Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Why conference is better than the ACC in 2018-19

By Adam Childs

COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans shouts instructions to his team in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans shouts instructions to his team in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 13: Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Isaiah Livers #4 of the Michigan Wolverines at Breslin Center on January 13, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 13: Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Isaiah Livers #4 of the Michigan Wolverines at Breslin Center on January 13, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

1. The top two teams are better

The Big Ten and the ACC both have two teams that seem to be a step above the rest. The Big Ten has Michigan and Michigan State, while the ACC has Duke and Virginia. All are great teams, no one is arguing that. They all could easily win the national championship and would not be a shock to anyone if they did. They are the face of each conference and they have all played great basketball this year. You could even make an argument that any of them could be the number one team in the country right now.

Duke looked unstoppable early in the year, but Gonzaga was able to get them in a great game. But then some teams started to get close to them showing that if you could force them into a half court game you had a chance. Now the blueprint on them is to play a zone. Virginia only has one loss and that is to Duke, but many are still wary of what happened in the NCAA tournament last year even though it has nothing to do with this year.

Michigan State does have three losses this year but none of them are bad and they have been as hot as any team in the country even though they are missing Jeremy Langford. Michigan has been the surprise of the year after many thought they would be down after losing three top players. Instead, they have just one loss, on the road against Wisconsin, and have arguably the best defense in the country, even better than Virginia.

You could make an argument for any of those teams and they might even split a ten game series. But the Spartans and Wolverines have just looked better lately. Duke did overcome their injury to Tre Jones but have had some trouble pulling away from teams, including Georgia Tech this weekend. Michigan and Michigan State have been beating teams all year by double digits.

Duke has the worst loss of any of the four teams and that was at home against Syracuse after they lost Jones during the game. The difference between these teams is very thin, but give the edge to the Michigan schools and the edge then to the Big Ten.