B1G Radio - Great Conversation

[The RUT]

B1G Radio having a really good conversation about the style of play in the B1G and how it sets up the teams for the NCAAs.

Discussing Underwood taking Kofi on the team to adapt to B1G play instead of using a stretch 4/5 to open the floor up for the tournament.

Saying Purdue has to go on a deep run to change the culture of the B1G.

Caller called in to say teams like Rutgers and Indiana get screwed because our guards are used to being allowed to use their hands on defense, then in the tourney it’s a foul.

Crispin talked about how everyone ragged on Purdue early because of their defense, and his claim was that they were scoring 90 PPG. He said he’d laugh at people complain about their defense when their offense is setting the pace of the game.

 

[bitnez]

You can win playing traditional B1G basketball — the issue is that Kelvin Sampson and Houston are the ones proving it can be done.

 

[The RUT]

You can win playing traditional B1G basketball — the issue is that Kelvin Sampson and Houston are the ones proving it can be done.

Are they?

Houston has had some pretty friendly draws two seasons in a row.

 

[fluoxetine]

If B1G style basketball can't win outside the B1G, then how does the B1G keep pumping up its computer ratings by doing well OOC early in the season? An Illinois / Houston game in December is not fundamentally different than one in March. If there *is* actually a reason for recent B1G underperformance in the tournament (and I don't concede this year as underperformance) it is, IMO:

(1) 20 game schedule
(2) conference tournament finishing on Sunday

Go back to an 18 game schedule and move the tournament one day earlier.

 

[fluoxetine]

Really the only terrible year was last year and I would hesitate to draw any conclusions at all from the COVID season.

 

[bitnez]

Are they?

Houston has had some pretty friendly draws two seasons in a row.

Yes, they’ve made multiple sweet 16s and a final four playing a rugged defensive style. You can discount it if you want but that’s what they have done.

 

[The RUT]

Yes, they’ve made multiple sweet 16s and a final four playing a rugged defensive style. You can discount it if you want but that’s what they have done.

Well look at their draws, they’ve lost their games when they run into talented teams that open the floor up.

Three straight sweet 16s for Houston, this has been their path each year:

2019:
1st Round - Georgia State
2nd Round - Ohio State (B1G style of play)
Sweet 16 Loss - Kentucky

2021:
1st Round - Cleveland State
2nd Round - Rutgers (B1G)
Sweet 16 - 11 seed Syracuse (2-3 zone)
Elite 8 - 12 seed Oregon State (lol)
Final Four - smacked by Baylor

2022:
1st Round - UAB
2nd Round - Illinois (B1G)
Sweet 16 - Arizona (weak 1 seed IMO)

I’m not trying to take anything away from Houston, but it’s not like they ran into a team that plays the style I’m talking about in the OP.

They’re running into either teams they have a significant talent advantage or bruiser teams looking to brawl.