Torvik and KenPom like Maryland by seven. Besides beating Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan, Minnesota hasn’t won a game on the road since winning at Wisconsin way back on January 3rd. That includes losses to Illinois, Nebraska, and Rutgers.
So yeah, I think the Terps will cover 5.5 at home, though I don’t think it being Senior Night will mean much since they have zero seniors in their rotation (and only one upperclassman in Cowan).
Seems like a good bet sly. MD is a better team, has been off since Sunday, and is still playing for a double bye in the B1G tourney. Minny played Tuesday and probably thinks it punched its ticket there.
Isaiah Livers and Rocket Watts could be added to this list as well. Both had offers from both schools.
Dozens of others that were really great HS players.
Magic and Webber we’re number one players in country.
Cleaves was huge battle.
Denzel vastly under recruited in retrospect.
Johns on there for recency.
I wonder why there is was no talk of Draymond. Didn’t Beilein go hard after him when he got the job?
Yeah Beilein recruited Draymond harder than Izzo did. The thought at the time was that Izzo just offered Draymond so that he wouldn’t go to Michigan.
Wanted Draymond real bad. He was number 1 on my list after watching him in the state title game. He would have been a perfect fit at Michigan. Though his defense might not have ended up as good had he come here.
Draymond was always State. Aunt was a star bb player there.
Initially committed with Tubby at Kentucky because State was out of scholarships until (Maurice Joseph I believe?) a player transferred.
Plus Tubby was great friends with his HS coach Lou Dawkins who played for him at Tulsa.
Tubby left for Minnesota and Izzo offered.
Michigan was never seriously in it for Valentine. Livers and Watts were much more equal in terms of each school having a shot at said player. Feels like they threw Valentine on there sort of as a flex for their home team and being from the Lansing area more than anything.
Draymond committed verbally but never signed.
Heh, I’m shocked to hear that the LSJ would post an article slanted toward MSU!
And, of course, Cassius Winston.
Maryland’s chance at a double bye in the BTT is pretty slim - if Maryland wins, Michigan loses, Purdue wins, AND Wisconsin loses, then the Terps get the #4 seed. The other 15 combinations of outcomes all give Wisconsin the double bye. Still, I expect Maryland to beat Minnesota handily on Friday.
Not a big deal but I distinctly remember Magic Johnson being 3rd in the country coming out of HS behind Albert King out of NYC who went to Maryland and Gene Banks out of Philly who went to Duke.
King ended up 10th pick in NBA draft and Banks 28th in 1981, Magic of course left after Sophomore season 1979
Who is everyone’s pick for All Freshman team? Off top of my head, Iggy (POTY), Langford and Wieskamp would be the no brainers. Who else would get the nods?
Georgy and Ayo are very good but maybe Illini won’t get two
Jalen Smith should probably be on it too, but that’s a lot of forwards/wings. Ayo probably. Gabe Kalscheur has been super underrated this season but he deserves a nod in my opinion.
Different era of course. King and Banks were from big metro areas that facilitated big pub. Lansing Everett was sticksville.
I think we know how it all turned out.
Congrats on the cover, sly!
Does Minny make the NCAAs with a 1st round B1G tournament loss?