With less than a week to go until the start of the B1G season, here's a look at the B1G Teams and where they might sit in the post-season picture.
From the standpoint of current kenpom rankings:
Locks for the NCAA Tournament
4 Purdue
5 Michigan State
15 Maryland
17 Iowa
23 Indiana
34 Michigan
NCAA Tournament Bubble/NIT
45 Northwestern
50 Ohio State
53 Wisconsin
Projected to have losing seasons
115 Illinois
128 Penn State
130 Nebraska
150 Minnesota
261 Rutgers
The lines seem pretty clear cut when you look at the kenpom rankings. Unfortunately, the NCAA Tournament Committee is usually most influenced by the RPI. RPI rankings heavily weigh opponents' RPI (or SOS), so a lot of the current numbers will come up as we move into conference play and all the teams play better opponents night in and night out. Still, it's interesting to note what a different picture the current RPI numbers paint.
Current RPI:
2 Michigan State
27 Purdue
32 Maryland
37 Iowa
---
70 Michigan
73 Penn State
78 Indiana
79 Illinois
81 Ohio State
85 Northwestern
98 Wisconsin
---
214 Minnesota
226 Nebraska
247 Rutgers
The bubble is usually right around RPI 51 or so (depending on which teams get automatic bids and so on). Looking at the current RPI numbers, it seems MSU, PU, Maryland and Iowa are in solid shape. But Michigan, PSU, IU, IL, OSU, NU and UW have considerable work to do...
For Northwestern, every league game will be critical. We must beat the teams we should beat, notably Minnesota, Nebraska and Rutgers. Meanwhile, we'll have to win enough games against the middle group to start to create some separation and rise near the top of this middle group... And it would really help if we can capture a couple "Good Wins" against the top 4 teams in the league. RPI 51 is a long way from RPI 85. It's not an easy task, but I like our team and think we have a good chance to be that 6th or 7th team from the B1G that makes the NCAA Tournament.
It will be an exciting B1G season! Merry Christmas and Go 'Cats!
From the standpoint of current kenpom rankings:
Locks for the NCAA Tournament
4 Purdue
5 Michigan State
15 Maryland
17 Iowa
23 Indiana
34 Michigan
NCAA Tournament Bubble/NIT
45 Northwestern
50 Ohio State
53 Wisconsin
Projected to have losing seasons
115 Illinois
128 Penn State
130 Nebraska
150 Minnesota
261 Rutgers
The lines seem pretty clear cut when you look at the kenpom rankings. Unfortunately, the NCAA Tournament Committee is usually most influenced by the RPI. RPI rankings heavily weigh opponents' RPI (or SOS), so a lot of the current numbers will come up as we move into conference play and all the teams play better opponents night in and night out. Still, it's interesting to note what a different picture the current RPI numbers paint.
Current RPI:
2 Michigan State
27 Purdue
32 Maryland
37 Iowa
---
70 Michigan
73 Penn State
78 Indiana
79 Illinois
81 Ohio State
85 Northwestern
98 Wisconsin
---
214 Minnesota
226 Nebraska
247 Rutgers
The bubble is usually right around RPI 51 or so (depending on which teams get automatic bids and so on). Looking at the current RPI numbers, it seems MSU, PU, Maryland and Iowa are in solid shape. But Michigan, PSU, IU, IL, OSU, NU and UW have considerable work to do...
For Northwestern, every league game will be critical. We must beat the teams we should beat, notably Minnesota, Nebraska and Rutgers. Meanwhile, we'll have to win enough games against the middle group to start to create some separation and rise near the top of this middle group... And it would really help if we can capture a couple "Good Wins" against the top 4 teams in the league. RPI 51 is a long way from RPI 85. It's not an easy task, but I like our team and think we have a good chance to be that 6th or 7th team from the B1G that makes the NCAA Tournament.
It will be an exciting B1G season! Merry Christmas and Go 'Cats!
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