Current B1G standings vs. predictions.
1. Purdue - pre-season pick - 4th: I picked them 4th due to their questionable guard play. Their guards have been competent enough to compliment Swanigan and make Purdue look like a dark horse FF contender.
2. Wisconsin - pre-season pick - 1st: I picked them to win the league over MSU due to experience. Outside of this late skid they've been on, they've pretty much played to their expectations.
3. Maryland - pre-season pick - 7th: I botched this one. Melo Trimble has much more help than I thought. Assuming Melo leaves after this year, Maryland has a solid core for the future with Cowan, Jackson, Brantley, Dodd, and Huerter. On that note, how about the turnaround by Mark Turgeon. He was a dead man walking when Maryland entered the B1G three years ago. 4 straight tourney misses and several players left the program. Fast forward three years later he has turned it around led by Melo Trimble.
Perhaps John Groce can have a similar turn around with the Illini assuming they keep up their streak and reach the tournament? There is a certain point guard with blonde highlights in his hair coming to Champaign next year that could spearhead an ascend back to the top echelon of the league the way Melo spearheaded Maryland's turnaround.
4. Minnesota - pre-season pick - 13th: Where did this come from? A team that was as bad as Minnesota last year, injuries/suspensions or not, had absolutely no business being 22-7 (10-6) at this point in the year. Maybe Baby Poubt Face isn't as bad of a coach as we thought.
5. Michigan State - pre-season pick - 2nd: Picked high for two reasons: Kentucky-esque recruiting class, and Izzo. They had their struggles this year, but they should be safely in the tournament, and picking them to get to the FF as an 7/8/9 seed would be a solid cinderella pick on your brackets in a few weeks.
6. Northwestern - pre-season pick - 9th: Knew they were improving under Collins and it's a matter of time before he gets them to the dance. They benefited by IU's free fall, the ups and downs of Illinois, and how bad tOSU has been. Still, good for them getting to the tournament and what they've accomplished so far this season.
7. Michigan - pre-season pick - 5th: Looked very unimpressive early in the year, but are clicking now. Knew they had tons of talent considering they made the tournament last year without LaVert, and they all are back this year.
8. Iowa - pre-season pick - 11th: I don't see this holding up. I see Illinois leap frogging them due to sweeping them this year. Don't understand how they can finish ahead of Illinois even though Illinois swept them unless they win out to finish 10-8. Aside from that, there's some solid pieces there for them for the future. They are basically a poor man's version of Wisconsin. McCafferey will recruit to his system and they will always be solid.
9. Illinois - pre-season pick - 6th: Again, I feel like Iowa has to win out in order for them to finish ahead of us because we swept them. Or we could lay an egg against Rutgers. Izzo said he thought Illinois was a top 4 B1G team coming into the season. Several factors have contributed to Illinois having to play catch up to end the year: Thorne never really recovering from his injury, Abrams slump to begin the B1G season, Tate getting way too much PT. It's great to see what this team was capable of being with this late season surge. Just hope it's not too little too late.
10. Ohio State - pre-season pick - 8th: The "dark horse" pick according to several experts. They definitely weren't supposed to be a contender due to their lack of depth, but they definitely have too much talent to be hovering around the bottom of the league. A future 1st round draft pick at PG with some solid pieces around him. Wondering if Matta's health issues are getting worse, and he is close to hanging it up.
11. Nebraska - pre-season pick - 12th: A few big time wins early in the conference season. They've got some strong pieces to give teams headaches. Wonder how patient Nebraska will be with Miles due to their ramped up investment into the basketball program.
12. Indiana - pre-season pick - 3rd: What a free fall. Looked like a FF lock in their win over Kansas at the beginning of the year. Now it looks like in a few weeks we get to listen to IU fans convince us that Brad Stevens is going to leave his gig with a playoff NBA team to come home and spearhead another 'Movement' to get IU back to the top of college basketball again.
13. Penn State - pre-season pick - 10th: This is still a dangerous team that could compete with almost anybody in the league with their talented freshman.
14. Rutgers - pre-season pick - 14th: Despite their record, they have been sneaky competitive in several conference games this year.