regular season days away...

[whoopdeedoo]

just a little fun in trying to predict the outcome. huskers ended up 9-2 in the ooc. i kinda struggled with 8-3 or 7-4 and settled on 7-4. the main reason is because of the youth at some spots. they did have to fight back in a couple of games, which, probably wasn't a bad thing. you can learn a lot about your team when that happens. good and bad. 

 

as far as the BIG season: nothing new here, but, road games will be tough to pull out 'W's. i am going to say huskers end up with a 12-6 record. should put them in the top 6. i believe PBA will be very kind the huskers, but, they will need to stay healthy to obtain that 12-6 record. 

 

as the season goes on, wouldn't shock me to see a lot of jockeying for spots 3-7. think maryland and osu remain the cream of the crop in the conference, but, wide open for the next few spots.

 

i also predicted the huskers would probably need a first game win in the BIG tourney to reach the 20-game win mark. well, huskers should have no problem reaching that during the regular season now.(crossing fingers) . don't mind eating crow on that one! 

[Bugeaters1]

Before the season people asked me how I thought the Huskers would do in league play. I told them that I thought a fourth place finish was do able. I still have hope's for that, but I think that they will finish fifth or sixth as well.

[cyinne]

According to RealTimeRPI.com here are the conference win/loss predictions.  Take it for what it is worth- This site when doing predictions really bias towards the home team.  At least there is sort of a guide to what could happen this year.

 

1- Michigan State- 13-5

2- Northwestern- 12-6

    Ohio State- 12-6

4- Maryland- 11-7

    Iowa- 11-7

    Purdue- 11-7

7- Nebraska- 10-8

    Rutgers- 10-8

9- Michigan- 9-9

    Illinois- 9-9

11- Indiana- 8-10

12- Minnesota- 7-11

13- Wisconsin- 3-15

14- Penn State- 0-18

[Bugeaters1]

Do you really see PSU going win less? Wisy is about right And MSU is a bit over rated I think.

[HUD]

If we stay healthy and Kendall continues to hit a good percentage of 3 pointers I could see a 13-5 conference season.  Too many injuries and or streaky 3 point shooting and we may struggle to win half of our conference games. Over all  I still think we will be a pleasant surprise.

[redsteve]

We play Maryland and Ohio St just once during regular season, so I still say (since last fall) we'll be about 21-8 during season. That would leave us about 12-6 for B1G.....possibly better?

 

I'm always optimistic....even with all our freshmen. (why not?)

 

With Kyndal beginning to score more freely, just see Nat, Kyndal, and Rachel T,  we'll be a real force week after week. Few other teams have 3 guards that can score like they can. ...and assist....and fast break....and...and..

 

Maddie needs to get well, but Emily, Jazz, and now Esther emerging to add more help...we're just so much deeper overall, than last year.

 

If Jess, Rachel B...Havers & Anya, can continue to be strong in the middle, we'll be tough on the boards.  Ostrander & Washington could provide relief at times.

 

Our defense has began to pick up...not totally there yet but getting better.

 

We're just so much deeper than last year....and we made it to NCAA. In some ways I still think we as good, if not somewhat better than last year. We need to stay healthy, but everyone has that problem.

 

We shoot for better averages now.....remember the 30-35% shooting in some games last year?...and we rebound better.

 

Our faster pace play will bother most everyone we play...(which I love to see) ....expect to see more full court press & slow down press....against us.

 

And Jess getting pounded/fouled in side..unless she hits free throws for better %.  Have to be ready for that.

 

Let the fun begin.  

[Bugeaters1]

We play Maryland and Ohio St just once during regular season, so I still say (since last fall) we'll be about 21-8 during season. That would leave us about 12-6 for B1G.....possibly better?

 

I'm always optimistic....even with all our freshmen. (why not?)

 

With Kyndal beginning to score more freely, just see Nat, Kyndal, and Rachel T,  we'll be a real force week after week. Few other teams have 3 guards that can score like they can. ...and assist....and fast break....and...and..

 

Maddie needs to get well, but Emily, Jazz, and now Esther emerging to add more help...we're just so much deeper overall, than last year.

 

If Jess, Rachel B...Havers & Anya, can continue to be strong in the middle, we'll be tough on the boards.  Ostrander & Washington could provide relief at times.

 

Our defense has began to pick up...not totally there yet but getting better.

 

We're just so much deeper than last year....and we made it to NCAA. In some ways I still think we as good, if not somewhat better than last year. We need to stay healthy, but everyone has that problem.

 

We shoot for better averages now.....remember the 30-35% shooting in some games last year?...and we rebound better.

 

Our faster pace play will bother most everyone we play...(which I love to see) ....expect to see more full court press & slow down press....against us.

 

And Jess getting pounded/fouled in side..unless she hits free throws for better %.  Have to be ready for that.

 

Let the fun begin.  

One thing to add to what redsteve has said above is the assists to baskets made is off the charts, I'd like to see how other teams fair in that department.

[HUD]

I sure hope RB is healthy and ready to go for the Iowa game.  Besides playing tough defense she really goes after defensive rebounds with a passion.  That was severely missing in the last two games where we gave up way too many offensive rebounds.  

[Bugeaters1]

Some comments from Sam Mckewon about the Huskers.

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/young-huskers-show-promise-entering-rugged-big-ten/article_18cc9f40-2a9e-5b4e-8d83-7ce48ddc8d1f.html

[swmckewon]

According to RealTimeRPI.com here are the conference win/loss predictions.  Take it for what it is worth- This site when doing predictions really bias towards the home team.  At least there is sort of a guide to what could happen this year.

 

1- Michigan State- 13-5

2- Northwestern- 12-6

    Ohio State- 12-6

4- Maryland- 11-7

    Iowa- 11-7

    Purdue- 11-7

7- Nebraska- 10-8

    Rutgers- 10-8

9- Michigan- 9-9

    Illinois- 9-9

11- Indiana- 8-10

12- Minnesota- 7-11

13- Wisconsin- 3-15

14- Penn State- 0-18

Yeah, most of that isn't going to happen. 

 

Maryland might lose 2 games in the league and frankly I doubt that. 

[cyinne]

According to RealTimeRPI.com here are the conference win/loss predictions. Take it for what it is worth- This site when doing predictions really bias towards the home team. At least there is sort of a guide to what could happen this year.

1- Michigan State- 13-5

2- Northwestern- 12-6

Ohio State- 12-6

4- Maryland- 11-7

Iowa- 11-7

Purdue- 11-7

7- Nebraska- 10-8

Rutgers- 10-8

9- Michigan- 9-9

Illinois- 9-9

11- Indiana- 8-10

12- Minnesota- 7-11

13- Wisconsin- 3-15

14- Penn State- 0-18

Yeah, most of that isn't going to happen.

Maryland might lose 2 games in the league and frankly I doubt that.

[cyinne]

Yeah pretty much why I said " take it wit what it's worth"

[Row6Seat10]

After watching Maryland this evening giving UConn all they could handle, the odds of the Terps running the table again in conference play are pretty high.

[redsteve]

After watching Maryland this evening giving UConn all they could handle, the odds of the Terps running the table again in conference play are pretty high.

 

Watched also. It was tied in the third qtr. UConn had just enough to pull ahead a couple of points at each couple of basket exchanges, and ended up winning by 10.  The little point guard for UConn was pretty exceptional. Maryland has talent, good shooters, a very good big inside, fast, nice guards. 

 

Top 5 team....nationally. Will win against most anyone.

 

RealTimeRPI.com predicts 7 loses for Maryland...  ha ha ha ha ha ha 

[Row6Seat10]

From the LaFayette Journal Courier: Maryland, OSU lead Big Ten women's basketball race

 

The favorites:

 

Start with Maryland and Ohio State. End with Maryland and Ohio State.

 

This is a two-team race but a key injury or bad chemistry could change the outlook. For now, look for the Terrapins and Buckeyes to separate from the rest of the pack.

 

 

Challengers:

 

If Maryland or Ohio State falter, who is waiting to pounce? Three teams to watch.

Northwestern. The Wildcats have been building for this moment during the last two years, assembling young talent that is ready to blossom into championship form. Granted, Northwestern didn’t play the toughest nonconference schedule – the best win came against depleted North Carolina – but coach Joe McKeown’s team should have enough to guide the Wildcats into a top-four finish.

 

Michigan State. One of the league’s best all-around players, Aerial Powers, does it all. Powers has 36 career double-doubles and is chasing the school record of 43. Powers also has plenty of help from Tori Jankoska, Akyah Taylor and Branndais Agee. The Spartans don’t have the overall individual talent similar to Maryland and Ohio State, but they usually play well together.

 

The easy solution is to pick the winner of Thursday’s matchup between Nebraska and Iowa and slide that team into the final spot. We’re going with the Huskers, who return Rachel Theriot and have a solid nucleus around the senior guard. The difference is freshman Jessica Shepard, one of the top prospects coming out of high school. She’s 6-foot-4 and capable of controlling the inside. She’ll endure some growing pains during the Big Ten season, but Shepard will quickly become a household name.

 

 

[Row6Seat10]

Bobbie Kelsey hopes tough non-conference schedule pays off in Big Ten

 

 

The Badgers posted the worst non-conference record of any Big Ten team. But then, not all non-conference schedules were created equally. The Badgers’ strength of schedule is ranked No. 34 nationally, third-toughest in the conference behind Ohio State (19) and Rutgers (31).

 

On the other end of the spectrum, conference favorite Maryland’s schedule came in at No. 297 — out of 349 — before Monday’s game against No. 1 Connecticut. Others feasting on cupcakes were Nebraska (276) and Northwestern (254).

 

“Our schedule was pretty robust,” Kelsey said. “We had some really good opponents that taxed us.

 

“We’ve been asked to do that. Everybody has been asked to do that, but I’m not at those schools. Maybe it will help us in the end to have played a tougher schedule.”