Since the Big Ten began using an 18 game regular season format, after the 2005-06 season.
All the talk of finishing out 3-1 (13-5 overall) and still needing a W yet in New York at the conference tournament, or needing to run the table to be guaranteed a spot, had me curious to see how we would stack up historically in this regard.
We got our 10th win vs Rutgers yesterday, and looking back on prior seasons I found only four teams finished 10-8 and were denied entry into the Dance.
They were 2016-17 Iowa, 09-10 Illinois, 08-09 Penn State & 07-08 Ohio State.
Furthermore, only TWICE has a team finished 10-8 and WON their first conference tournament game, to ultimately not be selected. Illinois and Penn State mentioned above.
What about finishing 11-7?
Only once, ever. Ohio State in the 2015-16 season finished with eleven conference wins and didn’t dance.
12-6? Has yet happen.
So what about finishing 3-1 this year, to put Nebraska at 13-5?
Would we still need that win in New York? Would the lack of Quadrant 1 wins keep us out, even if our only (not thaaaat) “bad” losses were UFC & St Johns (and possibly one team remaining on our schedule)? It would certainly make history.
We could split the remaining four games, losing two of them, and would still become the first ever 12-6 Big Ten team to not make the tournament, if so happened.
On the weekly podcast, Sean & Robin were discussing this, and brought up an interesting point.. Only once, in the history of Big Ten basketball, has a team won 4 conference road games and then didn’t make the NCAA Tournament. We’ve got our four: @NW, @Rut, @Wisc & @ Minn. Would we make history here, as well?
Would our close losses to some elite teams, and our strong close to the season, allow us to pass the eye test? Obviously there are many factors at play that go into the decision, but by looking at the numbers, we certainly have history on our side.
All the talk of finishing out 3-1 (13-5 overall) and still needing a W yet in New York at the conference tournament, or needing to run the table to be guaranteed a spot, had me curious to see how we would stack up historically in this regard.
We got our 10th win vs Rutgers yesterday, and looking back on prior seasons I found only four teams finished 10-8 and were denied entry into the Dance.
They were 2016-17 Iowa, 09-10 Illinois, 08-09 Penn State & 07-08 Ohio State.
Furthermore, only TWICE has a team finished 10-8 and WON their first conference tournament game, to ultimately not be selected. Illinois and Penn State mentioned above.
What about finishing 11-7?
Only once, ever. Ohio State in the 2015-16 season finished with eleven conference wins and didn’t dance.
12-6? Has yet happen.
So what about finishing 3-1 this year, to put Nebraska at 13-5?
Would we still need that win in New York? Would the lack of Quadrant 1 wins keep us out, even if our only (not thaaaat) “bad” losses were UFC & St Johns (and possibly one team remaining on our schedule)? It would certainly make history.
We could split the remaining four games, losing two of them, and would still become the first ever 12-6 Big Ten team to not make the tournament, if so happened.
On the weekly podcast, Sean & Robin were discussing this, and brought up an interesting point.. Only once, in the history of Big Ten basketball, has a team won 4 conference road games and then didn’t make the NCAA Tournament. We’ve got our four: @NW, @Rut, @Wisc & @ Minn. Would we make history here, as well?
Would our close losses to some elite teams, and our strong close to the season, allow us to pass the eye test? Obviously there are many factors at play that go into the decision, but by looking at the numbers, we certainly have history on our side.
