From day one this season, Big Ten Basketball was labeled the ‘crown jewel’ of NCAA Division I Basketball conferences. As a conference, they claimed seven spots in the preseason AP Poll, a reality that would ensure a number of teams remain in the top-25 once conference play rolled around.
Even among all the AP Poll success, there have been a handful of surprises, both positive and negative that has created the landscape that can currently be used to describe the Big Ten. With a non-conference record of 67-14, the Big Ten’s non-conference 82 winning percentage is the best in Division I. Their nonconference record becomes all the more impressive, as they only trail the Big 12 in Conference RPI.
Michigan Basketball winning the conference Regular Season Championship has become the biggest surprise of the season. Juwan Howard and the Wolverines finished 10-10 last season, then entered the 2020-21 season without Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske. To lose just three league games in the Big Ten after losing your top two scorers is impressive.
In the same vein, Purdue Basketball has made an impressive improvement over last season’s tenth place finish. This improvement should have been easier to predict as three of their top five scorers returned and were joined by freshmen Brandon Newman, Jaden Ivey, and Zac Edey.
Going into the Big Ten Tournament, the biggest disappointment is the performance of Wisconsin Basketball. After splitting the Big Ten Regular Season Championship with Maryland and Michigan State last season. The Badgers’ sixth-place finish is a disappointment as four of their top six scorers returned, including their top two offensive threats.
When the Big Ten Tournament begins on Mar.10, 2021, a pair of No.1 seeds could emerge from the wreckage, while a number of players will have performances that will get fans excited for the NCAA tournament, as the Selection Committee will be as interested in the results as any Big Ten fanatic.