Wisconsin

[gotime909]

I love how he sprints on a cut with Langford trailing and he comes to a complete halt and falls over and gets a foul drawn as Langford puts the brakes on behind him. What a joke

I think the refs realized he was flopping after that one. He was actually hit a few times shooting after that and they let it go.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Bridges has absolutely stunk the past few games

For a "superstar"....Bridges has stunk most of the season. He has a bad handle, isn't a good passer and has average court awareness.

His NBA career has Morris Peterson written all over it.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

For a "superstar"....Bridges has stunk most of the season. He has a bad handle, isn't a good passer and has average court awareness.

His NBA career has Morris Peterson written all over it.

Actually, he strikes me as a high end 3-and-D player. It's true teams probably shouldn't be looking at him as a shot creator (kind of the difference between role player and star), but that's hardly a bad player. Bridges has the athleticism and defensive awareness to be really good on that end. He'll need a good coach at the next level, but he would be an ideal fit on a good team. Take away most of those threes he took off the dribble, and he looks like a really damn good shooter. He's nearly 90% from the free throw line (the best indicator of NBA 3 pt%), he could be great as a spot-up threat. Also, while he's not a great passer, he's aware enough to make the easy passes, which is all a spot-up shooter needs on a smart NBA team.

I think a reasonable NBA comparison is Jae Crowder. That might sound bad since Crowder was taken in the second round, but he was actually a fantastic role player. Bridges may eventually become the 4-position defender Crowder became, while potentially being a better shooter. Bridges is certainly further along as a player now than Crowder was when he was drafted (also two years younger).

 

[johnny2x2x]

Big Ten Champs, #1 seed in the conference tourney, 28-3.

Season has gone about as expected. Pity that some of our early opponents collapsed this year or we'd have a few more top end wins. We lost to 3 top 15 teams and we had bad games against 2 of those while those 3 teams combined for 5 guys getting career highs.

Need to win the BTT to get a #1 seed, should be a 2 with a round 1 win.

First half was the best we've executed our offense all season, we only built a 7 point lead because Bridges, Langford, and JJJ were cold shooters. You can see flashes of us beginning to peak, I hope we can play a complete game in the Big Ten Tourney.

Cassius Winston is the best player on the team right now and he has been for a while. He is growing by leaps and bounds as a floor leader. He knows when to run, when to shoot, and when to set the offense up. We go as far as he takes us.

 

[MSUMatt28]

Big Ten Champs, #1 seed in the conference tourney, 28-3.

Season has gone about as expected. Pity that some of our early opponents collapsed this year or we'd have a few more top end wins. We lost to 3 top 15 teams and we had bad games against 2 of those while those 3 teams combined for 5 guys getting career highs.

Need to win the BTT to get a #1 seed, should be a 2 with a round 1 win.

First half was the best we've executed our offense all season, we only built a 7 point lead because Bridges, Langford, and JJJ were cold shooters. You can see flashes of us beginning to peak, I hope we can play a complete game in the Big Ten Tourney.

Cassius Winston is the best player on the team right now and he has been for a while. He is growing by leaps and bounds as a floor leader. He knows when to run, when to shoot, and when to set the offense up. We go as far as he takes us.

Winston has been the team's MVP the last month. Also today JJJ was terrific defensively in the second half. They finally put him on Happ in the second half trusting he wouldn't get into foul trouble and he was able to hold his ground and bother Happ without commiting fouls. Then late he was switching and getting out and guarding Davidson who had been hitting everything he was throwing up, and that was the end of him as a 3-point threat.

For the team to become the team they looked like they might be early in the season, Langford needs to play like he was back then in the wins over UNC and Notre Dame. When he (or perhaps McQuaid picking up the slack) is playing well, then there is not much that teams can do to defend everybody.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Cassius Winston is now at 54.2% from 3 on the year. Way ahead of the best 3 point shooting season in Big Ten history which was 50.2%. He's 16-20 from 3 in his last 4 games.

 

[Spartanmack]

Big Ten Champs, #1 seed in the conference tourney, 28-3.

Season has gone about as expected. Pity that some of our early opponents collapsed this year or we'd have a few more top end wins. We lost to 3 top 15 teams and we had bad games against 2 of those while those 3 teams combined for 5 guys getting career highs.

Need to win the BTT to get a #1 seed, should be a 2 with a round 1 win.

First half was the best we've executed our offense all season, we only built a 7 point lead because Bridges, Langford, and JJJ were cold shooters. You can see flashes of us beginning to peak, I hope we can play a complete game in the Big Ten Tourney.

Cassius Winston is the best player on the team right now and he has been for a while. He is growing by leaps and bounds as a floor leader. He knows when to run, when to shoot, and when to set the offense up. We go as far as he takes us.

I worry that there is something to that - some teams or somebody seems to go off against us and have their best nights way too frequently. Sure everyone wants to give their best against a top ranked team but it seems to happen more than it should. Hard to be too critical of the defense that shuts teams down at times, or responds in the 2nd half to a lousy first, but hopefully they get it figured out so it doesn't happen at the wrong time like two years ago.

As for the record, if I recall correctly most people here predicted or agreed we'd go 16-2 and anything less would be a disappointment. Well, we got there but there's still some cause for concern - down year for the B1G, the two losses were to good teams but bad losses, etc. Normally I don't care if we lose somewhere along the way in the BTT but this year, with the week off after, I'd like to beat OSU in the final for a momentum booster heading into the NCAA. Purdue would be fine too but I'd rather get another crack at the buckeyes.

 

[johnny2x2x]

I worry that there is something to that - some teams or somebody seems to go off against us and have their best nights way too frequently. Sure everyone wants to give their best against a top ranked team but it seems to happen more than it should. Hard to be too critical of the defense that shuts teams down at times, or responds in the 2nd half to a lousy first, but hopefully they get it figured out so it doesn't happen at the wrong time like two years ago.

As for the record, if I recall correctly most people here predicted or agreed we'd go 16-2 and anything less would be a disappointment. Well, we got there but there's still some cause for concern - down year for the B1G, the two losses were to good teams but bad losses, etc. Normally I don't care if we lose somewhere along the way in the BTT but this year, with the week off after, I'd like to beat OSU in the final for a momentum booster heading into the NCAA. Purdue would be fine too but I'd rather get another crack at the buckeyes.

Me too, I'd like to play Maryland, Michigan, and then Ohio State in the BTT. Winning those 3 games would make 4-3 vs Quadrant 1 and 8-0 vs Quadrant 2. I think that coupled with 31-3 would be a #1 seed.

 

[SpartyNash]

I love the moron bracketologists that have us as a 3 seed as of today. So we’re ranked #2/1 in major polls with all 3 losses versus top 15 teams and wins over UNC and Purdue yet they’re treating us like we’re a midmajor playing in the Missouri Valley Conference whose best win is Drake. I understand why we might not be a 1 at this date in time, but any lower than 2 is going off pure numbers based analysis and nothing off the eye test. Probably the same people who used to value Ben Zobrist as better than Miguel cabrera a few years ago because his WAR was higher.

 

[johnny2x2x]

I love the moron bracketologists that have us as a 3 seed as of today. So we?re ranked #2/1 in major polls with all 3 losses versus top 15 teams and wins over UNC and Purdue yet they?re treating us like we?re a midmajor playing in the Missouri Valley Conference whose best win is Drake. I understand why we might not be a 1 at this date in time, but any lower than 2 is going off pure numbers based analysis and nothing off the eye test. Probably the same people who used to value Ben Zobrist as better than Miguel cabrera a few years ago because his WAR was higher.

And what about the #1 and #2 in our region if we do end up with a 3 seed, how pissed will they be? Yeah, we're 25-7, we got a 1 seed and for some reason 31-3 Michigan state is the 3 seed in our region.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Cassius Winston is now at 54.2% from 3 on the year. Way ahead of the best 3 point shooting season in Big Ten history which was 50.2%. He's 16-20 from 3 in his last 4 games.

Winston has had a great year shooting the ball....no doubt.

Shawn Respert is the best shooter in MSU history.....probably in big 10 history.

 

[Spartanmack]

Me too, I'd like to play Maryland, Michigan, and then Ohio State in the BTT. Winning those 3 games would make 4-3 vs Quadrant 1 and 8-0 vs Quadrant 2. I think that coupled with 31-3 would be a #1 seed.

not to mention beating 2 of the 3 teams that beat us this year. I haven't seen Nebraska play all year, I would like to think michigan would beat them if they played well but Nebraska did destroy them in their one game at Nebraska.

 

[Spartanmack]

I love the moron bracketologists that have us as a 3 seed as of today. So we?re ranked #2/1 in major polls with all 3 losses versus top 15 teams and wins over UNC and Purdue yet they?re treating us like we?re a midmajor playing in the Missouri Valley Conference whose best win is Drake. I understand why we might not be a 1 at this date in time, but any lower than 2 is going off pure numbers based analysis and nothing off the eye test. Probably the same people who used to value Ben Zobrist as better than Miguel cabrera a few years ago because his WAR was higher.

Interesting move in the coaches poll this week as well. It probably has something to do with the $400 Bridges' mom supposedly got, I'm not surprised some coaches would penalize us for that.

 

[Spartanmack]

I absolutely love this bracket, maybe we should lose in the first round of the BTT and take the 2nd seed in the midwest, or would we have to win one BTT game to get the 2? Maybe we drop to the 3 if we don't win a game at MSG...

 

[MSUMatt28]

I would take a bracket with Xavier as the #1 seed all day long. They are fraudulent and Villanova showed that twice.


Though I hear JP Macura on their team makes Davidson's antics from yesterday look like child's play.

 

[Spartan23MSU]

even if we win the b10 tournment will get shafted just like the bowl games several years in a row. How are we not a #1??? retarded

 

[SpartyNash]

I absolutely love this bracket, maybe we should lose in the first round of the BTT and take the 2nd seed in the midwest, or would we have to win one BTT game to get the 2? Maybe we drop to the 3 if we don't win a game at MSG...

I think a quick loss in the BTT and we will be locked at a 3 seed. 2 wins for sure locks us as a 2 at worst. Win it all and we are a 1, there’s no way the committee couldn’t give us the nod.

Edit: although now that I think of it we got completely hosed in 2016 by not being a 1 seed over Oregon. Not that it mattered since we pissed it away against MTSU.

 

[Spartanmack]

They might want to try doubling Happ in the post vs letting him dribble all day long in there. I am not sure Wisconsin can burn you with the 3 the way Izzo feared Purdue would.

I agree, but a bracket with Auburn and Clemson where we're the 2 or 3 seed would just be too good to be true.

Does the committee put out an update to their bracket from a couple weeks ago or is that the only teaser before selection Sunday? If so, can someone provide a link? I can't find anything since the original where they had us slotted at 11 (3rd three seed).

 

[SpartyNash]

I agree, but a bracket with Auburn and Clemson where we're the 2 or 3 seed would just be too good to be true.

Does the committee put out an update to their bracket from a couple weeks ago or is that the only teaser before selection Sunday? If so, can someone provide a link? I can't find anything since the original where they had us slotted at 11 (3rd three seed).

I?m pretty sure their teaser from a few weeks ago is their only one if I recall last year when they did this for the first time