SelectionSunday
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Completely understand if you quibble with my projected top 4 of Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. If Hammons, LeVert, and/or Russell return certainly Purdue, Michigan, and/or OSU could replace someone (UW?), but I can't bring myself to project the Badgers outside the top 4 until proven otherwise.
I tiered the Big Ten into 3 levels: top tier (Indiana, Maryland, MSU, Wisconsin); next tier (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue); and bottom tier (Gophers, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers). The projected toughest opponents garner 3 points, the middle tier 2 points, and the bottom-dwellers 1 point. Most difficult to least difficult, here's what I came up with.
Most Difficult to Least
#1 Wisconsin (37 points) -- Play 6 games vs. Tier 1, 7 vs. Tier 2, and 5 vs. Tier 3. 3 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State) will visit the Kohl Center.
#2 Purdue (36 points) -- 6/6/6. 3 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Mackey Arena.
#3 Iowa (36 points) -- 6/6/6. 3 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
#4 Ohio State (35 points) -- 6/5/7. Only 2 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Michigan State) will visit Columbus.
#5 Illinois (35 points) -- 6/5/7. Only 2 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Wisconsin) will visit Assembly Hall.
#6 Rutgers (35 points) -- 5/7/6. 2 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Michigan State) will visit the RAC.
#7 Penn State (35 points) -- 5/7/6. 3 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit the Bryce Jordan Center.
#8 GOPHERS (35 points) -- 5/7/6. 4 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Williams Arena.
#9 Maryland (34 points) -- 4/8/6. Only 1 of the 4 Tier-1 opponents (Wisconsin) will visit College Park.
#10 Nebraska (34 points) -- 5/6/7. 2 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland) will visit Pinnacle Bank Arena.
#11 Michigan (34 points) -- 5/6/7. 3 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State) will visit the Crisler Center.
#12 Northwestern (34 points) -- 5/6/7. 3 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Welsh-Ryan.
#13 Indiana (33 points) -- 4/7/7. 2 of the Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Wisconsin) will visit Assembly Hall.
#14 Michigan State (33 points) -- 4/7/7. 3 of the 4 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Wisconsin) will visit the Breslin Center.
Early conclusions? (1) Schedule-wise, Michigan State and Indiana have a leg up on the conference title chase; (2) if it again finishes in the top 4 Wisconsin will have earned it; and (3) unlike 2014-15 Gopher season-ticket holders have much to smile about with the conference home slate, as most of the Tier-1 & Tier-2 teams (7 of the 9) come to Williams Arena.
I tiered the Big Ten into 3 levels: top tier (Indiana, Maryland, MSU, Wisconsin); next tier (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue); and bottom tier (Gophers, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers). The projected toughest opponents garner 3 points, the middle tier 2 points, and the bottom-dwellers 1 point. Most difficult to least difficult, here's what I came up with.
Most Difficult to Least
#1 Wisconsin (37 points) -- Play 6 games vs. Tier 1, 7 vs. Tier 2, and 5 vs. Tier 3. 3 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State) will visit the Kohl Center.
#2 Purdue (36 points) -- 6/6/6. 3 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Mackey Arena.
#3 Iowa (36 points) -- 6/6/6. 3 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
#4 Ohio State (35 points) -- 6/5/7. Only 2 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Michigan State) will visit Columbus.
#5 Illinois (35 points) -- 6/5/7. Only 2 of the 6 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Wisconsin) will visit Assembly Hall.
#6 Rutgers (35 points) -- 5/7/6. 2 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Michigan State) will visit the RAC.
#7 Penn State (35 points) -- 5/7/6. 3 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit the Bryce Jordan Center.
#8 GOPHERS (35 points) -- 5/7/6. 4 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Williams Arena.
#9 Maryland (34 points) -- 4/8/6. Only 1 of the 4 Tier-1 opponents (Wisconsin) will visit College Park.
#10 Nebraska (34 points) -- 5/6/7. 2 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland) will visit Pinnacle Bank Arena.
#11 Michigan (34 points) -- 5/6/7. 3 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State) will visit the Crisler Center.
#12 Northwestern (34 points) -- 5/6/7. 3 of the 5 Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin) will visit Welsh-Ryan.
#13 Indiana (33 points) -- 4/7/7. 2 of the Tier-1 opponents (Maryland, Wisconsin) will visit Assembly Hall.
#14 Michigan State (33 points) -- 4/7/7. 3 of the 4 Tier-1 opponents (Indiana, Maryland, Wisconsin) will visit the Breslin Center.
Early conclusions? (1) Schedule-wise, Michigan State and Indiana have a leg up on the conference title chase; (2) if it again finishes in the top 4 Wisconsin will have earned it; and (3) unlike 2014-15 Gopher season-ticket holders have much to smile about with the conference home slate, as most of the Tier-1 & Tier-2 teams (7 of the 9) come to Williams Arena.