2022-2023 Big Ten Preseason Rankings Thread


No, a silly post. Last year we had no freshmen who could play. This year we do. Ben didn't need to learn a lesson about playing freshmen. He plays to win with the players he has.
They may be better freshmen, but Ben still has to let them see the court. I think it will be telling if one or two freshmen don’t start, or if at least 3-4 don’t get meaningful minutes. Then he hasn’t learned his lesson. We’re going to get our asses kicked again this year and the only thing that will make it palatable is if the freshmen get some run and take their lumps. At some point you need to develop your young guys (especially since most of the roster is young guys). If Ben plays Cooper, Samuels, Garcia, Battle and Thompson (not that I expect it) 95% of the minutes it will be just like last year. I don’t believe he will, and I don’t think it’s simply because of more talented freshman.
 

They may be better freshmen, but Ben still has to let them see the court. I think it will be telling if one or two freshmen don’t start, or if at least 3-4 don’t get meaningful minutes. Then he hasn’t learned his lesson. We’re going to get our asses kicked again this year and the only thing that will make it palatable is if the freshmen get some run and take their lumps. At some point you need to develop your young guys (especially since most of the roster is young guys). If Ben plays Cooper, Samuels, Garcia, Battle and Thompson (not that I expect it) 95% of the minutes it will be just like last year. I don’t believe he will, and I don’t think it’s simply because of more talented freshman.
Carrington , Payne, and Joseph (Haven’t seen enough of Henley to know) are actually able to play though. Ben’s job is to win games. Guys need to earn minutes. That’s a key part of development as well. Also if Thompson plays that many minutes (highly doubt this happens) than the development plan shouldn’t be critiqued because he improved marketable. Payne is just better.
 
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Lol lesson? He had two freshman. One was unplayable and transferred. The other had moments, but defensively just couldn’t hang. Carrington and Payne are way better than last years freshman. This team is still way better than 2015. We have Garcia and Battle who will be top 15 players in the conference. We also have an experienced PG. We still won’t be that “young”. 70% of our minutes will be played by players with guys with at least 2 years of college experience.
With two of the top 15 players in conference, no reason not to be top half of the conference.
 

With two of the top 15 players in conference, no reason not to be top half of the conference.
Sadly that doesn’t equate to that. It did with a Fox and Ihnen. Should still be top 10 imo
 


Sadly that doesn’t equate to that. It did with a Fox and Ihnen. Should still be top 10 imo
If they are truly both top 15, beating half the conference seems like not much of a stretch.
 


If they are truly both top 15, beating half the conference seems like not much of a stretch.
Again go look at conference standings and see if that correlates to winning. It doesn’t in the B1G. Our neighbor schools have proven that.
 




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