It is NOT unheard of for teams in the Big 10 to go on runs of winning streaks. Some recent examples include NON-top 25 teams with "surprising" winning streaks that carried them into the NCAA, out of nowhere:
1) Penn St., 2022-23: Won 5 of their last 6 regular season games and 3 in the Big 10 tourney (so 8 of 10) ... 22-13 before the NCAA. However, no "bad" losses, I'll admit.
2) Northwestern, 2022-23: Won 6 straight in February, and 9 of 11 from late January into February (did stumble at the end) - and again, I'll admit, no bad losses.
3) Maryland, 2020-21: Got into the NCAA with a 15-12 regular season record, 1-1 in the Big 10 tourney for a 16-13 record ... won 6 games in a row towards the end of the season.
4) Maryland, 2022-23: Even more appropo, than Maryland of 2 years prior ... From January 25, won 8 of the next 10 games before losing their last 2, to finish 20-11 regular season.
My point is Big 10 teams CAN go on real winning runs, even if they are not Top 25 teams - and those runs CAN carry teams into the NCAA.
1) Penn St., 2022-23: Won 5 of their last 6 regular season games and 3 in the Big 10 tourney (so 8 of 10) ... 22-13 before the NCAA. However, no "bad" losses, I'll admit.
2) Northwestern, 2022-23: Won 6 straight in February, and 9 of 11 from late January into February (did stumble at the end) - and again, I'll admit, no bad losses.
3) Maryland, 2020-21: Got into the NCAA with a 15-12 regular season record, 1-1 in the Big 10 tourney for a 16-13 record ... won 6 games in a row towards the end of the season.
4) Maryland, 2022-23: Even more appropo, than Maryland of 2 years prior ... From January 25, won 8 of the next 10 games before losing their last 2, to finish 20-11 regular season.
My point is Big 10 teams CAN go on real winning runs, even if they are not Top 25 teams - and those runs CAN carry teams into the NCAA.