Big Ten Breakdown Part 2

Hopefully you guys enjoyed the running blog during the OSU - Purdue game. To be honest, I really like doing them, it makes the game much more interesting to watch, and I remember a lot more of what I just saw when I right it down. Maybe I should have taken notes in college. Here we go with the 5-11 spots in our Big Ten breakdown.

5) Illinois 9-4 (previous record 6-3) (prediction 11-7)

Well the Illini shocked everyone by beating MSU at home and then beating Wisco on the road. Demitri McCamey came back to earth a little bit shooting the ball against OSU last week, but he really didn't get any help from anyone else on the team. It also didn't help that we played no defense in the first 15 minutes. Like I have said all year, Illinois needs 3 people to play well to win. It starts with Demitri, and it really doesn't matter who the other 2 are, as long as it is 2 of them. Illinois is getting better on defense, even though the OSU game might not seem like it. Here is what they have left:

@ Purdue
@ Michigan
Minnesota
@ Ohio State
Wisconsin

Illinois CAN win at Purdue this weekend. This is a good match-up for Illinois at every position. Tisdale, Davis and Griffey have to play well against Johnson. If that happens, then Purdue turns into a strictly jump shooting team, but if you let Johnson get some baskets early, then all of the sudden he starts popping 18 foot jumpers and he will drop over 20. Michigan will be a huge Brandon Paul game, because he has to learn how to close out and not help too much, otherwise Michigan's Division II players (the guys who can do nothing but shoot) will shoot Illinois out of the building. Minnesota will crash the boards like crazy against Illinois, just like they did against Wisconsin tonight, but only Hoffarber and Westbrook are good shooters. At OSU will be a better game than the game at Illinois. Illinois will not shoot as bad as they did, and they will kill the zone with Demitri running the show. Wisco is another great match-up for Illinois, even with Leuer back. All Leuer does is take minutes and shots away from some of the younger players. He is still not a real offensive presence, and he did not want to rebound at all tonight. Over the last 5 games I think Illinois will go 3-2.

Final Record: 12-6

6) Minnesota 6-7 (previous record 4-5) (prediction 8-10)

Minnesota pulled off a great win tonight against Wisconsin by just beating the shit out of them inside. Not only did they exploit what Illinois did by showing that Wisconsin has no idea how to guard a pick and roll, they also ran a high low with Damien Johnson and Paul Carter inside a lot on a smaller guard. Hell Blake Hoffarber had 9 rebounds. Tonight's game showed what is really good about Minny, but the problem that they have is that they have a lot of bad to go with it. Their zone is not good at all, and they are terrible on the road only winning at PSU and Iowa. They really have too many players that could be good if they got the shots, but they don't because 9 different people could start for them. Losing Al Nolen because he didn't go to class for a semester really hurts also because Devoe Joseph has to play point for them at times even though he is a much better 2 guard. If they impose their size inside, they could really do some damage, but do you really expect them to figure that out this late in the season? Here is what they have left:

Indiana
Purdue
@ Illinois
@ Michigan
Iowa

Indiana and Iowa at home will be easy wins because that old ass gym is a bitch to play in. Purdue has the size and shooters to beat them no matter where they play, and I really think that they will probably not win at Illinois or Michigan. The scheduling has killed this team every year. They play nobody in the non-conference unless it is at a Thanksgiving tournament. Butler and Texas A&M are the only 2 ranked teams they played outside of the Big Ten, and that was at a tournament. They have no idea how to win on the road, and they play no high profile games to learn what it takes to win in those situations. They will go 2-3 down the stretch.

Final Record: 8-10

7) Michigan 6-7 (previous record 4-5) (prediction 8-10)

Michigan is such a bad team that it really bothers me. They should be so much better, and I blame it all on John Beilein. I have bitched about his offensive system so much, that I can't do it anymore, just believe me when I tell you that Beilein will never have a top 10 team or go to a Final Four. Michigan has 4 point guards who think that they are shooting guards, and only one inside player who also thinks he is a shooting guard. They don't have one good win. UCONN is not a good win anymore because they have gone into the shitter, and they caught OSU without Evan Turner, which was hard for OSU because they only play 6 people with him. If you want to be a solid team, you can't lose 4 home games with 3 left. Here is what they have left:

Penn State
Illinois
@ OSU
Minnesota
@ Michigan State

If you don't think that the home game against Penn State has upset written all over it you are crazy!! Penn State beat Northwestern on the road which is a pretty hard thing to do. Add to that that Northwestern and Michigan like to do similar things on defense and you have an upset. If they get by PSU, I think that the only other win that they have on their schedule is Minnesota. They will probably go 2-3 down the stretch.

Final record: 8-10

8) Northwestern 6-8 (previous record 3-6) (prediction 8-10)

It was fun while it lasted for Northwestern. Yes, they are no longer the laughing stock of the Big Ten, but that doesn't mean that they aren't still the laughing stock of the NCAA. They made a good run at the tournament, until they got into the heart of the Big Ten season. They are a really fun team to watch if you enjoy watching basketball played at a circa 1960 style. They give up way too many points, and still don't have a go to scorer. Losing to Iowa on the road just killed this team. Had they won that game, they still might be in the NCAA talk. Now with losses to Iowa and then losing to winless PSU at home, they are done. At least they will get tourney experience in the NIT. Here is what they have left:

@ Wisconsin
Iowa
@ PSU
Chicago State
@ Indiana

Their schedule was made for them to make a run at the tournament!! Had they won the 2 games they should have against Iowa and PSU, they were poised to go 6-2 at worst. They also ruined my dream that they would be in the Tournament, and then somehow blow their home game against Chicago State. I know that sounds mean, but you know what, I hate those arrogant pricks almost as much as I hate "Michigan Men" and dick bags from Notre Dame. They could go 4-1 or 1-4. I will give them 4-1, although that is only 3-1 in the Big Ten, and 1-0 vs. a glorified Junior College.

Final record: 9-9

9) Indiana 3-10 (previous record 3-5) (prediction 5-13)

You have no idea how much I love to watch Indiana try sooooo hard and still play soooo shitty!!! Here is a little nugget of knowledge that you probably don't know: Verdell Jones said that Demitri McCamey's jumper is garbage. Well his jumper might be garbage but his floater when the game is tied and the clock is running down is pretty good you scrawny, lanky, d-bag!! Indiana has lost 7 straight games. 5 out of 7 by double digits. You want to know what is shocking and actually complete bullshit, Indiana is 3rd in the Big Ten in Free Throws attempted. They are only 3 behind Purdue and MSU. Verdell Jones leads the league in free throw attempts!! He has shot 96, and JuJuan Johnson is second with 76. I will never understand why this kid gets bailed out so much? I watched the MSU game, and I wanted to kill a puppy I was so outraged. I guess it isn't good for the Big Ten to watch a team that can't shoot, or finish. You don't want them to lose by 30 every game. Alright enough of that. Here is what they have left:

@ Minnesota
Wisconsin
@ Iowa
@ Purdue
Northwestern

I'm gonna take a large leap here and say that they will win one more game. I don't know where it will be because I'm not sure which game the refs are going to give them. Just kidding, but they might beat Iowa or Northwestern. They will end with a 1-4 stretch.

Final Record: 4-14

10) Iowa 3-11 (previous record 2-7) (prediction 3-15)

I do feel bad for Iowa, because they have players transferring or getting kicked off the team constantly. They just don't really have the talent to compete, but they still play pretty hard at home. Matt Gatens is a really solid player, and Devin Bawinkel is a great shooter. Aaron Fuller is playing much better inside, and it seems like Iowa is starting to come together as a team. Here is a crazy stat that Pat Forde tossed out at ESPN the other day. Devin Bawinkel has shot 79 3's this year...... and he has shot 0 2's. He has not shot one shot inside the arc this year, and he plays 15 minutes a game. In 3 seasons, he has shot 263 shots, and only 16 have been inside the 3 point line. That is astounding!! Anyway, here is what they have left:

@ Northwestern
Indiana
@ Wisconsin
@ Minnesota

I think they will beat Indiana since they crushed them on the road, but who the hell knows, and who the hell really cares. 1-3 over their last 4.

Final Record: 4-14

11) Penn state 1-12 (previous record 0-9) (prediction 2-16)

Like I said before, Penn State has way too much talent to be the worst team in the Big Ten. I love Talor Battle, and it sucks that nobody else on this team can step up and help him. They did play great at Northwestern the other night, and I still see them winning at least one more game. Also don't sleep on them in the Big Ten Tournament. Minnesota, Michigan or Northewestern would be screwed to get the 6 seed and play PSU in the first round. Here is what they have left:

@ Michigan
OSU
Northwestern
@ MSU
Purdue

That is a brutal schedule for them to finish. Again I have no idea where they will get their next win and I really don't care, but they will get one.

Final Record: 2-16