lamar stevens
The Big Ten has unveiled their all-conference awards. ASSSEMBLE YOUR ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS!
Seth: So here are the rules: your starting five can't be unplayable together.
Brian: There is an absurd amount of shoehorning going on.
Seth: I think I just read one where the selector was deciding between Zavier Simpson and Xavier Tillman for his starting two.
Brian: We all love Brendan Quinn but his three All Big Ten teams have NINE centers on them.
Seth: I'd like to point out none of these guys playing in the paint have the league's best sky-hook.
FIRST TEAMS
| Selector | Point Guard | Wing | Wing | Wing | Cente |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace | Cassius Winston (MSU) | Ayo Dosunmu (ILL) | Lamar Stevens (PSU) | Jalen Smith (UMD) | Luka Garza (IA) |
| Brian | Zavier Simpson (UM) | Winston | Dosunmu | " | " |
| Seth | Winston | Dosunmu | Stevens | " | " |
| Matt EM | Winston | Dosunmu | Stevens | " | " |
We have most of a consensus. Thoughts on point guards?
Well, do you? [Campredon]
Ace: Cassius Winston is a pretty obvious choice, in my opinion. The Guy on the Big Ten’s best team. Still a pick-and-roll murderer.
Seth: Can't disagree. Also went through an unspeakable personal tragedy, and was the loudest voice in MSU Athletics speaking up for its victims. Winston is now at the top of my list of favorite rivals' players.
This is Cassius Winston when asked if players are seeking out information or isolating themselves and focusing on basketball.
— Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) January 28, 2018
If there's anything to be encouraged by in this whole mess, this might be it. pic.twitter.com/AfgYztw5pv
Ace: Also showed up to demonstrations. Seems like an outstanding dude.
Brian: Winston is obvious even if shoehorned a bit. Simpson goes on the first team: #5 nationally in assist rate and that's with teammates who can't friggin' shoot. Main driver of Michigan's offense. Maybe took a small step back as a defender but still a top-end guy on that end of the floor.
So now it gets tricky. Make the case for your wings!
*twitch* [Campredon]
Ace: Illinois plays Ayo Dosunmu as a lead guard but he’s functionally a 2/3 on defense so this isn’t a shoehorn. Not a great shooter but has improved in the halfcourt and is a monster in transition. Also a good defender.
Matt EM: League-wide the lack of quality SGs/Wings is sort of damning.
Seth: I started trying to avoid a team where everyone's out of position and ended up with 1st teamer C.J. Fredrick.
Ace: See, that’s overcorrecting. Ayo literally plays the two. Being a lead guard doesn’t eliminate your height.
Brian: He's the Alpha on a much improved Illinois team, suffered somewhat from clunky pieces around him who were one-dimensional players.
Seth: I don't think it matters that much who's officially slotted where. I picture a starting five in 2020 should have three guys somewhere on the guard scale.
Ace: Did you watch the Big Ten this year, Seth?
Seth: Till my eyes bled.
BiSB: That's how you know the Northwestern is working.
[After THE JUMP: It's even harder to make a second team]
Current Standings (As Of Feb. 17)
| B1G Record | Overall Record | B1G Efficiency Margin | Record vs. Q1 | KenPom | Torvik | NET | Bracket Matrix Avg. Seed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 11-3 | 21-4 | 5.9 | 7-4 | 8 | 16 | 7 | 2.00 |
| Penn State | 10-4 | 20-5 | 4.1 | 7-3 | 11 | 7 | 17 | 3.38 |
| Michigan State | 9-6 | 17-9 | 7.5 | 5-8 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 5.43 |
| Rutgers | 9-6 | 18-8 | 4.4 | 2-6 | 29 | 23 | 30 | 8.11 |
| Iowa | 9-6 | 18-8 | 2.3 | 7-6 | 21 | 30 | 28 | 6.12 |
| Illinois | 8-6 | 16-9 | 1.9 | 5-7 | 32 | 32 | 38 | 8.32 |
| Wisconsin | 8-6 | 15-10 | 1.9 | 7-8 | 28 | 27 | 31 | 7.68 |
| Michigan | 7-7 | 16-9 | 3.7 | 5-8 | 14 | 13 | 26 | 7.38 |
| Ohio State | 7-7 | 17-8 | 2.1 | 5-6 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 6.16 |
| Purdue | 7-8 | 14-12 | 1.4 | 3-9 | 26 | 19 | 33 | 10.45 |
| Minnesota | 6-8 | 12-12 | -3.0 | 4-10 | 31 | 31 | 44 | next four out |
| Indiana | 6-8 | 16-9 | -6.3 | 4-7 | 49 | 49 | 63 | 10.93 |
| Nebraska | 2-12 | 7-18 | -11.1 | 1-10 | 135 | 129 | 175 | lol |
| Northwestern | 1-13 | 2-18 | -15.6 | 0-13 | 129 | 97 | 157 | nope |
The Big Ten continues to be remarkably compressed—two games in the loss column separate the #3 and #12 teams in the conference. There are still 11 teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament according to the Bracket Matrix; a 12th (Minnesota) is on the wrong side of the bubble but still very much in play.
Speaking of the tourney, the conference is up to three locks after being at one a couple weeks ago. The Athletic's Eamonn Brennan has since moved Penn State and Iowa into the lock category. That's particularly good news for the Hawkeyes, who have tailed off while dealing with mounting injuries of late. At the moment, only three of the top 12 teams—Purdue, Indiana, and Minnesota—are in serious danger of missing the tourney. The Boilermakers could do themselves a huge favor by knocking off Wisconsin at the Kohl Center tonight.
Notable Games This Week
Tonight: Illinois at Penn State (6:30, FS1), Purdue at Wisconsin (7, ESPN)
Wednesday: Michigan at Rutgers (7, BTN), Indiana at Minnesota (9, BTN)
Thursday: Ohio State at Iowa (7, ESPN)
Saturday: Michigan at Purdue (2, ESPN)
Sunday: Penn State at Indiana (noon, FS1), Rutgers at Wisconsin (1, BTN), Maryland at Ohio State (4, CBS)
[Hit THE JUMP for stock up/down and a look at the women's standings.]
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