Michael Medved!
Strangely enough, that Nebraska game feels big for me on multiple levels. Road win. End the curse in that arena (maybe more losses in that place that we should have won than any other in the B1G). Get us above Huskers in the pecking order with three wins in a row. We need to knock off a big boy eventually but claiming superiority over other also rans feels important too.At this point, if Gophers get any less than 4 more wins I'll be diappointed.
A lot of WINNABLE games remain on the schedule. ... only @ Illinois & @ Purdue are ones I'd chalk up as L's. Perhaps @ Nebraska, too (we really suck in Lincoln).
Depending who and by how much but 6 wins is walk away money time.I don't think they get more than 6 B1G wins still... They are improved however...
If healthy, Gophers will beat Ohio State & Indiana. Very confident about that.OK - let's look at the schedule - remaining games with current B1G records of each team and results of prior games if played
Gophers are (4-5) in B1G
Sat 2-3: home Northwestern (6-3)
Tues 2-6: home MSU (4-5) -- (gophs lost 66-76)
Sund 2-11: at Iowa (4-5) -- (Gophs lost 77-86)
Thurs 2-15: at Purdue (8-2)
Sund 2-18: home Rutgers (2-6)
Thurs 2-22: home OSU (3-6) -- (Gophs lost 74-84)
Sund 2-25: at Nebraska (5-5) -- (Gophs won 76-65)
Weds 2-28: at Illinois (6-3)
Sat 3-2: home PSU (3-6) -- (Gophs won 83-74)
Weds 3-6: home Indiana (4-5) -- (Gophs lost 62-74)
Sat 3-9: at Northwestern (6-3)
off the top of my head, I would say Gophers are favored over Rutgers and Penn State. MSU, OSU, Nebraska and Indiana are toss-ups. and as of right now, Gophers are underdogs vs NW, Iowa, Purdue and Illinois.
Gophs need to win at least two of the toss-ups, and try to split with NW. that gives them 5 wins and a 9-11 overall conference record.
obviously, injuries can change the odds.
I agree. Should be at least 5 more wins on this schedule.At this point, if Gophers get any less than 4 more wins I'll be diappointed.
A lot of WINNABLE games remain on the schedule. ... only @ Illinois & @ Purdue are ones I'd chalk up as L's. Perhaps @ Nebraska, too (we really suck in Lincoln).
Okay, Selection, I'm going out on a limb and suggesting, hoping, praying they beat the Huskers in Lincoln. I've seen them a few times and they can be terrible. We're due to catch a team napping on the road one of these days. I don't count Penn State.If healthy, Gophers will beat Ohio State & Indiana. Very confident about that.
Also very confident we'll get smoked in Lincoln.
I doubt the Gophers will be favored against either MSU or Northwestern. You are right that Sparty has a pattern of playing well in February. The Cats have been playing well and are setting their sights high. I doubt they overlook the Gophers.We should be favored in all of our HOME games and there are 6. The scariest of the bunch, to me, is Michigan State as they always get better in February and March even though many times they are not very good in December or even January. Even that game, though, I would say we should be favored to win....maybe 51/49 but still favored to win. And the rest I am more comfortable about. A little math tells me that we should win 70% of those games. That's 4.2 wins. On the road the math is very different. We should win 25% of those games based on our schedule. With 5 ROAD games remaining, odds would say we win 1.2 games. So the OVER/UNDER (IMO) should be 5.4.
OSU hasn't won a BTN game away from Columbus. Teams are shooting well against them, esp. 3's (nearly 36%). Their defense has given up waaay too many easy baskets and they don't turn teams over. After their great start early on, their offense has shot poorly (esp. 3's) the last ten games w/EFG% less than 50%--not good. Also, they like most BTN teams, have a shallow bench. Okpara is long, but he can be moved around. Key hasn't gotten better in two years. Battle is a good spot shooter, but doesn't have skills to the rim. Teams have shut down Battle recently, and adjusted to Holtmann's schemes. OSU has 6 of 11 games remaining at home. All this based on statistics, and watching them with interest 6-7 games throughout the year.Okay, Selection, I'm going out on a limb and suggesting, hoping, praying they beat the Huskers in Lincoln. I've seen them a few times and they can be terrible. We're due to catch a team napping on the road one of these days. I don't count Penn State.
You set up the question that has been stewing in my mind about OSU for a couple of years, and is now percolating. How they heck can they be so bad? They have highly rated players, they looked like world beaters against the Gophers for 18-25 minutes, won some big non can games, and they have been brutal in the regular season. Why are they so bad? I look at their guards and think they should be hovering somewhere near the top three and they are at high risk of being in the bottom three.
You who don't know all, but know most and a lot more than me, need to offer your input on the demise of the Suckeyes.
Northwestern = LOK - let's look at the schedule - remaining games with current B1G records of each team and results of prior games if played
Gophers are (4-5) in B1G
Sat 2-3: home Northwestern (6-3)
Tues 2-6: home MSU (4-5) -- (gophs lost 66-76)
Sund 2-11: at Iowa (4-5) -- (Gophs lost 77-86)
Thurs 2-15: at Purdue (8-2)
Sund 2-18: home Rutgers (2-6)
Thurs 2-22: home OSU (3-6) -- (Gophs lost 74-84)
Sund 2-25: at Nebraska (5-5) -- (Gophs won 76-65)
Weds 2-28: at Illinois (6-3)
Sat 3-2: home PSU (3-6) -- (Gophs won 83-74)
Weds 3-6: home Indiana (4-5) -- (Gophs lost 62-74)
Sat 3-9: at Northwestern (6-3)
off the top of my head, I would say Gophers are favored over Rutgers and Penn State. MSU, OSU, Nebraska and Indiana are toss-ups. and as of right now, Gophers are underdogs vs NW, Iowa, Purdue and Illinois.
I could realistically see the Gophers going anywhere from 2-9 to 5-6 in remaining games, putting them somewhere between 6-14 to 9-11 in the B1G. If they could somehow go 6-5 in remaining games and finish 10-10 in conference, that is my absolute best-case scenario, but that would require a couple of upsets.
obviously, injuries can change the odds.
Wow! That is a fatalistic take! You have us with 2 wins the rest of the year? I'll take that bet now!Northwestern = L
Sparty = L
Hawkeye = L
Boilermaker = L
Rutgers = W
Buckeye = L
Cornhusker = L
Illini = L
PSU = W
Hoosier = L
Northwestern = L
2 MAYBE 3 more winds for the Gopher this year. I truly hope I'm wrong, lack of any confidence in the HC would be the reason.
I did say maybe 3. LOL Total lack of confidence in the HC. I also mentioned that I hope it is more than 2-3Wow! That is a fatalistic take! You have us with 2 wins the rest of the year? I'll take that bet now!
So what is your actual OVER/UNDER number?I
I did say maybe 3. LOL Total lack of confidence in the HC. I also mentioned that I hope it is more than 2-3
Okay, Selection, I'm going out on a limb and suggesting, hoping, praying they beat the Huskers in Lincoln. I've seen them a few times and they can be terrible. We're due to catch a team napping on the road one of these days.
How does 2.5 sound?So what is your actual OVER/UNDER number?
Sounds about right.How does 2.5 sound?
Northwestern = L
Sparty = L
Hawkeye = L
Boilermaker = L
Rutgers = W
Buckeye = L
Cornhusker = L
Illini = L
PSU = W
Hoosier = L
Northwestern = L
2 MAYBE 3 more winds for the Gopher this year. I truly hope I'm wrong, lack of any confidence in the HC would be the reason.