Is the BIG schedule helping us this time around?

[ColumbusCatFan1]

In years past (when we've had competitive squads) we've tended to have front loaded loaded schedules. Starting out several games under .500 and racking up multiple losses in a row can take a toll on the psyche of a team.

This year, however, the 'Cats have/should have been favored in 5 of their first 6. Winning in the BIG on any given night is always a challenge and getting into the habit of it early in conference play could be huge for the confidence of this team down the road.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

A couple years ago we started the conference season strong...were momentarily tied for like 4th...then went on a losing streak.

If it is helping us...good! We still haven't had Olah available for a B1G game. Couple that with no Law, and 3-2 in the first five conference games isn't so bad...

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

"A couple years ago we started the conference season strong...were momentarily tied for like 4th...then went on a losing streak."

Personally, I had low expectations for Collins first squad. Add in the late season injury to Cobb and zero depth (not that we've ever had good depth) and I think the schedule really didn't come into play. The 4th place blip was gravy.

"Couple that with no Law, and 3-2 in the first five conference games isn't so bad..."

I'd go a step further than that. I think Collins and Co. are off to a great start (all things considered), especially if they take care of business against Penn State.

 

[NJCat83588]

In years past (when we've had competitive squads) we've tended to have front loaded loaded schedules. Starting out several games under .500 and racking up multiple losses in a row can take a toll on the psyche of a team.

This year, however, the 'Cats have/should have been favored in 5 of their first 6. Winning in the BIG on any given night is always a challenge and getting into the habit of it early in conference play could be huge for the confidence of this team down the road.

True, but only because NU has a better team that usual. The next 2 weeks will be brutal, if the games go according to form NU will be 4-6 and need a really strong finish to end up with what Collins alludes to as the target, "winning more than you lose in Big 10 play", i.e. 10 wins.

 

[Styre]

True, but only because NU has a better team that usual.

That's part of it, certainly, but an unusually poor conference and unusually friendly scheduling are also contributors. This year has featured the fewest top-50 teams in the first 6 games in at least a decade, if not longer.

Last night was the first time I can remember NU looking in almost all respects like a better team than Wisconsin. A big part of that is Collins improving our talent and athleticism, but Wisconsin's unusually steep decline is another factor.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Last night was the first time I can remember NU looking in almost all respects like a better team than Wisconsin. A big part of that is Collins improving our talent and athleticism, but Wisconsin's unusually steep decline is another factor.

I know this is beaten to death...but we were better than them WITHOUT Law and Olah. That alone signifies just how far we've come in terms of depth and athleticism.

 

[Styre]

I know this is beaten to death...but we were better than them WITHOUT Law and Olah. That alone signifies just how far we've come in terms of depth and athleticism.

I agree completely. Getting Law back next year will be like adding another recruit to this team, except one with years of experience in the system and a Big Ten-ready body. Exciting times.

 

[ricko654321]

True, but only because NU has a better team that usual. The next 2 weeks will be brutal, if the games go according to form NU will be 4-6 and need a really strong finish to end up with what Collins alludes to as the target, "winning more than you lose in Big 10 play", i.e. 10 wins.

Thanks to this win, and IF we can get another one against PSU to get to 4-2, I think we have thus far stayed on target for my goal of 10-8 in conference. 4-2 in the first 6, then grab 1 out of the next 4 against Indy Md MSU and Iowa to stay even at 5-5. After that we have some games against the middle of the conference, and then an easy finish. So if we get to 5-5 I think finishing 5-3 to get to 10-8 is very doable. If we do that and then win one first round game against a low tier BTT team, I think we will have put ourselves in a good position to catch the back end of the bubble.

Even 8-10 / 9-9 wouldn't be a bad season, still would be moving in the right direction and would at least get us a spot in the NIT. For now though, let's keep momentum and get a W over Penn St!

 

[NJCat83588]

Even 8-10 / 9-9 wouldn't be a bad season, still would be moving in the right direction and would at least get us a spot in the NIT. For now though, let's keep momentum and get a W over Penn St!

8-10 would be a decent season. Regardless of the record the vector is definitely pointed in the right direction. 15-3 without Law and Olah? I'll take it.

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

"Thanks to this win, and IF we can get another one against PSU to get to 4-2, I think we have thus far stayed on target for my goal of 10-8 in conference. 4-2 in the first 6, then grab 1 out of the next 4 against Indy Md MSU and Iowa to stay even at 5-5. After that we have some games against the middle of the conference, and then an easy finish. So if we get to 5-5 I think finishing 5-3 to get to 10-8 is very doable. If we do that and then win one first round game against a low tier BTT team, I think we will have put ourselves in a good position to catch the back end of the bubble."

I couldn't agree with this more.

 

[spartcat]

The schedule doesn't help us because it isn't front loaded. It does help us because we only play MSU, Purdue, Indiana and Iowa (and Michigan) once each. Maryland is our only top of the table team we play twice. Very cool.

 

[CappyNU]

In years past (when we've had competitive squads) we've tended to have front loaded loaded schedules. Starting out several games under .500 and racking up multiple losses in a row can take a toll on the psyche of a team.

This year, however, the 'Cats have/should have been favored in 5 of their first 6. Winning in the BIG on any given night is always a challenge and getting into the habit of it early in conference play could be huge for the confidence of this team down the road.

First 6 games of B1G play since schedule expansion in 2008:
2008 - 0-6, 2 NCAA tourney teams, 2 NIT teams (1 Champion) - Conference sent 4 teams to NCAA
2009 - 2-4, 5 NCAA tourney teams (2 national runner up), 1 NIT Champion- Conference sent 7 teams to NCAA
2010 - 2-4, 4 NCAA tourney teams (1 Final Four), 1 NIT team - Conference sent 5 teams to NCAA
2011 - 2-4, 4 NCAA tourney teams - Conference sent 7 teams to NCAA
2012 - 2-4, 4 NCAA tourney teams (1 Final Four) - Conference sent 6 teams to NCAA
2013 - 2-4, 4 NCAA tourney teams (1 national runner up), 1 NIT team - Conference sent 7 teams to NCAA
2014 - 2-4, 4 NCAA tourney teams (1 Final Four), 1 NIT team - Conference sent 6 teams to NCAA
2015 - 1-5, 3 NCAA tourney teams (1 national runner up, 1 Final Four), 1 NIT team - Conference sent 7 teams to NCAA
2016 - 4-2/3-3, 1 likely NCAA tourney team, 2 possible NIT teams - Conference likely to send 6 teams to NCAA

Quite a striking difference I'd say...

 

[PURPLECAT88]

Cappy, you really think the B1G only sends 6 to the tourney? I see MSU, MD, Ind, IA, Pur and at least 2 of Mich, OSU and NU. But maybe I'm too much of an optimist.

 

[iubaseball]

Big will send no more then 7 teams to the real tourney and most likely 6. Right now MSU, IOWA, MARYLAND , and PURDUE are pretty much locks. I think IU is in good shape right now probably only needing 6and maybe 7 more wins. Michigan got a huge win last night and they are probably for sure the sixth team in. Your loss to OSU hurt you a lot and beating Wisky this year is not a big resume builder, and remember you have to go there as do we and we all know how the calls go there

 

[Kelly_32]

The loss to OSU did not hurt a lot. There's still plenty of time to get resume' building wins - including January 23rd in Bloomington

 

[CappyNU]

Cappy, you really think the B1G only sends 6 to the tourney? I see MSU, MD, Ind, IA, Pur and at least 2 of Mich, OSU and NU. But maybe I'm too much of an optimist.

OSU can probably play their way onto the bubble, they do have that win over Kentucky, but I'd say 6 is most likely right now.

 

[Styre]

The loss to OSU did not hurt a lot. There's still plenty of time to get resume' building wins - including January 23rd in Bloomington

It was a home loss -- and one that wasn't particularly close -- to a team that might miss the tournament entirely. If we're talking NU's tournament resume, the OSU loss hurt a lot. Saying "well all we have to do to make up for it is pull off a huge road upset" pretty clearly implies it was a damaging loss.

 

[Alan Smithee]

There was already plenty of evidence that big wins matter more than bad losses. OSU isn't a terrible loss, and it wouldn't have been a big win, but we can't afford to do that again. And we're still looking for a couple of big wins, because there certainly haven't been any yet.

 

[Kelly_32]

It was a home loss -- and one that wasn't particularly close -- to a team that might miss the tournament entirely. If we're talking NU's tournament resume, the OSU loss hurt a lot. Saying "well all we have to do to make up for it is pull off a huge road upset" pretty clearly implies it was a damaging loss.

What I'm saying is that it's too early in the Big Ten season to say it's a terrible loss. Too many things can happen. Ohio State could finish 13-5. Would it be a bad loss then? Northwestern beats Maryland and Indiana on the road. No one would care about the Ohio State loss. It's too early to overly critique one game.

 

[Styre]

What I'm saying is that it's too early in the Big Ten season to say it's a terrible loss. Too many things can happen. Ohio State could finish 13-5. Would it be a bad loss then? Northwestern beats Maryland and Indiana on the road. No one would care about the Ohio State loss. It's too early to overly critique one game.

Of course you're right about that, but short of suspending all discussion of the season until it's over, what else are we supposed to do?

 

[Kelly_32]

Of course you're right about that, but short of suspending all discussion of the season until it's over, what else are we supposed to do?

Just enjoy the Wisconsin win while starting to get nervous about Penn State.