Game of the Week
Wisconsin at Cal
The Golden Bears have quietly put together a 10-1 start and are 7-0 at home. Their best win came against Syracuse in New York City during the 2K classic. This isn’t a Final Four contender, or even a favorite to win the Pac 12 but it is a power league road game. An excellent test for the Badgers just before league play gets rolling. Even better is Cal is kind of like a grinder Big Ten team. Their defense is 48th and they are 7th in the nation defensively on the glass. Offensively they are middle of the road scoring, but 67th in shooting percentage and 60th in assists means they are efficient at working their sets. Safe to say first year coach Cuonzo Martin (by way of Tennessee) has the kids buying into the new message.
Monday, 9 / 8, ESPN2 / WatchESPN app
Monday Meetings
Best Game: Wisconsin at Cal (See Above)
Indiana vs New Orleans, 7 / 6, BTN2 – Hoosiers are hot right now and killing it at home (8-1). The Privateers are 3-4 but have faced two power league teams in TCU and Texas A&M. Both were losses by 15 or more so this should be an easy tune up.
Iowa vs North Florida, 8 / 7, ESPN3 – Ospreys are a competent club at 7-5 and did knock off Purdue in West Lafayette. Iowa’s 6 game winning streak has quickly been forgotten with two ugly losses to Iowa State and Northern Iowa. Both in-state rivals are NCAA tournament teams but to lose them by a combined 27 is very troubling. The offense sits at just 151st, which is manageable with Iowa’s top-30 defense, but the shooting is woeful at just 40.9%, good for 227th in the nation. Their turnovers are also creeping upwards putting a lot of pressure on that defense. If they were an efficient team that just slowed the game down and only scored the 69.9 points they are averaging right now, it would be okay, but they are not maximizing their possessions. They are the anti-Bo Ryan team.
Michigan vs Coppin State, 8 / 7, BTN – The Wolverines have famously dropped four straight – three of them at home. If there is any way to get back on track it will be facing a team like Coppin. They are just 1-9 on the season thanks to beating a D-2 school. They have given up 100 points five times and their closest game is a 19 point loss to powerhouse Norfolk State. This team is making an early and compelling case for being the worst basketball team in the country.
Michigan State vs the Citadel, 6 / 5, BTN2 – After struggling with Texas Southern one would expect Izzo to have his club focused for the 4-6 Bulldogs. This team is 0-2 against power teams (Virginia Tech and Florida State) but lost them by just 3 and 11 so they could be a little frisky.
Minnesota vs Furman, 8 / 7, ESPN3 – Gopher’s have quietly gone 9-2 and get an easy one here against the 2-7 Paladins.
Nebraska at Hawai’i, 1 / 12 pm, ESPNU / WatchESPN app – Nebraska isn’t a bad team by any stretch at 6-3 but they haven’t beaten anybody and it is difficult to identify what they do well. Hawai’i on the other hand is a high-scoring club (74.8 / 58th in the nation) and a high-risk, high-reward defense with 8.8 steals per game (good for 31st). It is paying off for the Warriors too, they are 8-3 and have taken down the likes of Pittsburgh. After the run NU put in league play to make the NCAAs last year it would be dire to say this is a must win, but it is a key game to get back on track.
Northwestern vs UIC, 2 / 1, ESPN3 – The Flames are just 3-9 and will hopefully be the right remedy to break NU out of a funk that has led to them dropping 4 of 6 games. 249th in scoring and 226th in shooting percentage will surely lead to a horrid league mark so you know the Wildcats want to get their offensive woes sorted out ASAP.
Ohio State vs Miami (OH), 6 / 5, BTN – For all the good that the MAC is in football, the hoops side has been pretty sorry. Miami (OH) is one of the sorrier programs historically and enters this one just 3-7.
Penn State vs Dartmouth, 4 / 3, BTN – The feel good story of the early season should keep going as the Ivy League club is just 5-5 while the Nittany Lions are an impressive 11-1. D.J. Newbill is playing like someone wants to win POTY honors in a few months.
Purdue vs Gardner-Webb, 6 / 5, No TV – Purdue has lost twice in a row while the GW Bulldogs have won 4 of 5 over lesser talent. Beware Boilermakers, this club may only be a 7-5 small league foe but they did beat Clemson.
Tuesday Throwdown
Rutgers vs Sacred Heart, 7 / 6, BTN – The Pioneers have won five of six and Rutgers is well…Rutgers. When you can lose to teams like Saint Francis (PA) and Saint Peter’s, there is no reason to be cocky going into a game like this. Every night will be a struggle for the rebuilding RU program.
Wednesday / Thursday / Friday – No Games (Jesus’ birthday)
Saturday Slate
Best Game: Indiana vs Georgetown, Noon / 11, ESPN2 / WatchESPN app – The physical Hoyas are 7-3 but their losses have been Wisconsin, Butler and Kansas – no shame in any of them. This is a great resume building opportunity for both teams, but especially Indiana who is predicted to be a mid-level Big Ten team. If those predictions are accurate, having this booster, as well as the Butler game, come March will help if they are indeed a bubble club.
Illinois vs Kennesaw State, 9 / 8, BTN – KSU is just 4-8 while Illinois is undefeated at home and 9-3 overall. I’m not sure the two wins Illinois has strung together means they are “back” after that 1-3 swoon to start December but this should still be a cakewalk.
Maryland vs Oakland, 5 / 4, BTN – The 11-1 Terps have climbed to 17th in the nation and the 4-8 Grizzlies do not appear up to the task to slow down the momentum of UM.
Minnesota vs UNC Wilmington, 1 / Noon, BTN – Seahwaks are a pedestrian 5-3 but have a nice offensive club. This should be a final adjustment game before league play but if UNC-W gets hot, they can scorch you. They are 22nd in the nation in shooting percentage.
Northwestern vs Northern Kentucky, 3 / 2, BTN – NKU is 5-6 on the young season but have been blasted by all the power league teams they have faced. Even up-and-down Nebraska hammered them by 19. Northwestern should be able to notch another victory before the onslaught of league play.
Ohio State vs Wright State, 7 / 6, BTN – Wright has ripped off 4 straight to get to 8-4 and sit atop the Horizon league. This team won 21 games a year ago and can be a tough foe so OSU better be on guard a little to avoid a calamity late in the non-conference schedule.
Sunday Showdowns
Best Game: Wisconsin vs Buffalo, 8 / 7, BTN – The Bulls are 7-2 and only lost to Kentucky by 19. Could be worse, just ask UCLA nation. They are a really aggressive team, ranking in the top 40 for both offensive and defensive rebounds as well as 59th in the nation for blocks. Wisconsin’s offensive rebounding has been troubling – not even 10 a game. Their 26 boards defensively is 58th but the offensive total drops them to a mid-level 133rd. I’m not sure there are enough rebounds to balance out everything else in this game, but it could keep the upstart Bulls closer than expected.
Rutgers vs Monmouth, 3/ 2, ESPN3 – Monmouth has scheduled tough with West Virginia, Maryland and SMU already. They went 0-3 in those games but none of them were truly blowouts (biggest margin was SMU by 12). Their other two losses are in overtime. For struggling Rutgers, this is a game they need to be prepared for otherwise it will be another Saint Francis (PA) disaster.
Big Ten and Counting 