Man, what a month February is going to be for Big Ten basketball. This could be the most competitive BIG conference in years.
I just watched IU just clobbered Purdue with a complete, high energy performance. I really hope our Buckeye playes were watching cause IU is bringing it this year. Then there's TTUN. They're back up to a #1 ranking, so that is a great matchup this Saturday.
Definitely time for our Buckeyes to step up. We've got Michigan on 2/6, a rode game against IU on 2/10, and then have a Wiscy roadie, plus the gophers, Sparty, IU and Illinois at the Schott to close out the month.
We really need a 2nd scoring option and need a lot of improvement, but several things work in our favor. 1) time, 2) a young team, 3) Thomas, 4) Craft, 5) a conference that will battle test us. There is still hope for a run.
Feburary is gonna be a good month and I expect it to be the month where some Big Ten title contenders begin to fall out the picture and teams get ready for tournament time. As of now this is what the B1G picture looks like for teams competing for the crown.
Northwestern 3-6Illinois 2-5Iowa 2-5Nebraksa 2-7Penn State 0-8I think that after this week is over we'll probably see Indiana at the top by themselves at 8-1 and Purdue eliminated from the race picking up a 5th loss soon enough. Its disappointing to see the Gophers fall but I still think they can give teams a run for their money and look to improve their seeding going to the March for the B1G tourny. There is always Wisconsin who is tough and I think they will finish no lower than 5th which will actually be a new low for Bo Ryan. I'm picking them to knock off Michigan and OSU at the Khol center since Bo teams seem to play really well at home late into the season. I think we'll hang in for much of the B1G race until the end of the month but at season end we'll be out of it due to losses to (Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin). We just don't have enough offense to match that of the upcoming teams and it will more than likely get exploited versus the teams we play. Thomas can't do it alone. I'll be satisfied if we finish no lower than 4th going into the B1G tournament.
At this point I'm stuck rooting for us to do well and Indiana to win the conference. The winner of the conference will have no fewer that 3 losses. Its not to hard to see that we are solely a sweet 16 team but anything better would be nice.
Go Hooisers beat Michigan!
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
We've got 2 games with Northwestern (wins), Nebraska this weekend (win), Illinois at home (win)...and then it's a little tougher. At Wisconsin, IU, Michigan. Home against IU, Sparty, and Minnesota. There's really only 2 "gimmes" down the stretch and we always seem to play poorly in Evanston anyway. That early Illinois loss is killer right now. Still, get to 7-2 halfway, and try to pick up 6 of the last 9 to finish 13-5 and I think we're atop the conference or close to it.
I get your realism, but my appetite is bigger, so I am rooting for UM to beat IU since we already own a tie breaker versus UM
*ichigan will be out for blood when we go to Crisler. Thad and the boys better be ready to play their best game of the season. I am looking forward to it but I am also dreading it a bit.
To beat UM again and also get at least a home and home with Indy would be quite the feat. I was concerned about them against Wisky but they pulled it out at the end. They are good enough to compete and get a lead on any team in the nation, but can they hold on or come from behind late will determine how far they go. Lots of tough teams out there even though there really isn't an elite team. It will be a fun month that is for sure.