Big East - Big 11 Showdown Looming?

[1990Warrior]

Bracketology currently has 6 of the 8 four and five seeds as teams from these two conferences.  Also has 3 of the 4 three seeds as teams from these two conferences suggesting a high probability of us playing a Big 11 team in the second round.

I vote for a rematch with MSU first because revenge would be sweet and second because I think they are the best match-up for us with the rodents a close second.

[BrewCity83]

I'd take Purdue.  I think they're a younger, less experienced version of MU.  We can take them.

Rematch with UW-Madison a close second.  We would beat them at least 75% of the time on a neutral court.

[RawdogDX]

i picked purdue as well but we'd beet any of those teams.

[augoman]

I took Indiana as the least dangerous to MU.  the baaajrs are on an uptick, the boilers are tough and Izzo owns TC.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

I took Indiana as the least dangerous to MU.  the baaajrs are on an uptick, the boilers are tough and Izzo owns TC.

Our ball pressure would limit Gordon and IU's other shooters.

Don't think the Badgers are on a uptick at all. They've played the same all year long.

Purdue would be similar to Indiana with the difference being no inside game to worry about.

MSU would be a tough match-up and not sure how winning once against someone is "owning".

[augoman]

Coobey, given the coaches relationship, and the slaughter we sufferred at MSU's hands, I'd prefer not to play them.

[1990Warrior]

Coobey, given the coaches relationship, and the slaughter we sufferred at MSU's hands, I'd prefer not to play them.

Even with the improved Hayward and McNeal.  I don't think this years team is the same one that lost to MSU in last years tourny.

[tower912]

All of the above

[ChicosBailBonds]

Coobey, given the coaches relationship, and the slaughter we sufferred at MSU's hands, I'd prefer not to play them.

Definitely MSU....I haven't been impressed with them all year sans one game.

[Classof2016]

Purdue is just so SLOW, but MSU only has Neitzel (who can be contained by McNeal).

DJ White would eat Barro alive for Indiana.

[4everwarriors]

I don't think this year's team could beat any of these teams in the tournament.

[NavinRJohnson]

I don't think this year's team could beat any of these teams in the tournament.

What a shock!

[ChicosBailBonds]

I don't think this year's team could beat any of these teams in the tournament.

Why?  All are rated below us....I think Purdue would be tough as would Wisconsin. Indiana and MSU, I'd feel very good about playing.  I watch IU play almost every game....they are a team not playing well right now.

[4everwarriors]

Purdue would be a very tough match-up because they play very good defense and all shoot the ball well. Remember they've beaten UW twice this season. Painter has put together a very good team and seems to be an excellent young coach.

UW is flat out tough to beat if you let them play their tempo and game. While we beat them in Dec., the Badgers have improved dramatically and are very experienced. For all the crap, Butch gets here, I still would have liked him to have chosen the Warriors. Flowers just makes plays.

IU, while not on the top of their game right now, is very talented and presents match-up problems with White. No one has contained Gordon all season even with an injured wrist. He's very fluid and in my opinion very poised for a freshman.

I picked MU over the Spartans last season and embarassingly we had our lunches shoved up the wrong hole. Again, match-up problems exist and Neitzel could go off like last time. Also, Tom's sphincter muscle would be in spasm going against Izzo again.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Purdue would be a very tough match-up because they play very good defense and all shoot the ball well. Remember they've beaten UW twice this season. Painter has put together a very good team and seems to be an excellent young coach.

UW is flat out tough to beat if you let them play their tempo and game. While we beat them in Dec., the Badgers have improved dramatically and are very experienced. For all the crap, Butch gets here, I still would have liked him to have chosen the Warriors. Flowers just makes plays.

IU, while not on the top of their game right now, is very talented and presents match-up problems with White. No one has contained Gordon all season even with an injured wrist. He's very fluid and in my opinion very poised for a freshman.

I picked MU over the Spartans last season and embarassingly we had our lunches shoved up the wrong hole. Again, match-up problems exist and Neitzel could go off like last time. Also, Tom's sphincter muscle would be in spasm going against Izzo again.

Purdue beat UW twice because Purdue is a mini-MU.  Purdue would be the toughest match-up.  Has Wisconsin improved?  I don't know...they play in a bad conference so it's impossible to say.

MSU last year vs this year is night and day.  We also are healthy this year and have more weapons, MSU is not as good.

IU is in total flux right now.  True, no one has stopped Gordon but that hasn't stopped them from struggling down the stretch, including barely beating Northwestern, getting drilled by MSU, squeaking by OSU at home.  I'm watching them right now and they look awful again at home against Minnesota...they're tied with 7 minutes to go.  This team is reeling right now.

[NavinRJohnson]

I would happily play Indiana or Purdue. I think MSU is a bit underappreciated, but I think we'd probably win. I would not care to play Wisconsin again. They're pretty good, and as much as I hate him, Count Chocula is a good coach, and I would not want to have to face him again.

[spartan3186]

Just for full disclosure I am a MU fan first and foremost but also a Mich St fan. I don't know how you say there are not as good... they returned EVERYBODY, with the exception of Maurice Joseph who only averaged like 7 minutes a game, from a team that owned us last year. This would essentially be the exact same matchup as last year. Some will say we are better because of Lazar and I would agree, but they are also better because of Ramar Morgan. They also added two stud freshman that are coming off the bench to contribute in Chris Allen and Kalin Lucas. Sure they have looked bad in a few games but for everyone of thsoe they have looked outstanding. They should have beat UCLA, they walloped on IU and they beat a good Texas team. On top of that Tom Izzo may be one of the best tournament coaches I've ever seen. His teams constantly play above their seed, I read an article about it a year or two ago, I'll try and find it. Michigan State would be one of the last teams I would want to face, I have no idea why anyone would wish for that matchup, its a disaster waiting to happen.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just because you return everybody doesn't mean you get the same performance from everyone the following year.

Was DJ as good his sophomore year as he was his freshman year despite returning?

[AlumKCof93]

How much of our loss to MSU had to do with how good they are vs how bad we were.  At the BE tournament last year, we played terrible against St. Johns' but won b/c, well, we played St. Johns.  Then we were awful against Pitt and lost.  With all due respect to MSU, I don't know who we would have beaten last year in the tournament given how we played in that game and in the BE tournament.

[BrewCity83]

Don't forget, we played MSU last year without Jerel.  He can shut down Neitzel.