Rank the BIG in a "Way too early" ranking

[Turk]

1. Maryland- Two NBA guys who decided to stay
2. MSU
3. Indiana- Yogi plus a new big man
4. Wisconsin- Best Coach
5. Michigan
6. Purdue
7. OSU
8. Iowa
9. Northwestern [I figure anywhere between 6th- 10th but most likely 9th unless they play great team ball]
10 Illinois
11 Minnesota
12 Nebraska
13 Penn State
14 Rutgers

 

[NJCat83588]

1. Maryland- Two NBA guys who decided to stay
2. MSU
3. Indiana- Yogi plus a new big man
4. Wisconsin- Best Coach
5. Michigan
6. Purdue
7. OSU
8. Iowa
9. Northwestern [I figure anywhere between 6th- 10th but most likely 9th unless they play great team ball]
10 Illinois
11 Minnesota
12 Nebraska
13 Penn State
14 Rutgers

Can't disagree with your ranking. You could pretty much put #4-7 in any order. I might actually put NU ahead of Iowa. Either team can be a borderline NCAA team.

 

[Walker Fan]

Good and reasonable ranking. Maryland has a talented roster and I think Melo Trimble came back because he was not a for sure lottery pick. After this year, I think he will move up. Not sure if Jake Layman is a NBA player. Purdue's big guys might move them up higher. UM still has no great big guys so they could move down. But agree that NU is in that No. 6 or more like 7-10 range. I think Iowa will suffer from the loss of Aaron White. OSU will be hurt by the loss of D'Angelo Russell who single handedly beat NU. Illinois will be hurt by the loss of Rayvonte Rice, injury to Abrams and other issues. Those are the teams NU is fighting with for the last spot(s) for NCAA or NIT. All of this is contingent on the continued progression of Olah and Demps and the development of the four sophs and Falzon is as good as advertised.

 

[spartcat]

1. Maryland- Two NBA guys who decided to stay
2. MSU-assuming the team is whole by Christmas
3. Michigan
4. Purdue
5. Indiana- Yogi plus a new big man
6. NU
7. OSU
8. Wisconsin
9. Iowa
10. Minnesota
11. Ill
12. Rutgers
13. PSU
14. Nebraska

The main predictions are that NU will be able to play to the combined strengths of its component parts. Really good shooting, enough size, good D, good depth, decent turnover stats, enough experience with the extra year and 7 of the top 8 scorers back. This is the year, guys! The other main prediction is a bad season for Wisconsin. First time for everything, but its way too early to be sure. Purdue needs a lot better guard play, but it's possible they will be dominant with that front line. U of Mich. has their best 2 players back from seasons on the injury list. Watch out for those skunkbears.

 

[Turk]

1. Maryland- Two NBA guys who decided to stay
2. MSU-assuming the team is whole by Christmas
3. Michigan
4. Purdue
5. Indiana- Yogi plus a new big man
6. NU
7. OSU
8. Wisconsin
9. Iowa
10. Minnesota
11. Ill
12. Rutgers
13. PSU
14. Nebraska

The main predictions are that NU will be able to play to the combined strengths of its component parts. Really good shooting, enough size, good D, good depth, decent turnover stats, enough experience with the extra year and 7 of the top 8 scorers back. This is the year, guys! The other main prediction is a bad season for Wisconsin. First time for everything, but its way too early to be sure. Purdue needs a lot better guard play, but it's possible they will be dominant with that front line. U of Mich. has their best 2 players back from seasons on the injury list. Watch out for those skunkbears.

Does the new VT guy have a good shot? I think I would agree with most everything you said other than the fact that I remain concerned with our poor shooting. If our shooting was at least 'good', i.e., 45%+ then what would keep us from the NCAA tournament and top 5 in the BIG?

 

[NJCat83588]

Does the new VT guy have a good shot? I think I would agree with most everything you said other than the fact that I remain concerned with our poor shooting. If our shooting was at least 'good', i.e., 45%+ then what would keep us from the NCAA tournament and top 5 in the BIG?

No. He can score around the basket but is a bad FT shooter. That will keep him out of close games down the stretch.

 

[Turk]

No. He can score around the basket but is a bad FT shooter. That will keep him out of close games down the stretch.

Great, so we basically lose a big man in every close game?

 

[NJCat83588]

Great, so we basically lose a big man in every close game?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Collins go with offense/defense substitutions at the end of games, playing JvZ on D whenever possible. But with NU in the lead, opponents will foul Joey immediately when NU gets the ball unless he improves his FT shooting.

 

[catcrazy]

I see us as 7-8 with us having 1-2 Wtf losses but an upset of UNC and a few really " big boys" in the big ten. I also see us surging at the end of the year and possible Quarterfinal appearance in the BTT. MVP at the end of the year will be Victor Law. We will go to the tournament as a 10 seed and make it to the round of 16

 

[NJCat83588]

I see us as 7-8 with us having 1-2 Wtf losses but an upset of UNC and a few really " big boys" in the big ten. I also see us surging at the end of the year and possible Quarterfinal appearance in the BTT. MVP at the end of the year will be Victor Law. We will go to the tournament as a 10 seed and make it to the round of 16

I was with you until I got to "round of 16".........

 

[Deeringfish]

Great, so we basically lose a big man in every close game?

That is true but Alex is a great FT shooter for a Big and he will be fresher down the stretch and have fewer fouls due to the presence of JVZ.

 

[NURoseBowl]

I see us as 7-8 with us having 1-2 Wtf losses but an upset of UNC and a few really " big boys" in the big ten. I also see us surging at the end of the year and possible Quarterfinal appearance in the BTT. MVP at the end of the year will be Victor Law. We will go to the tournament as a 10 seed and make it to the round of 16

Don't forget the "Boise" part of it . . . we're going to Boise.

 

[NURoseBowl]

I was with you until I got to "round of 16".........

Think about it, though, NJ --- if we DO make it as a 10, we'd then have to beat a 7 to make the round of 16; that's not that much of a stretch.

 

[GeorgiaCat]

Think about it, though, NJ --- if we DO make it as a 10, we'd then have to beat a 7 to make the round of 16; that's not that much of a stretch.

I am no Jerry Palm, but I am pretty certain to make it to the round of 16, the 10 seed needs to beat the 7 seed in the round of 64 and then beat the winner of 2v15 in the round of 32.

 

[NJCat83588]

I am no Jerry Palm, but I am pretty certain to make it to the round of 16, the 10 seed needs to beat the 7 seed in the round of 64 and then beat the winner of 2v15 in the round of 32.

You beat me to it. But in the year NU finally makes the tourney, perhaps the 15 in their bracket also upsets the #2! The planets align perfectly.....

 

[Deeringfish]

I see us as 7-8 with us having 1-2 Wtf losses but an upset of UNC and a few really " big boys" in the big ten. I also see us surging at the end of the year and possible Quarterfinal appearance in the BTT. MVP at the end of the year will be Victor Law. We will go to the tournament as a 10 seed and make it to the round of 16

Your suggestion that Law or any NU player make B1G player of the year may be the ticket to what we are all hoping for. We have never really had a "best player in the conference" type of guy and we don't think that way. IMO

 

[NJCat83588]

Your suggestion that Law or any NU player make B1G player of the year may be the ticket to what we are all hoping for. We have never really had a "best player in the conference" type of guy and we don't think that way. IMO

Eschmeyer and Shurna were at least in the conversation though. And Billy McKinney could have played on any Big 10 team. What killed NU in the past is the drop-off from the best player, to the rest of the starting 5, and then to the rest of the team. This is the strongest team 1 to 12 that I can recall since I started following them in 1974!

 

[Turk]

I see us as 7-8 with us having 1-2 Wtf losses but an upset of UNC and a few really " big boys" in the big ten. I also see us surging at the end of the year and possible Quarterfinal appearance in the BTT. MVP at the end of the year will be Victor Law. We will go to the tournament as a 10 seed and make it to the round of 16

I love your enthusiasm and it serves your name right. You realize that UNC is ranked #1 in almost every "Way Too Early" poll don't you? I think it's awesome we play them early because it will most likely be a national audience and I think we can make a game of it.

 

[catcrazy]

I really think this is the year we will make some noise. We have the size, good athleticism and match up well against most teams. The teams we will have difficulty with may be Purdue because they have 3 centers but we will be quicker than them. Maryland will be tough and MSU will be tough but other than that I think the rest of the games we have a good chance to beat any of these teams. I think Vic Law will break out this year and be the best player by the end of the year and Scott Lindsey will also surprise most. I also think that one of the three freshman will have an impact and odds are it will be Falzon but do not sleep on the other two (Pardon and Ash). I think it should be like Gary Barnett said which is expect victory and this year I think it should be expect the NCAA tournament. Maybe Im overstating the case but I am completely stoked for this year and I think Collins is building a sleeping giant.

 

[NJCat83588]

I think Vic Law will break out this year and be the best player by the end of the year and Scott Lindsey will also surprise most. Maybe Im overstating the case but I am completely stoked for this year and I think Collins is building a sleeping giant.

Collins said both Law Jr and Lindsey put on 15 pounds of muscle in the off season and no longer will be pushed around. I completely agree that this team may well surprise this season. They should have beaten MD in MD last season and I expect them to be in every game this year. Can't say how pumped I am to see the season start.

 

[Turk]

Collins said both Law Jr and Lindsey put on 15 pounds of muscle in the off season and no longer will be pushed around. I completely agree that this team may well surprise this season. They should have beaten MD in MD last season and I expect them to be in every game this year. Can't say how pumped I am to see the season start.

less than 3 months. I'm more pumped for BB than football. I know what Collins said but I have a hard time thinking that both Law and Lindsay are at 200 lbs. Dunno what to think about Law, his confidence seems to go up and down. He could be a better version of Drew Crawford by the time he leaves here. Whatever the case, we need his shot to come through because Sanjay and Skelly aren't the best outside shooters. The shot clock will help our defense, which seems to be a strength. I was very uncomfortable with our shots last year, going very long stretches in MANY games without a basket. Other than Law, Demps, BMC, who else can shoot? Olah can do damage on the inside, but our ball movement last year was a work in progress.

 

[NURoseBowl]

I am no Jerry Palm, but I am pretty certain to make it to the round of 16, the 10 seed needs to beat the 7 seed in the round of 64 and then beat the winner of 2v15 in the round of 32.

Of course; mea culpa. Those pesky details can be elusive at four o'clock in the morning.

 

[Deeringfish]

less than 3 months. I'm more pumped for BB than football. I know what Collins said but I have a hard time thinking that both Law and Lindsay are at 200 lbs. Dunno what to think about Law, his confidence seems to go up and down. He could be a better version of Drew Crawford by the time he leaves here. Whatever the case, we need his shot to come through because Sanjay and Skelly aren't the best outside shooters. The shot clock will help our defense, which seems to be a strength. I was very uncomfortable with our shots last year, going very long stretches in MANY games without a basket. Other than Law, Demps, BMC, who else can shoot? Olah can do damage on the inside, but our ball movement last year was a work in progress.

Turk. Why do you say Law's confidence was up and down? I thought he gained confidence as the season went on and finished with way more confidence than he started with.

 

[NJCat83588]

less than 3 months. I'm more pumped for BB than football. I know what Collins said but I have a hard time thinking that both Law and Lindsay are at 200 lbs. Dunno what to think about Law, his confidence seems to go up and down. He could be a better version of Drew Crawford by the time he leaves here. Whatever the case, we need his shot to come through because Sanjay and Skelly aren't the best outside shooters. The shot clock will help our defense, which seems to be a strength. I was very uncomfortable with our shots last year, going very long stretches in MANY games without a basket. Other than Law, Demps, BMC, who else can shoot? Olah can do damage on the inside, but our ball movement last year was a work in progress.

1) So you think Collins is lying about Lindsey and Law? I don't have any evidence that he blows smoke, seems like a pretty straight shooter. Time will tell.....and they still have a few months left to get even stronger.
2) If Law is "a better version of Drew Crawford" NU will be in pretty good shape!
3) Who can shoot? Hopefully Falzon, Lindsey, Ash, Tap and Olah. If so NU will have enough shooters.

 

[IGNORE2]

3) Who can shoot? Hopefully Falzon, Lindsey, Ash, Tap and Olah. If so NU will have enough shooters.

Falzon - reportedly
Lindsey - historically, long time ago historically
Ash - let's see
Tap - only if he can use two feet
Olah - you had me until you got here. We should not be encouraging him to shoot from outside. He had a little success two years ago with a little shooting. Last year, he fashioned himself as a shooter...and...he is not. Olah should work on owning the paint to get him to the next level.

Finishing out the lineup -
vZ - no
Lump - no
Skelly - reportedly, by glades, he could in HS. We have not seen it here though
Pardon - not any anything I have read

Of the players likely to see the floor, I'll agree with Turk, we need the shooters to have a good year. Demps, Mac and Law need to show year long consistency that didn't exist last year. An off game here or there, but no off weeks - or months. If Lindsey shows a reliable stroke - I think that moves him into a starting role. If not, and if Ash shows one, maybe...

I know the likely starting lineup is Mac, Demps, Law, XXX, Olah - but I would really love to see Lindsey at the #2 with Demps as the six. Bring his energy, drive and shot as a change of pace and also get to tear up the other team's seconds, maybe start Demps in second half in order to give a long breather to come in and finish with great energy. Lindsey start and Demps finish would be my perfect play.