Wanted to see everyones B1G predictions for next year:
Mine
- Michigan St
- Wisconsin
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Purdue
- Maryland (assuming Trimble leaves)
- Ohio St
- Northwestern
- Penn St
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Rutgers
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Are we going to do this again once the rosters are complete.
Yes we could do that also
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There’s just so much up in the air right now, all I know is that Wisconsin and MSU will be good.
Posted a few weeks ago but nothing has changed http://www.btpowerhouse.com/2016/3/28/11304050/way-too-early-2016-2017-big-ten-power-rankings-michigan-state-spartans-predictions
MSU will certainly have a lot of young potential, but I am not sure how good the team will be. They graduate their top three players and if Davis leaves, they lose their best four. What remains is a bunch of role players of whom only one guy should even start. It would be interesting to see Izzo start four freshmen, a first, I am sure. It might not make for good chemistry either.
MSU will be good because they are basically always good.
Michigan St is going to be good because they have 2 5-star and 2 4-star players coming in along with a lot of good role players regardless of if Davis stays or goes. If Davis stays the lineup is Winston/Langford/Bridges/Davis/Schilling with Tum Tum, Nick Ward, Alvin Ellis, Kenny Goins, Erron Harris, McQuaid on the bench. If Davis goes then Erron Harris starts at the 2 and everyone moves up and they go small ball. Regardless they are a top 10 team period end of discussion.
Top ten period end of discussion? That’s a bit of a reach. They might be in the discussion for top 10. Maybe. But they didn’t get Jackson. If they lose Davis, they are definitely not top 10. They are going to take a step back.
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Take a step back from losing in the first round? I doubt that. .
Bridges is going to take cbb by storm next year. He is a freak.
They’ll be very good, but it’s not like they aren’t losing anything. “Taking a step back from the first round” is not a fair way to define their season. They were one of the 5-6 best teams in the country all year, one game in March doesn’t change that.
Bridges is great, but I’d take Denzel Valentine on my team over Bridges.
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I wonder if Davis will lean toward leaving now that Josh Jackson has committed to Kansas. I think their weak spot is at Point Guard. Nairne is a little bit of a disaster and I have never been sold on Winston. My prediction is: With Davis they will be top 10. Without Davis they will be top 20-25 with some embarrassing losses.
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They are bringing in more than they are losing and by the end of the year, that will be evident.
I fully expect some growing pains early on for them.
Let’s revisit that Denzel Valentine or Bridges next March. I agree with you, a 4 year DV is a bigger asset to a team than a true freshman one and done, however, it’ll be closer than you think IMO.
**And no, I do not expect bridges to fill up a box score like Valentine but I do expect him to take over games by the end of the year.
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Valentine’s playmaking is almost irreplaceable short of reincarnating Magic Johnson. Forbes was one of the best 3point shooters in the country–I doubt that will be replaced. Losing Costello they can overcome if Davis stays. If Davis splits (he should) then I see them underachieving.
MSU’s current situation reminds me of Ohio State losing Evan Turner and then bringing in the Sullinger, Craft, DeShaun Thomas class. Obviously you cannot replace what Valentine was for that team but two McDonald’s all American wings is not necessarily a talent downgrade
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Definitely think that they will have a very good team. But don’t forget that OSU team had and that OSU team had Diebler, Lighty and Buford as upperclassmen.
Yes. I think they’ll miss the tournament.
Come on. “Take a step back” as in they won’t be a top-5 team all season long. Their new guys are good, but they won’t be better than Valentine, Forbes, and Costello were last year.
It will be interesting watching Izzo with a young group. On the whole, he has done better with upperclassmen, even if less talented, than with highly ranked youngsters.
I think it’s still early to put together all 14 teams. I feel comfortable putting Wisconsin, MSU at the top. The last time MSU lost a player like Valentine they still had a very good year and they may have more talent than that team. OSU has had some defections but if Tate returns from surgery they have a good group of talent.
One team I will find interesting to watch is Illinois with seniors like Nunn/Hill, maybe they can get something out of Abrams, an improving Coleman-Lands, maybe Leron Black comes back healthy.
Just playing devil’s advocate here, but isn’t this the type of case some UM fans have been making and getting shot down pretty hard?