Christmas Eve church service tradition: Big Ten picks

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SelectionSunday

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One of the Christmas "traditions" I started in our family was my prediction of the (order of the) final Big Ten conference standings (don't worry, I'm the only one in the family that does it) just prior to the start of the Christmas Eve service, quickly scribbled on the back of the program. With most of the nonconference season completed, for the most part we know everything we need to know about all the teams. This year, before we started hearing about the reason for the season & belting out such classics as Away in a Manger, O Holy Night, and Silent Night, here's what I came up with, along with a few side-bar scribbles added later (after the service):

1. Michigan State (NCAA) -- not that deep, but has most dynamic player in the league (Adreian Payne)
2. Iowa (NCAA) -- love Hawkeyes' depth, but "the guy" needs to emerge to win a title
3. Ohio State (NCAA) -- if Deshaun Thomas had stuck around. ...
4. Wisconsin (NCAA) -- Bo never finishes worse than 4th
5. Michigan (NCAA) -- if McGary gets healthy, will move up the food chain.
6. Illinois (NCAA) -- Big Ten's most pleasant surprise
7. GOPHERS (NCAA/NIT bubble) -- if Gophers wind up in "First 4", don't be disappointed
8. Purdue (NIT) -- could see the Boilers as high as 5th or 6th; they'll get better under Painter
9. Indiana (NIT) -- this might be more wishful thinking (I can't stomach Tom Terrific) than reality
10. Penn State -- toss-up with the Huskers as the best of the bottom 3
11. Nebraska -- Huskers still a year or two away from a move up the conference ladder
12. Northwestern -- tough first year for Chris Collins

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!
 

My picks:

1. Michigan State
2. Wisconsin
3. Ohio State
4. Iowa
5. Michigan
6. Illinois
7. Indiana
8. GOPHERS
9. Purdue
10. Penn State
11. Nebraska
12. Northwestern

Merry Christmas!!
 

1. Wisconsin
2. Ohio St.
3. Michigan St.
4. Iowa
5. Illinois
6. Michigan
7. Minnesota
8. Purdue
9. Indiana
10. Penn St.
11. Nebraska
12. N'western
 

1. Wisconsin
2. MSU
3. OSU
4. Iowa
5. Michigan
6. Illinois
7. Minnesota
8. Indiana
9. PSU
10. Purdue
11. Nebraska
12. Northwestern (the only easy pick!)
 

I don't have a clue, so I will go with our expert Selection Sunday!!!

"1. Michigan State (NCAA) -- not that deep, but has most dynamic player in the league (Adreian Payne)
2. Iowa (NCAA) -- love Hawkeyes' depth, but "the guy" needs to emerge to win a title
3. Ohio State (NCAA) -- if Deshaun Thomas had stuck around. ...
4. Wisconsin (NCAA) -- Bo never finishes worse than 4th
5. Michigan (NCAA) -- if McGary gets healthy, will move up the food chain.
6. Illinois (NCAA) -- Big Ten's most pleasant surprise
7. GOPHERS (NCAA/NIT bubble) -- if Gophers wind up in "First 4", don't be disappointed
8. Purdue (NIT) -- could see the Boilers as high as 5th or 6th; they'll get better under Painter
9. Indiana (NIT) -- this might be more wishful thinking (I can't stomach Tom Terrific) than reality
10. Penn State -- toss-up with the Huskers as the best of the bottom 3
11. Nebraska -- Huskers still a year or two away from a move up the conference ladder
12. Northwestern -- tough first year for Chris Collins

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! "
 


Damn Deshaun Thomas. Definitely deserves a lump of coal in my book :D
 

1. Michigan State
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State
4. Wisconsin
5. Iowa
6. Illinois
7. GOPHERS
8. Indiana
9. Purdue
10. Nebraska
11. Penn State
12. Northwestern
 

1) Ohio State
2) Wisconsin
3) Michigan State
4) Iowa
5) Illinois
6) Michigan
7) Indiana
8) Minnesota
9) Purdue
10) Nebraska
11) Penn State
12) Northwestern
 

1. Mich State
2. Wisc.
3. Ohio State
4. Mich
5. Iowa
6. Minnesota
6. Indiana
6. Illinois
9. Purdue
10. Penn State
11. Neb
12. NWU
 



1. O$U
2. Mich ST
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Indiana
6. Michigan
7. Illinois
8. Minnesota
9. Purdue
10.Nebraska
11.Penn State
12.Northwestern
 

After seeing a grand total of and one half college basketball games this season, I am in no position to be predicting anything, but any insight on why Indiana is getting so little respect in these predictions would be helpful. I know they lost a lot, but I thought they had a top ten recruiting class to reload. I am not a Crean fan, but it looks like he has it going again with talent at IU.
 

Holy Man said:
After seeing a grand total of and one half college basketball games this season, I am in no position to be predicting anything, but any insight on why Indiana is getting so little respect in these predictions would be helpful. I know they lost a lot, but I thought they had a top ten recruiting class to reload. I am not a Crean fan, but it looks like he has it going again with talent at IU.
Click to expand...

They have alot of young talent that isn't really meshing together at the moment. They don't really have any bad losses on their resume right now, but they also don't have any real signature wins either. Their best win is over Washington, which is in a rebuilding year. They may get they act together in conference play, but talent doesn't always equate to success.
 

I have barely seen any other B1G teams play so this doesn't mean much...

1. MSU
2. OSU
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Michigan
6. Minnesota
7. Illinois
8. Indiana
9. Purdue
10. Nebraska
11. Penn State
12. Northwestern
 



1. Michigan State
2. Ohio State
3. Iowa
4. Wisconsin
5. Michigan
6. Gophers
7. Indiana
8. Purdue
9. Illinois
10. Nebraska
11. Penn State
12. Northwestern
 

1. MSU
2. OSU
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. scUM
6. I4
T7 Gophers
T7 Purdue
9. Illini
10. PSU
11. Nebraska
12. Northwestern
 

I've watched several games already, more than usual, and think I know better, but probably not.

1. OSU 15-3 - Craft and co can turn "it" on when they want to, just ask ND.

2. WI 13-5 - Makes me sick how efficient they can be; first time they've been ranked in AP top 5 for a long time and for good reason: good shooting, few turnovers.

3T. IA 12-6 - 9th in country in bench minutes provides good depth, but might be even better if they give White even more touches; he's shooting 70% on 2s!?

3T. MSU 12-6 - Izzo always gets his team winning when it matters...blah, blah, blah.

5. MI 11-7 - Will have flashes of greatness again this year, but disappoint against top competition with FR PG; if McGary comes back at full strength they will get better. Same best win as MN: FST.

6T. MN 9-9 - If they beat Ill and IND at home in their only games against each, and not slip up with teams ranked below them, could easily make case for NCAA invite; I believe Hollins', Mathieu, and Smith will be able to maintain momentum into B1G season.

6T. IND 9-9 - I am surprised there aren't more IND apologists out there, Vonleh has a FTA for every 2 point FGA, 81; they will not lose at home much this year; NIT bound as NC signature win is P12 last place Wazzou.

8. Ill 8-10 - Win against Mizzou makes up for horrible outing vs. IPFW where they got out rebounded despite a huge size and athletic advantage. I predict they struggle but play into NCAA with B1G tourney win like last year.

9. PUR 6-12 - Hopefully they are a 500 club this year. Hammons improving in almost every stat but being utilized less.

10T. PST 5-13 - Only have to play Mich, Iowa, and Wisc once, should help, but only 24% bench minutes in non-conference play isn't plan for success.

10T. NEB 5-13 - They beat the Mbeast last year at home and their offense is improved in many areas this year.

12. NU 3-15 - They would give Santa Barbara a run for their money if they were in the Big West.
 

Holy Man said:
After seeing a grand total of and one half college basketball games this season, I am in no position to be predicting anything, but any insight on why Indiana is getting so little respect in these predictions would be helpful. I know they lost a lot, but I thought they had a top ten recruiting class to reload. I am not a Crean fan, but it looks like he has it going again with talent at IU.
Click to expand...

It's not IU's year. Crean has things headed in the right direction, but they have too many holes in the dike this year. It's awfully tough to win even when you have a top-10 recruiting class when you have next to no particularly good players coming back. Ferrell is OK but flawed, and Sheehey is worse. Those are their two best returning players. You are doomed from the start with a team like that when you have a major talent drain as IU had with 4 1,000 point scorers and starters leaving after last season (two of them "early" entries). I saw it firsthand with OSU in 2008. Obviously KY in 2013 had the same sorts of problems (contrast with 2011 and 2012 when KY had THREE returning players on each of those teams that would go on to be NBA draft picks within a maximum of 15 months from the tournament).
 

1. MSU
2. OSU
3. MN
4. MICH
5. WIS
6. IA
7. IND
8. PUR
9-11 NW, NEB, PSU
 

I don't really care how Indiana does, as long as Tom Crean loses every game. I am with SS on this dude...I totally dislike him.
 

book said:
1. MSU
2. OSU
3. MN
4. MICH
5. WIS
6. IA
7. IND
8. PUR
9-11 NW, NEB, PSU
Click to expand...

Wow! 3rd; Cool! Hollins guys from Memphis are big time players. Can Otto and Joey produce in the Big Ten?????? Can Malik consistently hit from mid-court? Call Elliot?? What about Mo? Little Dre so far is the most fun Gopher to watch in many years. Little Patino sure brings energy.

1. OSU
2. MSU
3. Wis Yuk
4. Mich
5. IA double yuk
6. The Golden Gophers
7. Ind
8. Pur
9. Il
10. Neb - their new home is way too pretty
11. NW
12. PSU
 

1. Wisky
2. Michigan
3. Michigan St
4. Ohio St
5. Gophers - last time I checked minnesota beat ucla in ncaa and iowa lost in nit. yet everyone gives iowa benefit of doubt. just saying
6. Iowa
7. Indiana
8. Purdue
9. Illinois
10. Nebraska
11. PSU
12. Northwestern
 

MadtownGopher said:
I have barely seen any other B1G teams play so this doesn't mean much...

1. MSU
2. OSU
3. Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Michigan
6. Minnesota
7. Illinois
8. Indiana
9. Purdue
10. Nebraska
11. Penn State
12. Northwestern
Click to expand...

McGary is out indefinitely. The Gophers could finish ahead of them now.
 

Jmmy Chitwood said:
1. Wisky
2. Michigan
3. Michigan St
4. Ohio St
5. Gophers - last time I checked minnesota beat ucla in ncaa and iowa lost in nit. yet everyone gives iowa benefit of doubt. just saying
6. Iowa
7. Indiana
8. Purdue
9. Illinois
10. Nebraska
11. PSU
12. Northwestern
Click to expand...

Gophers might finish 5th but beating UCLA in the tourney last year has no real bearing on where they will finish this year. Iowa has their whole team coming back from last year pretty much and the Gophers lost a couple key cogs.
 

Atl Gopher said:
McGary is out indefinitely. The Gophers could finish ahead of them now.
Click to expand...

Agreed, this was posted before the McGary thing was announced. Even before that I had them in the mix with us, Illinois, and Indiana as the middle tier of the B1G.
 

1. Michigan State
2. Wisconsin
3. Ohio State
4. Iowa
5. Michigan
6. Illinois
7. Minnesota
8. Indiana
9. Purdue
10. Penn State
11. Nebraska
12. Northwestern
 

1. Wisconsin
(Favorable schedule with OSU, MSU only once & at the Kohl, plus four games against patsies Michigan & Indiana....Bo is something ridiculous like 21-1 against Beilein & Crean since they joined the Big Ten = Wisconsin championship.)

2. Michigan State (Always seem to underachieve in the regular season more often than not.)
3. Ohio State
4. Iowa
5. Indiana (Get all the projected bottom feeders twice.)
6. Michigan
7. Purdue (Get all the projected bottom feeders twice.)
8. Minnesota
9. Illinois (Get all the top tier teams twice.)
10. Nebraska
11. Penn State
12. Northwestern

Made me sick to my stomach to have to put Wisky at the top. :mad:
 

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