal614

  Looks good to me.
• Azubuike24

  

  I actually think Minnesota will be the odd team out now. Between them and Northwestern. I'm not sold on Illinois, but the Clemson and Vanderbilt wins will take them a long way. If they get a few big wins in conference, and with the weakness of strong OOC resumes around the nation, the Illini will get in. They are similar to Florida with their inconsistent conference play and likelihood of losing at least 6-7 in conference, but the OOC resume will really help them as they have quality wins OOC and many other teams with equal or better conference records will have nothing OOC.
• devil1197

  I hope NW gets into the tournament even after losing Coble.
  
  I think OSU finishes 2nd above Purdue.
• Laley23

  

  Big game about to start with Minny heading into Bloomington to take on the Hoosiers.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  Every Big Ten game is a big game this year. If you go in and you aren't ready to play, you will get beat.
• Laley23

  

  Cleveland Buck wrote: Every Big Ten game is a big game this year. If you go in and you aren't ready to play, you will get beat.

  lol, not for Indiana (at least as a fan). I only counted about 8 games this year as big, the rest simply arent/werent winnable. We have 8 games we can win, thus they are the big games.
• reclegend22

  

  What is your opinion, and Hoosier fans' in general, on Indiana's success for 2010-11, Laley? Crean has proven he's going to bring the talent in, and this year and last have obviously been rebuilding campaigns, but are you expecting an NCAA run, competition in the Big Ten's upper division, etc?
  
  Just curious. I haven't seen very many IU games this season so I'm not quite sure what Indiana's progression has looked like so far. They are playing like a Big Ten contender today, though. Shooting like the Hornsby and Fife teams of old. That last three looked like an AJ Moye pull-up.
  
  And I apologize in advance for the brutal stretch you are about to endure once February arrives. Purdue, @NW, Ohio State, Wisky, Michigan State, @Minnesota, Wisconsin, @Iowa (winnable), @Purdue, NW. I suppose you never know, but wow. That's a tough stretch.
• reclegend22

  

  Dumes is really shooting well. The one thing you can always count on when watching the Hoosiers play is solid shooting. I can't tell you the last time I've watched an IU game without seeing the team, in some form or another, go off from three. I guess what they say about the kids on their driveways in Indiana is true.
  
  Good show so far.
• Azubuike24

  

  Honestly, I still question Tom Crean. He really hasn't brought in better talent than around average for the Big Ten, and IU still isn't much of a player nationally in recruiting. They have whiffed on some very good in-state prospects as well, and Purdue has cleaned up on in-state prospects lately.
  
  Marquis Teague is the prized recruit from the state in 2011, so it will be interesting if IU can persuade him. It will be tough to get him away from Pitino or Calipari though. Ohio State already went in and stole DeShaun Thomas for 2010 and Louisville got Michael Chandler for 2011. We will see how it goes, but IU is far from being back IMO.
• reclegend22

  

  I'm just basing my comments about Crean's recruiting on the fact that Indiana did bring in a nationally-ranked class in '08, not including Georgetown transfer Jeremiah Rivers, which was a tremendous pick up. Rivers has that raw court savvy that not many players have. Almost J-Dub-esque (Florida, not Duke or the murderer). He's electric and can really get the offense flowing for his team. Verdel Jones III played fantastic the last half of the season in '09 and is developing into a very good player.
  
  And Crean's freshman class this season is performing very well. Maurice Creek and the Watford kid have taken Indiana's offense into their hands and acclimated themselves in the Big Ten quite nicely. There is definitely a positive change in recruiting happening at Indiana, and a foundation is being laid.
  
  I guess we will have to wait and see until next year, when IU (at least I'm assuming) is actually expected to at least contend in the upper division of the Big Ten and make a run at an NCAA tourney win, to see if Crean has brought Indiana back.
• Laley23

  

  Az,
  Crean hasnt been around to gobble up the top recruits in state (but he DID grab Watford and Creek, who are both elite players). Even the Teague recruitment he came in late on. DeShaun Thomas was committed before Crean even arrived on campus, and to be sure, he WAS NOT going to try to get him to IU after the Sampson/Gordon fiasco. He did get the best TWO players in Indiana last year in Elston and Hulls. Granted it was a down year for the state recruiting wise, but with them you can see the type of players the state produces. Elston and Hulls are better than what theyre rankings said.
  The big thing moving forward will be the 2012 class in Indiana. Crean said when he was hired that 2012 was the first class he wasnt behind with in recruiting. That class includes D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, DeJuan Marrero, AJ Hammons, Ron Patterson, Austin Burgett, Jeremy Hollowell, Hanner Perera, Peter Jurkin.
  
  Indiana leads for:
  Hammons
  Smith-Rivera
  Patterson
  Marrero
  Perera
  Jurkin
  
  ...and I would be shocked if they all werent in the top 100 and if Patterson, Smith-Rivera, and Hammons werent in the top 40. Patterson and Hammons could be MCD-AAs.
  
  
  
  Rec,
  Im not really sold on Crean as a great coach. Indiana has looked lost at times in second halfs of games. Im just not sure he is that great of a coach during the game in closing minutes. He absolutely lost the team @Michigan the other night. They were within 5 with 7 minutes to go and then down 25. Looked like a varsity team coming down and just hoisting 3 pointers.
  
  I would expect them to be in the top 6 of the B10 (probably 6th) and easily make the NIT. A few big wins and they could sneak into the NCAAs but Im not sure many are holding their breathe for that. The big thing is that they are growing immensely right now without their best player in Creek.
  
  Ok, ill get back to this thread later. The game just got close, lol. We will see what Crean can to today.
• Azubuike24

  

  I agree, and he can have some time. However, this recruiting during IU's prime and on a national stage won't cut it. The first half of the climb back from the very bottom of the well is easier than the top half.
• reclegend22

  

  That stings, after such a superbly played game (or at least first half).
  
  I'm pulling for the IU buzzer beater, if that's a thing of comfort for you right now, Laley. Pry not, though.
• reclegend22

  

  Tubby walked out of Assembly with a W had he not stepped out of bounds there. Man oh man.
• Laley23

  

  IU is soo tough at home, they just have no clue how to close games.....mostly due to the retarded coaching of the offense that Crean employs with big leads. Makes me so frustrated.
• reclegend22

  

  I guess those last .6 seconds that were still on the clock when the ball hit the baseline don't mean anything..
• Laley23

  

  Azubuike24 wrote: I agree, and he can have some time. However, this recruiting during IU's prime and on a national stage won't cut it. The first half of the climb back from the very bottom of the well is easier than the top half.

  No it wont. If he doesnt get a couple of the big guns in 2012 he is going to be hearing it from a lot of different corners.
• reclegend22

  

  "And the foul .. ah ha!"
  
  God, I love Gus Johnson.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  I love the Big Ten Network getting Gus Johnson to do some games.
• Laley23

  

  Lol, Indiana storming the court. Im ashamed right now. BUT, big win for the Hoosiers!