Just like we shouldn't have overreacted to the Minny and MSU losses...

[mikewebb68]

We shouldn't overreact to this win. Though it is a nice victory over a team that was undefeated in the BIG (and had a quality win over Dayton as well). I was confident enough to wager with Fitzphile that we would win (he wisely did not take me up on the wager) for the following reasons:

1) They are well below us in the KenPom rankings (#88, now, and I believe #84 coming in--to put that in perspective, that is worse than Penn State) and we have yet to lose to a team outside the KenPom top-50 at the time we played them.
2) They needed two overtimes to beat Iowa at home, a team that we are clearly much better than at this point in the season
3) I figured that said two-overtime game would take a lot out of them since they only go 9-deep like we do (another factor in our favor)
4) They need to score a lot to win, and I figured we would hold them under their average as we have with most other teams we have played.
4) They were due to lose

Again, nice win, but won't mean much if we don't take care of business vs.Rutgers....

 

[Alan Smithee]

Agree with you. Still, always tough to win on the road, and needed to make up for a home loss - and stop the skid.

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

1) They are well below us in the KenPom rankings (#88, now, and I believe #84 coming in--to put that in perspective, that is worse than Penn State) and we have yet to lose to a team outside the KenPom top-50 at the time we played them.

I agree with some of your post, but we should remember that KenPom's numbers (as great as they are) do not matter to the committee. The committee uses RPI and while it may be antiquated, that metric rates this win as top 50.

 

[mikewebb68]

I agree with your general premise, but we should remember KenPom's numbers - as great as they are - do not matter to the committee. They use RPI. While it may be antiquated, according to that metric, today's win is of the top 50 variety.

Something to keep in mind.

Wasn't judging this by an NCAA-resume metric, but by a "who we should beat" metric. And I suspect that the Nebby is overrated (at least by RPI standards) at any rate, unless they figure it out on defense.

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

Wasn't judging this by an NCAA-resume metric, but by a "who we should beat" metric. And I suspect that the Nebby is overrated (at least by RPI standards) at any rate, unless they figure it out on defense.

I guess that might depend on what you think of NU as well.

Nebraska has looked pretty great the past two weeks and only have one loss outside the top 50 this season. I view NU as a potential bubble team and therefore tend to think of match ups with 2016-17 Nebraska squad as more of the "toss up" variety as opposed to "should win".

Honestly, I'm having a hard time finding many "should wins" in the Big Ten this season.

 

[NJCat]

If you view NU as a potential bubble team, I tend to think of match ups with Nebraska as more of the "toss up" variety as opposed to "should win".

Frankly, the way the Big 10 is shaping up this season, I don't see and "should win" games for NU. There are no "bad" teams in the league this season, unlike last year.The best teams may not be a great as in previous years, but the bottom has gotten a hell of a lot better. A 9-9 record will be a heck of a season for the Cats.

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

The best teams may not be a great as in previous years, but the bottom has gotten a hell of a lot better. A 9-9 record will be a heck of a season for the Cats.

Agree 100%.

I'm very pleased the 'Cats have won two road games in conference play already. With a better start in East Lansing, it could have been 3 for 3.

 

[mikewebb68]

Frankly, the way the Big 10 is shaping up this season, I don't see and "should win" games for NU. There are no "bad" teams in the league this season, unlike last year.The best teams may not be a great as in previous years, but the bottom has gotten a hell of a lot better. A 9-9 record will be a heck of a season for the Cats.

Excellent point. Even lolRutgers may not be, well lol. But I will continue to use the label until they get a BIG win-- hopefully it will not be against us!

 

[pawildcat]

Frankly, the way the Big 10 is shaping up this season, I don't see and "should win" games for NU. There are no "bad" teams in the league this season, unlike last year.The best teams may not be a great as in previous years, but the bottom has gotten a hell of a lot better. A 9-9 record will be a heck of a season for the Cats.

I think Rutgers is a bad team, but they're better than last season, and in a year when you see Michigan State getting beaten by Northeastern and Indiana taken down by Wayne, it is not a good idea to take ANYONE for granted.

 

[Sec.112]

The conference is going to be a friggin' war this year. It's just going to be 7 or 8 of these teams beating the hell out of each other in close games to see how they stand at the end.

One game at a time.

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

The conference is going to be a friggin' war this year. It's just going to be 7 or 8 of these teams beating the hell out of each other in close games to see how they stand at the end.

And the Big Ten Tournament is going to be a quite fun because of it.

 

[Figrating]

IMO, the sloowww start against MSU (nearly unwatchable for an NU fan) and weak shooting late in the game were looking like serious problems. Weak shooting late in the game reappeared against Minny, too. Caused me to over-react plenty. Then the Nebraska game came and, although NU again started slooww, they overcame it. And when things got tight late in the game, NU shot with poise and confidence. (I sure liked the Brown substitution late in the game when Nebraska was fouling to buy time and freshman Brown sinks two FTs like a senior.) So it looked like NU had some recurring problems, but not against Nebraska. Huge sigh of relief, and fan emotion all the way up to the point of over-reacting, but no farther.

I'm anxious for the next game, a new feeling.