Nothwestern Wildcats Recap
Apologies for last week as Covid-19 and my own personal travel affected last weeks northwestern spotlight. The Wildcats had a big week after their covid pause. They win their makeup game at home to Wisconsin, they win on the road at Nebraska, and take care of business at home against Minnesota. Not necessarily a crazy difficult stretch but its the type of games you need to clean up in.
The Wildcats are putting in the work to make the tournament again. I wrote before the season about what the expectations are for Chris Collins at Northwestern. Ultimately that’s what the expectations can be for Northwestern. Make the tourney every few years and maybe win a game or two.
Speaking of expectations…
Purdue Boilermakers Spotlight
Oh boy here we go! I finally get to talk about Purdue.
Purdue is now 10-1 in conference and 21-1 after winning in Ann Arbor and crushing Michigan State in West Lafayette this week. The Boilermakers have built a 3 game lead in the Big Ten over Northwestern in 2nd. It would take several let downs for Purdue to drop the outright title.
Purdue basketball has been defined by two things: Greatness and the Let Down
There have been two types of let downs for the Boilermaker fans over the years.
Injuries: Big Dog and his back, Robbie Hummel and his ACL, Isaac haas and his elbow.
Heartbreak: UVA miracle, bracket cleared but losing to St. Peter’s, north Texas in overtime, VCU, Arkansas pine bluff, etc.
Purdue and Painter are at their very best right now. Alabama lost to lowly Oklahoma, Kansas has dropped 3 straight, UConn has lost a million in a row. Purdue keeps winning every close game at home and away.
Zach Edey is just too dominant with nobody to match him. It’s like he is Greg Oden but there is no team with Roy Hibbert or Joakim Noah and Al Horford in this era of college basketball. Drew Timme, Kyle Filipowski and Dereck Lively, Hunter Dickinson, Mady sissoko, etc. have all failed to stop him.
It is officially time to set expectations for Purdue. The Boilermakers should make the final four and they can win the national title.
Purdue fans will be holding their breath all year waiting on the Let Down. If one comes everyone will say classic Purdue and laugh.
If it doesn’t come… IU fans might have to rethink their Banner argument.
People have been waiting all year for the let down so another team can be ranked number 1. What I’m telling you is that the Let Down might not be coming.
Wisconsin in Freefall
- Badgers have lost 6 of the last 7
- Including 2 at home
- It doesn’t matter that Tyler Wahl is back. Still losing
- The fans have turned against Greg Gard again one year after winning his 2nd B1G title
- At Ohio State, home Northwestern, at Penn State, and at Nebraska are the Badgers next four
- Not an easy stretch but definitely all winnable games if Gard hopes to get the Badgers on the right path
Holtmann on the Hot Seat?
The Buckeyes disappointing season has them at 12th in the conference at a measly 11-10(3-7) as they also have dropped 6 of the last 7. That includes bad losses at home to Minnesota and at Nebraska. The comment section fans have no surprised turned on Holtmann.
Ohio State fans don’t get basketball. They’ve football fans. So, Holtmann’s top five recruiting class excites them. Big names like Bronny James get them excited for games they probably won’t watch and definitely won’t attend. They absolutely don’t understand losing ever and don’t care to watch it happen.
How do you explain to fans who don’t like basketball that it is not football and that you lose games? Sometimes when you lose your best two players to the NBA draft early you get worse. Sometimes when you start multiple freshmen and transfers with no chemistry you struggle. In the preseason I wrote about Holtmann’s team building style and how he reloads not rebuilds. It seems like this year might actually be a rebuilding year.
Ohio State is on the outside looking in on the NCAA tournament this year. This would be the first time in his six seasons Holtmann didn’t make the tournament. The Buckeyes have yet to make the Sweet Sixteen in any of their appearances under Holtmann. In every season but his first the Buckeyes have had double digit losses. In his first season they still had nine.
Ohio State fans should be very excited for next year. The freshmen will get better and there might be another Malaki Branham/Brice Sensabaugh one and done candidate. However, it is undeniable that if the team doesn’t take shape again next year Holtmann is in trouble.
Big Ten Roster changes
- Nebraska loses two players, Emanuel Bandoumel and Juwan Gary, for the season
- Their ability to compete has been stunted as the two bulldogs on defense have been taken away
- Patrick McCaffery has quietly returned as he hopes to continue Iowa’s turnaround
No Explanation Power Rankings
Lots of movement in this week’s No Explanation Power Rankings. Wish I could explain the drastic change after lots of conflicting results this week. Sadly, I cannot as the Committee does not release explanations.
- Purdue
- Rutgers
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Northwestern
- Michigan State
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Penn State
- Ohio State
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next week’s spotlight team is Ohio State. I will be reporting from Ann Arbor as the Buckeyes take on Rival Michigan. Also featured next week is Purdue traveling to Bloomington. Excited to break it all down for you next week.