Worst Big Ten teams....

[Dugan15]

Since 2002, according to kenpom.com:

2002 - Penn State (199)
2003 - Penn State (212)
2004 - Penn State (218)
2005 - Penn State (215)
2006 - Purdue (152)
2007 - Minnesota (170)
2008 - Northwestern (192)
2009 - Indiana (209)
2010 - Iowa (178)
2011 - Iowa (92)...Are you kidding? How stacked was the Big Ten?
2012 - Nebraska (150)
2013 - Penn State (148)
2014 - Northwestern (131)
2015 - Rutgers (215)
2016 - ....

Wait for it.....

Wait for it....

Rutgers (308)

I know there have been a lot of injuries, but that is just ugly. In conference games, they have given up 79 or more points in all but 2 games.

 

[NURoseBowl]

A number of our regulars on the board go back to the '50's and '60's . . . so let me ask you guys -- Is this Rutgers team the worst Big Ten squad in the modern era? In history, even? I know we've had some seriously weak seasons, but I don't remember us getting steamrolled by so many points with such regularity.

 

[NJCat83588]

A number of our regulars on the board go back to the '50's and '60's . . . so let me ask you guys -- Is this Rutgers team the worst Big Ten squad in the modern era? In history, even? I know we've had some seriously weak seasons, but I don't remember us getting steamrolled by so many points with such regularity.

The winless 1999-2000 Wildcat team under Kevin F'n O'Neill was pretty putrid. They were 318th out of 318 in points scored at just 51.5 per game, and beat only Chicago State, Rice, Nichols State, Jacksonville and Western Carolina. They had 2 Big 10 games where they scored a total of 29 and 30 points. I'd say they were worse than this Rutgers team.

 

[Catreporter]

The winless 1999-2000 Wildcat team under Kevin F'n O'Neill was pretty putrid. They were 318th out of 318 in points scored at just 51.5 per game, and beat only Chicago State, Rice, Nichols State, Jacksonville and Western Carolina. They had 2 Big 10 games where they scored a total of 29 and 30 points. I'd say they were worse than this Rutgers team.

I think that O'Neill team was held to less than ten points in the first half against Illinois at Welsh-Ryan. That is the mess that Carmody walked into.

 

[Alan Smithee]

NU is my team, but I couldn't bring myself to go to a single game that year. I felt bad about not supporting the kids, but I wasn't made of money and directed those dollars to football instead

 

[NUCat320]

I think that O'Neill team was held to less than ten points in the first half against Illinois at Welsh-Ryan. That is the mess that Carmody walked into.

As I recall, it was a 30-6 first half.

Ben Johnson led the country in Points Scored in The Last Four Minutes Of Blowouts that season. He was a monster at getting into double figures.

That said, sports are great because I remember distinctly how excited I was when Tavaras made two free throws late to send the Michigan game into OT. Pandemonium in the student section. (We lost.) (Duh.)

 

[Deeringfish]

Something about glass houses and throwing stones.

 

[Bradleywildcatsfan]

Wow! 308 is a SWAC RPI! Yikes! Amazing the Big Ten might still get 8 teams, or at the very least 7 teams into the Big Dance despite every team inflating their win total playing against Rutgers, and Minnesota for that matter.

Kind of feels like the Missouri Valley Conference where my alma mater Bradley plays in. Loyola replaced Creighton when they bolted to the Big East, and have done nothing but drag the Valley down (along with Bradley and Drake) since then. Rutgers joining the Big Ten has done the BIG no favors either.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Wow! 308 is a SWAC RPI! Yikes! Amazing the Big Ten might still get 8 teams, or at the very least 7 teams into the Big Dance despite every team inflating their win total playing against Rutgers, and Minnesota for that matter.

Every conference has their Rutgers and Minnesota. (Boston College, etc)

 

[Catreporter]

Every conference has their Rutgers and Minnesota. (Boston College, etc)

Rutgers will likely be favored in their finale at home against Minnesota with the Gophers just extending the suspension of their three top guards for the remainder of the season (They posted a sexually explicit video on the internet).

 

[CatJones]

We used to be the Rutgers of the Big Ten. No more. Thanks be to Rutgers.

 

[backdoorpass]

We used to be the Rutgers of the Big Ten. No more. Thanks be to Rutgers.

We did indeed used to be the Rutgers of the Big Ten...but it's been a while. Long before Rutgers joined the league.

From 1984-85 to 1996-97 we finished last (or tied for last) in the Big Ten every season. Believe it or not, we actually even tied for last place (with Iowa) in our NIT season of 1993-94. That was 13 consecutive seasons finishing in last place! Brutal.

Although he is generally (and justifiably) slammed on this messageboard, Kevin O'Neil led us to a 9th place and 8th place finish (out of 11 teams) in his first two seasons. Of course, he followed that with an 0-16 last place campaign in his final season. Still, he moved us out of the basement for 2 consecutive seasons and recruited a winner in Jitim Young.

We finished last in the Big Ten in Carmody's first season, but then only finished last--or tied for last--two more times during BC's 13 years. And we haven't finished last during Collins' tenure--and I don't see a last place NU team on NU's horizon moving forward.

So after 13 consecutive seasons finishing IN last place, we have finished OUT OF last place 15 of the last 19 seasons. Our highest finish has only been tied for 5th (Carmody 2003-04 B10 COY season) and we've generally been near the bottom of the league...but we haven't truly been "the Rutgers of the Big Ten" in a long time.

Certainly nothing to brag about, but we're at the B to C point...not stuck at A like Rutgers is--or we used to be.

 

[Styre]

Kind of feels like the Missouri Valley Conference where my alma mater Bradley plays in. Loyola replaced Creighton when they bolted to the Big East, and have done nothing but drag the Valley down (along with Bradley and Drake) since then.

Hey, Loyola won the CBI last year!