This B1G Week 1/25-31

Hello and welcome friends to another edition of This B1G Week. The main story in the Big Ten right now is teams going on pause due to COVID-19 outbreaks in their programs/departments. Michigan State is finally getting back to playing this week while their in-state rivals Michigan are going on a state-imposed two-week pause causing their next four games to be postponed. Nebraska has only played twice this calendar year and won't play again until February 3rd. If the Huskers come back on the 3rd they'll have played once in 32 days and will need to play 15 games between February 3rd and March 7th.

This week we are adding a brand new segment called The Bracketology Report. In this segment we'll list out the Big Ten teams that are currently projected to be in the NCAA Tournament, and the current seed projection, based on Bracket Matrix's latest update. Bracket Matrix aggregates many of the top bracketology sites, averages each team's seed, and says who is in the tournament based on their average seeding.

Big Ten Game of the Week

Friday - 9 pm - FS1- Iowa @ Illinois - Two of the top four teams going at it on a late Friday night. I see this game as a toss-up but I am 100% certain a team from a state that starts with the letter I will win.

Nonconference Game of the Week

Saturday - 6 pm - ESPN - Kansas @ Tennessee - The Big 12 SEC Challenge has become a fun way to end January each year. The Jayhawks and Volunteers are both teams that are good but not great. Kansas is riding a three game losing streak and I think they'll turn it around once they face Rocky-Top.

Team of the Week

Penn State Nittany Lions - Penn State have quickly gotten hot. After losing their first five conference games the Nittany Lions won both games last week giving them their first winning streak since their first two games of the year. 

Team of the Weak

Northwestern Wildcats - The 'Cats are in a rough rough patch. They started as the story of the league by winning their first three conference games. Now they haven't won since Boxing Day, losing seven straight games. 

Bracketology Report

Teams In The Field (According to Bracket Matrix) - Nine Teams In The Field: Michigan (1 Seed), Iowa (2 Seed), Wisconsin (3 Seed), Ohio State (4 Seed), Illinois (4 Seed), Minnesota (5 Seed), Purdue (7 Seed), Indiana (10 Seed), Rutgers (10 Seed)

Actual Rankings

1. Michigan - 8-1 - 13-1
2. Iowa - 6-2 - 12-3
3. Wisconsin - 6-3 - 12-4
4. Illinois - 6-3 - 10-5
5. Ohio State - 6-4 - 12-4
6. Purdue - 6-4 - 11-6
7. Minnesota - 4-5 - 11-5
8. Indiana - 4-5 - 9-7
9. Rutgers - 4-6 - 8-6
10. Maryland - 3-6 - 9-7
11. Northwestern - 3-7 - 5-8
12. Michigan State - 2-4 - 8-4
13. Penn State - 2-5 - 5-6
14. Nebraska - 0-5 - 4-8

B1G Picks

Wednesday

7 pm - BTN - Penn State @ Ohio State

Grant's Pick: Ohio State, Troy's Pick: Ohio State

9 pm - BTN - Wisconsin @ Maryland 

Grant's Pick: Wisconsin, Troy's Pick: Wisconsin

Thursday 

7 pm - FS1 - Michigan State @ Rutgers

Grant's Pick: Michigan State, Troy's Pick: Michigan State

Friday

9 pm - FS1 - Iowa @ Illinois

Grant's Pick: Illinois, Troy's Pick: Iowa

Saturday

3 pm - BTN - Wisconsin @ Penn State

Grant's Pick: Wisconsin, Troy's Pick: Wisconsin

7:30 pm - BTN - Minnesota @ Purdue

Grant's Pick: Purdue, Troy's Pick: Purdue

Sunday

1 pm - CBS - Michigan State @ Ohio State

Grant's Pick: Ohio State, Troy's Pick: Ohio State

7:30 pm - BTN - Rutgers @ Northwestern

Grant's Pick: Rutgers, Troy's Pick: Rutgers

Grant's Previous Week Pick Record: 6-5

Grant's Total Pick Record: 100-32

Troy's Previous Week Pick Record: 4-7

Troy's Total Pick Record: 99-33



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