Thumbnail look at the 6 Big Ten teams. ...

[SelectionSunday]

jockeying for the final two byes in the Big Ten Tournament. I've listed the teams in the pecking order I'd have them for a potential NCAA at-large bid.

ILLINOIS
RPI: #38
Record: 15-8, 5-5
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 3-4
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 8-6
Best 3 Wins: #14 North Carolina, #21 Wisconsin, #48 Michigan State
Road/Neutral Record: 4-7
Overall Strength of Schedule: #25
Nonconference Strength of Schedule: #64

MINNESOTA
RPI: #28
Record: 16-7, 5-6 Big Ten
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 3-5
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 5-5
Best 3 Wins: #12 Purdue, #14 vs. North Carolina, #18 vs. West Virginia
Road/Neutral Record: 5-5
Overall Strength of Schedule: #24
Nonconference Strength of Schedule: #135

PENN STATE
RPI: #69
Record: 12-10, 5-6
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 3-4
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 4-9
Best 3 Wins: #21 Wisconsin, #38 Illinois, #48 Michigan State
Road/Neutral Record: 1-6
Overall Strength of Schedule: #5
Nonconference Strength of Schedule: #31

MICHIGAN STATE
RPI: #48
Record: 12-10, 5-6
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 3-7
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 6-9
Best 3 Wins: #21 Wisconsin, #28 Minnesota, #40 vs. Washington
Road/Neutral Record: 3-8
Overall Strength of Schedule: #6
Nonconference Strength of Schedule: #21

MICHIGAN
RPI: #62
Record: 13-10, 4-7
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 2-7
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 6-9
Best 3 Wins: #48 @ Michigan State, #50 Harvard, #64 @ Clemson
Road/Neutral Record: 3-6
Overall Strength of Schedule: #11
Nonconference Strength of Schedule: #63

NORTHWESTERN
RPI: #81
Record: 14-8, 4-7
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 1-8
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 2-8
Best 3 Wins: #38 Illinois, #62 Michigan, #108 American
Road/Neutral Record: 4-5
Overall Strength of Schedule: #75
Nonconference Strength of Schedule: #298

 

[From the Barn]

When did PSU get a good noncon SOS?

 

[matt]

When did PSU get a good noncon SOS?

And when did ours turn to *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#e?

 

[MotherNight]

That is just more evidence of how important Thursday's game is. Win and we are clearly at the top of this list (I might argue we are the better at large team already, but SS has proven to be very good at picking teams). Lose and we risk falling into a tie with Michigan and Northwestern. Yuck!