As it stands now, I think we only win 8-9 games max. No bigs other than Finke and Morgan are going to make things difficult. I really don't think we can play any D. The Providence game was the best defensive game we've played. The defense was okay against Mizzou, but I feel like their offense was pretty bad to start with.
Michigan State will most likely win with Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue, Iowa, and Indiana up there also.
6-12 or 7-11 is pretty much where I'm at. Struggle just to get into the NIT. I hope I'm way wrong.
L vs Michigan (0-1)
L at Ohio State (0-2)
L at Michigan State (0-3)
L vs Purdue (0-4)
W vs Nebraska (1-4)
L at Indiana (1-5)
L at Minnesota (1-6)
L vs Ohio State (1-7)
L vs Wisconsin (1-8)
W at Rutgers (2-8)
L vs Iowa (2-9)
L at Northwestern (2-10)
W vs Rutgers (3-10)
L at Wisconsin (3-11)
L vs Indiana (3-12)
L vs Minnesota (3-13)
L at Maryland (3-14)
W at Penn State (4-14)
.
It would be a great season for us to win 8 or 9 games. Unfortunately, I just don't see it. As you so correctly put it, it is almost impossible to succeed in the Big 10 without having a down low presence both offensively and defensively. We are also really hurt by the fact that we have no true slashers who can take the ball to the basket to score or dish out. League coaches will come up with defenses to neutralize Nunn and Hill and let other players try to beat them. So, any success we have will be dependent on the continued growth of players like Finke, JCL and Jordan, especially on defense. Possibly down Big 10 or not, it is hard to be optimistic when we will likely be playing a full slate without 4 of the players projected to be in our top 8 pre-season, three of whom (Thorne, Black, Paul) are bigs and the other who was undoubtedly our best on the ball defender and toughest overall player. Rather than get all down and mad if losses pile up, I am going to look for the continued development of our young players, hope for the occasional upset when we are shooting well from the outside, and believe that we can be really good next year.
W vs Michigan (1-0)
L at Ohio State (1-1)
W at Michigan State (2-1) No Valentine.... students are gone.... we always play well in East Lansing.
L vs Purdue (2-2)
W vs Nebraska (3-2)
L at Indiana (3-3)
L at Minnesota (3-4)
W vs Ohio State (4-4)
L vs Wisconsin (4-5)
W at Rutgers (5-5)
W vs Iowa (6-5)
W at Northwestern (7-5)
W vs Rutgers (8-5)
L at Wisconsin (8-6)
W vs Indiana (9-6)
W vs Minnesota (10-6)
L at Maryland (10-7)
W at Penn State (11-7)
19-12 overall . Need 1-2 big ten wins to get into NCAAs
W vs Michigan (1-0)
L at Ohio State (1-1)
W at Michigan State (2-1) No Valentine.... students are gone.... we always play well in East Lansing.
L vs Purdue (2-2)
W vs Nebraska (3-2)
L at Indiana (3-3)
L at Minnesota (3-4)
W vs Ohio State (4-4)
L vs Wisconsin (4-5)
W at Rutgers (5-5)
W vs Iowa (6-5)
W at Northwestern (7-5)
W vs Rutgers (8-5)
L at Wisconsin (8-6)
W vs Indiana (9-6)
W vs Minnesota (10-6)
L at Maryland (10-7)
W at Penn State (11-7)
19-12 overall . Need 1-2 big ten wins to get into NCAAs