BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After Wednesday’s 82-69 victory over Southern California, Indiana’s males’s basketball staff has a 4-1 Massive Ten Convention report. 1 / 4 of the way in which into the 20-game schedule, it might appear that the Hoosiers are in fine condition to make a title push.
Strictly talking, Indiana is in place to contend to the top, however the Hoosiers’ Massive Ten begin has been constructed on a basis of the Massive Ten’s worst groups … whereas the powerful video games are nonetheless to return.
It’s true that Indiana hasn’t overwhelmed the cream of the Massive Ten crop. Between them, Minnesota, Rutgers, Penn State and USC are 4-13 in convention play.
It’s additionally true that the subsequent 11 video games Indiana performs characteristic one of the best groups within the league.
The metrics web sites – kenpom.com and barttorvik.com – have all 11 of those video games pegged as Indiana losses of their prediction fashions. 4 of the video games are predicted to be by three factors or much less, however the level is that Indiana nonetheless has work to do to display that they belong among the many Massive Ten’s greatest – at the very least so far as the metrics are involved.
Nonetheless, metrics don’t dribble or play protection. The place there may be on-paper dread there’s additionally alternative for Indiana. As of Thursday, 10 of those 11 video games characterize the prospect for much-needed Quad 1 victories for the Hoosiers. (UCLA fell out of the NET High 25 on Thursday. If the Bruins bought again into the High 25, it might even be a Quad 1 alternative.)
To this point, Indiana solely has a kind of invaluable Quad 1 victories – Sunday’s 77-71 victory over Penn State on the Palestra in Philadelphia counts as a street win. The Hoosiers want many extra to provoke their NCAA Match credentials.
Right here is the complete listing of the 11-game gauntlet to return for Indiana.
Iowa – Jan .11
• Recreation website: Iowa, 8 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Iowa NET rating: 51.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any street win in opposition to a High 75 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Iowa 84-81.
• Iowa scoop: As typical with the Hawkeyes, they’ve a gifted offense and a suspect protection. Iowa ranks twentieth in offensive effectivity by Kenpom and a hundred and twenty fifth in defensive effectivity. Iowa has had extremes like a 97-point efficiency in opposition to Nebraska Tuesday in a win. The Hawkeyes gave up 116 factors to Wisconsin in a loss final Friday.
Illinois – Jan. 14
• Recreation website: Indiana, 7 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Illinois NET rating: 6.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any dwelling win in opposition to a High 25 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Illinois 81-76.
• Illinois scoop: A lot is dependent upon the well being of Illinois freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis. He sat out Illinois’ Wednesday recreation in opposition to Penn State with a forearm harm. Not that it mattered to the Preventing Illini, who beat the Nittany Lions, 91-52. Illinois has scored 80 factors or extra in its final 5 video games.
Ohio State– Jan. 17
• Recreation website: Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Ohio State NET rating: 30.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any street win in opposition to a High 75 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Ohio State 79-73.
• Ohio State scoop: The Buckeyes have received 4 of 5. They have a tendency to play to the extent of their competitors. Ohio State suffered an in depth defeat to twice-beaten Michigan State at dwelling, however it was very lucky to flee Minnesota with a double-overtime win Monday. Ohio State has not misplaced to a staff exterior the NET prime 25.
Northwestern – Jan. 22
• Recreation website: Northwestern, 7 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Northwestern NET rating: 53.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any street win in opposition to a High 75 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Northwestern 72-69.
• Northwestern scoop: By the point Indiana performs the Wildcats, they may have fallen a bit in stature. Northwestern performs Michigan State, Maryland and Michigan between now and the Indiana recreation. Northwestern has misplaced two in a row, albeit each had been street defeats. Nonetheless, Indiana struggles in opposition to Chris Collins-coached groups, and Welsh-Ryan Area is just not a straightforward place to win at.
Maryland – Jan. 26
• Recreation website: Indiana, Midday. ET tipoff.
• Maryland NET rating: 23.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any dwelling win in opposition to a High 25 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Maryland 77-76.
• Maryland scoop: Maryland rose within the rankings after an 11-2 begin, however that is trying like a typical Kevin Willard staff – powerful to beat in Faculty Park, susceptible away from dwelling. Maryland is 0-3 in true street video games to this point – although the Terrapins have been aggressive in all three. Indiana recruit Derik Queen, all 6-foot-10 of him, has given Maryland anticipated punch within the paint.
Purdue – Jan. 31
• Recreation website: Purdue, 8 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Purdue NET rating: 26.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any street win in opposition to a High 75 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Purdue 80-71.
• Purdue scoop: Purdue has performed a Massive Ten schedule much like Indiana’s. A house win over Maryland was stable. Apart from that, the Boilermakers have overwhelmed Minnesota (away) and Northwestern (dwelling) and managed to lose at Penn State. Level guard Braden Smith has demonstrated his worth for Purdue – he’s at present sixth in Kenpom’s Participant of the 12 months calculation.
Wisconsin – Feb. 4
• Recreation website: Wisconsin, 9 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Wisconsin NET rating: 24.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any street win in opposition to a High 75 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Wisconsin 82-74.
• Wisconsin scoop: Just like the Hoosiers, the Badgers are inconsistent. Able to scoring 116 factors in opposition to Iowa, the Badgers additionally scored simply 64 in a house recreation in opposition to Michigan. John Blackwell is having a positive sophomore season, and John Tonje has been a invaluable switch portal addition. Indiana’s historical past in Madison is justly notorious. The Hoosiers haven’t received in Wisconsin’s state capitol since 1998.
Michigan – Feb. 8
• Recreation website: Indiana, 1 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Michigan NET rating: 11.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any dwelling win in opposition to a High 25 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Michigan 80-76.
• Michigan scoop: Michigan has the early lead within the Massive Ten at 4-0. The Wolverines’ wins are professional and embrace victories at Wisconsin, USC and UCLA. With two 7-footers in Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf, Michigan reveals you’ll be able to win with two bigs as main contributors.
Michigan State – Feb. 11
• Recreation website: Michigan State, 9 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Michigan State NET rating: 18.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any street win in opposition to a High 75 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Michigan State 78-70.
• Michigan State scoop: Considerably quietly it appears, Michigan State has received seven in a row. The Spartans have solely performed three Massive Ten video games to this point, so it’s exhausting to get a deal with on how good they may be, although an 89-52 dwelling victory over Nebraska suggests Michigan State’s excessive ceiling.
UCLA – Feb. 14
• Recreation website: Indiana, 8 p.m. ET tipoff.
• UCLA NET rating: 27.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 2 alternative for Indiana. Any dwelling win in opposition to a staff ranked 26-50 within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 2 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: UCLA 71-70.
• UCLA scoop: After an 11-2 begin, the Bruins have misplaced two straight to Nebraska and Michigan. Coach Mick Cronin questioned his staff’s toughness after the house defeat in opposition to the Wolverines, by no means a terrific signal. The query with the West Coast groups is how nicely they journey. This can be a powerful journey for the Bruins as they play at Illinois 4 days earlier than they play the Hoosiers.
Purdue – Feb. 23
• Recreation website: Indiana, 1:30 p.m. ET tipoff.
• Purdue NET rating: 26.
• NET ramifications: This can be a Quad 1 alternative for Indiana. Any dwelling win in opposition to a High 25 staff within the NET is taken into account to be a Quad 1 win.
• Kenpom rating prediction: Purdue 76-75.
• Purdue scoop: The final a number of seasons on this rivalry recreation had been about how Indiana handled the game-altering dimension of Zach Edey. With out Edey, does Indiana have a matchup benefit in opposition to the Boilermakers? If Malik Reneau is again by this level, he and Oumar Ballo may create points for Purdue. The query is whether or not Indiana’s backcourt may cope with Smith, Fletcher Loyer and rising freshmen like C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris and Raleigh Burgess.
