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I feel like I open these posts the same way every week. No one knows what is going to happen each week in this trash heap of a conference and, to be perfectly honest, it’s kind of awesome. Minnesota is ranked coming into the week? Well they are going to lose twice, including once to Penn State! Iowa beats Purdue? Sure, but then they are going to lose by 400 points to Northwestern!
[whispers to you, loudly]
— CRIMSON QUARRY (@crimsonquarry) January 13, 2017
THE BIG TEN IS BAD. YES, ALL OF IT. EVERY LAST TEAM. YES, WISCONSIN TOO.
The only constant so far has been Rutgers’ sustained...what’s the opposite of excellence? Well whatever it is, Rutgers’ sustained inadequacy has been my constant throughout this season. It is important to have a constant or else you might never make it back to your timeline. Remember how disappointing the end of Lost was? I wish the Smoke Monster had just killed everyone and saved me the time.
Anyways, I’ve lost my train of thought. Let’s investigate the B1G with advanced stats and memes!
Purdue and Wisconsin aside, the Big Ten mostly looks like a really big NIT bracket right now.
— Derek Schultz (@Schultz975) January 12, 2017
Illinois Fighting Illini
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 65th; AdjO: 69th; AdjD: 81st
Previous week’s results: (W) vs. Michigan 85-69; (L) at Maryland 62-56
Biggest strength: Maverick Morgan lead the team in scoring both games. Six players scored in double figures against Michigan. I went and played trivia at Omni Brewing in Maple Grove, MN last Wednesday and my team came in third!
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We were pretty excited and we were even more excited when we realized that our friend Justin knew the answer to one of the questions to be “Honey Boo Boo.” He was probably the MVP. Almost had twice as many rebounds as Michigan
Biggest weakness: Got out-rebounded by Maryland. Perhaps rebounding the ball is important? D.J. Williams announced before the Michigan game that he was taking a “temporary leave” from the Illini for personal reasons. Hopefully it’s nothing serious, because I would like to speculate wildly about his absence. Like, maybe he’s actually an undercover cop, who is deep undercover, and got called in before the game coming up on Saturday against Michigan to give an update on Moritz Wagner’s devious plot? Maybe. Lastly, Illinois ‘crootin has been unremarkable recently.
Illini McDonalds All Americans:
— Robert (@ALionEye) January 16, 2017
1982-2002 (21 years): 11 Burger Boys
2003-2017 (15 years): 1 (Jereme Richmond) and he played 1 season.
This week’s schedule: Tonight at No. 16 Purdue; Saturday at Michigan
Indiana Hoosiers
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 26th; AdjO: 12th; AdjD: 84th
Previous week’s results: (L) at Maryland 75-72; (W) vs. Rutgers 76-57
Biggest strength: This silly dunk that made it look like OG Anunoby was levitating.
OG Anunoby was angry at this rim https://t.co/a0Z3VqnXkN https://t.co/NnxwvA5iqv
— SB Nation (@SBNation) January 11, 2017
Anunoby had seven steals against Rutgers, which is a little like stealing candy from a baby that doesn’t have any arms and is also blind, but is still seven steals in one game nonetheless. Pounded the armless, blind baby Rutgers like they were supposed to, but as you’ll notice below the famously rational and well-balanced IU fans took that win easy.
Biggest weakness: This was after the first few minutes of the game against Rutgers, and how I’d like to think everyone feels after watching an Indiana basketball game.
what hot garbage
— CRIMSON QUARRY (@crimsonquarry) January 15, 2017
Lost to Maryland, which was their fourth loss in five games, in College Park. James Blackmon was 0-for-8 from three versus Rutgers. Missed an alley-oop at the buzzer against Rutgers that made Tom Crean angry. If you’re going to showboat...at least score. Always applicable for an IU game and a Migos concert.
Rain drop
— Testudo Times (@testudotimes) January 11, 2017
Drop top
Tom Crean is stomping a lot lot
This week’s schedule: Wednesday at Penn State; Saturday vs. Michigan State
Iowa Hawkeyes
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 86th; AdjO: 65th; AdjD: 140th
Previous week’s results: (W) vs. Purdue 83-78; (L) at Northwestern 89-54
Biggest strength: Peter Jok “To The Hand” poured in 29 points against Purdue and had eight assists and six rebounds to boot. Nicholas Baer, who as we’ve already established is over 50% actual bear, had this nice block on Purdue Colossus.
Former walk-on Nicholas Baer with the block on the 7-footer for the #Hawkeyes ! pic.twitter.com/2ANvKXOZqy
— Heavens! (@HeavensHawkeye) January 13, 2017
He was probably just paying Purdue back for this vicious attack on his midsection.
Vince Edwards with the ol’ Karl Malone kick.
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 13, 2017
(Ok, not as bad as Karl’s) pic.twitter.com/ROUNrQt5Nd
Biggest weakness: If you want to have a good laugh, take a look at the final 10 minutes of their game against Northwestern. NU outscored the Hawkeyes 25-4 to cap off a 35-point dismantling that is NSFW. Also this play happened versus Purdue.
Iowa has some work to do with its transition defense. pic.twitter.com/RWRd8Zc4JY
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 13, 2017
This week’s schedule: Thursday vs. Maryland
Maryland Terrapins
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 46th; AdjO: 84th; AdjD: 37th
Previous week’s results: (W) vs. Indiana 75-72; (W) at Illinois 62-56
Biggest strength: The Terps are ranked in the AP Top-25 for the first time since the season’s first poll. They are also a really young team.
RT if your team starts three freshmen and is tied for first in the Big Ten
— Testudo Times (@testudotimes) January 11, 2017
There were a number of contenders for the weekly “What? How? Stat Line of the Week” but I think the sheer number of minutes that Justin Jackson played on Saturday give him the crown. Jackson’s line: 25 minutes, 0 points, 0-for-4 shooting, four rebounds, two fouls. GUUUUHHHHHHHHH.
Biggest weakness: “The rest of the B1G is cannibalizing themselves and look like a CBI bracket? That’s none of my business.”
lol @notthefakeSVP drinks water pic.twitter.com/uvAyeOtL7z
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 11, 2017
The Terps are sitting in the catbird’s seat right now and are favored to win their next two games. This means they’ll probably lose both and Melo Trimble will fall into the Springfield Mystery Spot.
This week’s schedule: Thursday at Iowa
Michigan Wolverines
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 47th; AdjO: 16th; AdjD: 185th
Previous week’s results: (L) at Illinois 85-69; (W) vs. Nebraska 91-85
Biggest strength: Moritz Wagner’s powers seem to be growing with each passing week and the crooked media is only helping his cause. Against Nebraska, Wagner dropped 23 points and hauled in six boards. I don’t know what else I need to do, but if my nationally renowned and critically acclaimed weekly joke college basketball column isn’t getting anything done...I’m not sure what will.
Biggest weakness: Michigan ranks 350th (out of 351 teams FYI) in defensive three point percentage. Losing to the Illini is bad, BUT!
Michigan scored 69 points in a 16-point loss to Illinois.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) January 12, 2017
Nice.
This week’s schedule: Tonight at No. 9 Wisconsin; Saturday vs. Illinois
Michigan State Spartans
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 44th; AdjO: 89th; AdjD: 28th
Previous week’s results: (W) vs. Minnesota 65-47; (L) vs. Ohio State 72-67
Biggest strength: Started the annual “Humbling of Minnesota’s Basketball Team.” It came a little bit later than normal this year, but like death, taxes, and Jon Rothstein blocking me on Twitter for making fun of his repeated tweets, it always comes. Miles Bridges is a star and fun to watch. He had 24 points against aOsu and a game-high 16 against Minnesota.
Biggest weakness: Road games.
In three Big Ten road games, MSU has 1 good half and 5 not-good ones.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 15, 2017
I’m making a special exception here and will be handing out a second “What? How? Stat Line of the Week” award. Kenny Goins played 21 minutes, had zero points, missed his only two point attempt and his only free throw, had a turnover, a foul, a steal and three rebounds. PUUUUUUUKE!
This week’s schedule: Saturday at Indiana
Minnesota Golden Gophers
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 38th; AdjO: 138th; AdjD: 7th
Previous week’s results: (L) at Michigan State 65-47; (L) at Penn State 52-50
Biggest strength: Can we talk about candy hearts for a second? I don’t get the excitement about them and I think they’re terrible. They are chalky, hard, and you have to read them before you eat them. Literally the worst candy (non-coconut having division) in the world. My wife has already bought four bags of them and placed them throughout the house and I’m thinking about moving again.
Biggest weakness: Most everything was a weakness for the Gophers this week.
Despite no losses*** in the past week, Minnesota drops out of AP poll.
— The Daily Gopher (@TheDailyGopher) January 16, 2017
***Been asleep for a week & assume all is well. Is that not true? https://t.co/X3U1ggHNoN
Also, Penn State not only beat them in basketball, but the Nittany Lions are the new no. 1 team in college hockey. If you take hockey away from Minnesota, this place just becomes North Dakota without the severe meth problem. They only scored 18 points in the second half against Penn State and got out-rebounded in both contests. Like candy hearts, Minnesota sucks.
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. No. 9 Wisconsin
Nebraska Cornhuskers
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 84th; AdjO: 129th; AdjD: 70th
Previous week’s results: (L) at Michigan 91-85
Biggest strength:
Final, Michigan 91, Nebraska 85.
— CornNation (@CornNation) January 14, 2017
It would have been so nice to make Michigan fans sad.
Yeah, well, you blew it! Tai Webster had 28 points and nine boards.
Biggest weakness: I’ve really gotten into the NBA the last two seasons and I recommend that you do as well. For almost a decade I only paid passing attention to pro hoops, mainly because the Sixers were bad, I lived in Wisconsin/Chicago, and they were never on TV. But now, the Sixers are a team on the rise, Joel “The Process” Embiid is the best thing going on Instagram, and I can’t get enough Giannis highlights or Westbrook triple-doubles or Karl-Anthony Towns being a point guard in a center’s body or the Warriors playing the Cavs or...well, you get the point. The NBA is really fun.
This week’s schedule: Wednesday vs. Ohio State; Saturday at Rutgers
Northwestern Wildcats
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 33rd; AdjO: 39th; AdjD: 42nd
Previous week’s results: (W) at Rutgers 69-60; (W) vs. Iowa 89-54
Biggest strength: Bryant McIntosh had 20 points and 10 assists in their dominating performance against Iowa. Vic Law had 23 points and eight rebounds against Armless Baby U. Did you know that Charlie Hall, a NU walk-on, is the son of Julia Louis-Dreyfus? Because I didn’t until I read this article! Read the article if only for Elaine from Seinfeld shouting out BTN2GO.
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Biggest weakness: Do people even watch the NFL in Chicago, where Northwestern is the B1G team of note?
i know the NFL game is on right now but I'd just like to say that Northwestern basketball is good
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) January 16, 2017
This week’s schedule: Sunday at Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 58th AdjO: 77th; AdjD: 60th
Previous week’s results: (L) at Wisconsin 89-66; (W) vs. Michigan State 72-67
Biggest strength: FINALLY WON A B1G GAME DESPITE THEIR FAN BASE’S APATHY!
Another Sunday with Ohio State basketball pic.twitter.com/wbFzlEvovZ
— Luke Zimmermann (@lukezim) January 15, 2017
JaQuan Lyle dropped 22 on Michigan State’s dome.
Biggest weakness: Getting savaged online by the Badgers basketball account.
#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/rQwsNUcyT1
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 13, 2017
This week’s schedule: Wednesday at Nebraska; Sunday vs. Northwestern
Penn State Nittany Lions
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 80th; AdjO: 193rd; AdjD: 31st
Previous week’s results: (W) vs. Minnesota 52-50
Biggest strength: How old is Shep Garner?
TIL - Shep Garner’s favorite TV show is “Good Times.” #DYNOMITE
— Black Shoe Diaries (@BSDtweet) January 14, 2017
Biggest weakness: Since my wife is pregnant (sorry for bragging about having sex again) she has to eat all of her burgers well-done. That is the only time I’ll be ok with someone ordering a burger well-done. I’ve worked at a bar for a decade and I don’t judge people based off of their drink order, drink what you like IMO, but if you order your burger well-done you can expect a healthy dose of side-eyes from me the rest of the night. Might as well order a hockey puck tbqh.
This week’s schedule: Wednesday vs. Indiana; Saturday at No. 19 Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 19th; AdjO: 26th; AdjD: 23rd
Previous week’s results: (L) at Iowa 83-78
Biggest strength:
Big Ten title basically on the line here. You can't lose to someone like Iowa this year.
— Hammer & Rails (@HammerAndRails) January 13, 2017
Incorrect. You can lose to anyone in the B1G this year and still win the conference!
Biggest weakness: Losing to Iowa got you like
Car crashes into West Lafayette dentist office https://t.co/jLDLEc1byD
— WLFI News 18 (@WLFI) January 14, 2017
This week’s schedule: Tonight vs. Illinois; Saturday vs. Penn State
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 137th; AdjO: 247th; AdjD: 62nd
Previous week’s results: (L) vs. Northwestern 69-60; (L) vs. Indiana 76-57
Biggest strength: It was another banner week for our girl Alexis on The Bachelor. Because there was no rose ceremony last week due to the whole “Liz Situation” we join the girls this week getting ready for said ceremony. Alexis, who we hadn’t heard from for the first 20 minutes of the episode, of course gets a rose and as her name is called she smiles and mutters “move bitches” while moving two other girls aside to get her rose from Nick. She’s a dang legend.
On #TheBachelor Alexis the dolphin-shark is the first woman ever to say "Move, bitches" upon receiving a rose. Not all heroes wear capes
— elan gale (@theyearofelan) January 17, 2017
Her other highlights include making out with Nick on a giant picture of him, laughing at one girl for knocking over a giant ring during some sort of relay race and saying “17 girls. One pool party. One Nick. Let’s see what happens” like she’s just the Ron Howard narrator of the whole show.
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The one girl, who is 24 and has a nanny, has to be some sort of paid actress because no one on the planet actually acts like her. The Backstreet Boys were also on this episode and so was Carl Lewis. I wish he had sang for them.
Biggest weakness: An unprecedented third winner of the “What? How? Stat Line of the Week!” Nigel Johnson played 18 minutes, went 0-for-3 for zero points, had two rebounds and three turnovers. You do not get a rose from me, Nigel. Sorry for the actual basketball stuff in the Rutgers section! Nick from The Bachelor brags about having sex even more than me. All he could do at the beginning of the episode was tell everyone how he banged the one chick he had just sent home. We get it, man. You’ve had more sex than even the Young Pope.
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. Nebraska
Wisconsin Badgers
KenPom rank: AdjEm: 9th; AdjO: 17th; AdjD: 19th
Previous week’s results: (W) vs. Ohio State 89-66
Biggest strength: An absolute bludgeoning of a hapless Ohio State team was the only entertainment for the Badgers this week. Looks like they were having fun on the bench though.
When @NIGEL_HAYES has to restrain the bench, you know the @iverson_khalil alley-oop is a must-see. https://t.co/sDBtCc2HZZ
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 13, 2017
<3 you forever, Nigel! Watching the Packers ruin the seasons for the Giants AND the Cowboys has warmed the cockles of my dark, Eagles fan heart. The state of Wisconsin has been so good to me over the years.
Biggest weakness: Vitto Brown and Alex Illikainen, who are usually in this section, both had nice games against the Buckeyes. Zak Showalter almost fouled out in 13 minutes of playing time like he was trying out for the duck hunting team. See because he was searching for fow...*Mike turns off my internet*
This week’s schedule: Tonight vs. Michigan; Saturday at Minnesota
Dog balancing on basketball dot vine https://t.co/Q4RdfXgKvy
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) January 11, 2017
.@JoelEmbiid wants the Cowboys to lose today. #NBAVOTE Joel Embiid. pic.twitter.com/lxlPZXInsZ
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) January 15, 2017
Fine ill do it (This works way better than we ever could've anticipated) @treblaw CC @JoelEmbiid @TripleH @AddHunsicker11 @ChristianCrosby pic.twitter.com/CkL7prQR8l
— Jeff McDev (@JeffMcDev) January 13, 2017