How the teams won or lost their games, aside, lets look at what has REALLY transpired so far this season, and THEN ask the question again as to what our chances are of finishing 9-9.
Last year, there were 5 Big Ten teams that finished the season ranked in the Top 16. Guess what? They are the same 5 teams who are ranked in the Top 16 this year. Go figure.
We've played the Top 7 teams in the conf, 11 times, losing to each of those 7 once, and of the 4 teams we've played twice, we've beaten each of those teams once.
4 splits.
Of the 3 teams we've only played once, 2 of the games were ROAD games. Both teams were ranked in the top 25.
The 3rd game, was a home loss, to Top 5 ranked Michigan.
If we lose to Indiana, they, the #1 ranked team in the nation, will be the only Big Ten team to get a sweep against us.
The 4 wins we have vs those 7, were all Top 30 wins, including a Top 10 win. I'm including Iowa as a Top 30 team because both the Sagarin and Ken-Pom rating systems have them ranked in the Top 30.
Looking at the bottom 4 teams, we've only played 2 of those 4 teams. and we have 2 wins, and they were impressive wins as well and 1 ROAD loss vs those teams. The team we lost to, NW, has 2 additional wins over Top 50 rated RPI teams. Still an embarrassing loss, but really our only bad loss on paper.
What I think is going on, is 3 things. We lack depth, so when more than 1 or 2 players are struggling, well, that doesn't leave many players left who aren't struggling. All an opposing team has to do is figure out who the players are who are playing well, and key on them. Over time, this has obviously had a cumulative effect, preventing any of our players from really having good games for the entire game, if even for an entire half. We suck at playing against the zone, need I say more?! And finally, good teams have a tendency to make their opponents look bad, by playing good defense and good offense and exposing the weaknesses of their opponent.
Are the teams we are playing quality opponents?!
The Sagarin Ratings and the Ken-Pom Rating systems seem to think our opponents are possibly the best ever assembled together in one conference at the same time.
Sagarin Ratings have our opponents that we've lost to at #1, #4, #7, #11, #12, #32, #35 & #90.
Ken-Pom Ratings have our opponents that we've lost to #2, #5, #9, #12, #13, #28, #32, & #100.
Some of those losses were Road games, too. So other than the NW game, honestly and without considering the circumstances of how we lost or how we won, we have not lost a single game that we should have won.
Looking at our last 3 games, rating services have our last 3 opponents rated
#165, #179 & #198 for Penn St.
#106, #123 & #144 for Nebraska.
#74, #91 & #126 for Purdue.
Now remember, we have wins over Top 10 MSU, Top 15 Wisc, Top 30 Illinois and Top 35 Iowa. Though only the Illinois game was on the road.
But seriously?! Starting out at home vs a team rated 180 on average?! Unless nobody shows up at the game except for Tubby Haters who all boo him and the team as they come out onto the court, I'd say we have a good chance of beating PSU.
Then Nebraska. Purdue will be the toughest of the 3, but if we go into Purdue having won 2 in a row, I think we'll have enough of our MOJO back to pull it off. Then its off to the BTT where we play one of the bottom 4 again, hopefully making it 4 in a row. Then look out!!! Tubby has done well in the BTT.