NCAA Basketball: Is Big Ten Basketball the best conference in 2019-20?
By Ryan Kay
Big Ten Basketball has consistently been among the best conferences each year for NCAA Basketball. Is that the case once again this season?
Believe it or not, there are 32 division 1 men’s NCAA Basketball conferences and 351 teams. Out of those 32 conferences, 10 conferences have been identified as the strongest and best overall. Those conferences are the American Athletic, Atlantic 10, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Pac 12, SEC, and WCC. Big Ten Basketball has been playing very well overall against arguably the best 10 conferences in college basketball.
The Big Ten won the Gavitt Tipoff Games 5-3 over the Big East and the B1G defeated the ACC 8-6 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Without much doubt, the Big Ten has proven that they are the best college basketball conference in America and the statistics, data, and most importantly, the individual Big Ten team’s records versus other top 10 conference opponents prove that. Let’s take a look at the non-conference results of each B1G team against the top 10 conference competition.
Purdue
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
A 10: 1-0
ACC: 1-1
Big East: 0-1
Big 12: 0-1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Beat VCU 59-56 in the Emerald Coast Classic.
*On the road beat Virginia 69-40 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge
Iowa
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
Big 12: 1-0
MW: 0-1
ACC: 1-0
Big East: 0-1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*On the road beat Syracuse 68-54 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge
*Defeated Texas Tech 72-61 in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational.
Northwestern
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
MVC: 1-0
ACC: 1-1
Big East: 1-0
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Beat Providence 72-63 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
*On the road beat Boston College 82-64 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge
*Defeated Bradley 78-51 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
Indiana
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
ACC: 1-0
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Defeated No. 17 Florida State 80-64 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
*Undefeated in non-conference play.
Michigan
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
AAC: 1-0
WCC: 1-0
Big 12: 1-0
Big East: 1-0
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Beat Gonzaga 82-64 to win the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.
*Defeated Creighton 77-69 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
*On a neutral court, defeated Iowa State and North Carolina in back to back games.
Penn State
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
ACC: 2-0
Big East: 1-0
SEC: 0-1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Beat Wake Forest 76-54 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge
*On the road, defeated Georgetown 81-66 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
*Beat Syracuse 85-64 in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Illinois
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
ACC: 0-1
PAC 12: 0-1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*On the road, they defeated Grand Canyon 83-71
*Defeated Hawaii 66-53.
Maryland
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
A 10: 2-0
AAC: 1-0
ACC: 1-0
Big East: 1-0
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Defeated Marquette 84-63 to win the Orlando Invitational
*Beat Notre Dame 72-51 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
*Defeated Temple on a natural court to give them their only loss of the year.
Ohio State
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
AAC: 1-0
ACC: 1-0
Big East: 1-0
Non-Conference Highlights:
*On the road beat North Carolina 74-49 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge
*Defeated Villanova 76-51 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
*Beat in-state rival Cincinnati 64-56.
Nebraska
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
PAC 12: 1-0
A 10: 0-1
AAC: 0-1
Big East: 0-1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Beat Washington State 82-71 in the Cayman Islands Classic.
*Defeated South Florida 74-67 in the Cayman Islands Classic.
Minnesota
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
PAC 12: 0-1
Big 12: 0-1
ACC: 1-0
Big East: 0-2
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Defeated Clemson 78-60 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
*Won three of their last four non-conference games.
Rutgers
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
A 10: 1-0
ACC: 0-1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Defeated Clemson 78-60 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
*Beat Stephen F. Austin 69-57 who went to Duke and defeated the Blue Devils their next game.
Wisconsin
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
Big East: 1-0
WCC: 0-1
MW: 0-1
ACC: 0 -1
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Defeated Marquette 77-61 in their in-state rivalry game.
*Won four of their first five non-conference games.
Michigan State
Record vs. the 10 top conferences in non-conference play
SEC: 1-1
ACC: 0-2
PAC 12: 1-0
Big East: 1-0
Non-Conference Highlights:
*Beat UCLA 82-64 on a neutral court 75-62 in the Maui Invitational.
*On the road, defeated Seton Hall 76-73 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
*On a neutral court, defeated Georgia 93-85 in the Maui Invitational.
The data, analytics, and rankings all have the Big Ten as the best conference in America. The Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings has Ohio State #2, Michigan State #4, Purdue #5, Maryland #7, Michigan #12, Indiana #22, and Penn State #23. That is 7 Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25. The AP Top 25 has Maryland ranked #3, Michigan #4, Ohio State #6, and Michigan State #11. The Big Ten still has opportunities in their non-conference schedule to boost their resume as B1G teams start Big Ten conference play this weekend.
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Many fans and college basketball experts can debate who is the best conference in college basketball but the numbers, strength of schedule, and other factors show that the Big Ten is the best conference from top to bottom.