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A statistical look at Michigan State basketball, with a dash of football talk

The Big Ten and the ACC

Posted by kj on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

We interrupt Memphis week to bring you this dispatch from the larger world of college basketball: Yet Another Basketball Blog notes the following:

  1. With two teams still alive, the Big Ten has already matched the number of NCAA Tournament wins (5) we’d expect based on their tournament seeds.
  2. For the second consecutive year, the ACC has sent only one team to the Sweet Sixteen

Given the dominance of the ACC over the Big Ten in their annual nonconference challenge, is it possible that the seemingly boredom-inducing conference play of the Big Ten actually serves as better preparation for the NCAA Tournament than the more visually attractive stylings of the ACC?

Admittedly, we’re dealing with only a two-year time frame here (and, to be fair, the Big Ten only sent one team to the Sweet Sixteen last season). But don’t let anyone tell you the Big Ten is inherently inferior to the ACC. When it comes time to play for the big chips, we do just fine.

Update: Nittany White Out has an expanded and more passionate defense of the Big Ten’s play in the NCAA Tournament relative to the other major conferences.  Right on, I say.

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Filed in big ten, michigan state basketball3 responses so far

3 Responses to “The Big Ten and the ACC”

  1. NittanyWhiteOuton 25 Mar 2008 at 4:23 pm 1

    AMEN! Finally someone else is saying it.

    http://nittanywhiteout.com/200.....-traveled/

    Very well done by the Spartans and Badgers to carry on the conference name. Ohio State is making their own waves in the NIT. If you can get past Memphis and Wisconsin past Davidson and Kansas this could turn out to be a great year for the Big Ten. And finally maybe Dickie V can simmer down about his Duke-North Carolina lovefest.

  2. kjon 25 Mar 2008 at 4:28 pm 2

    Great piece, NittanyWhiteOut. I’m going to revise the post to link to it for anyone who doesn’t click through to the comments.

  3. chitownhawkeyeon 25 Mar 2008 at 4:34 pm 3

    Damn straight.
    Wisky, though occationally painful to watch due to their style, is a solid team that doesn’t make mistakes. And the Spartans are always tough tournament time.
    Top to bottom do we stack up against them? Typically no, but our best vs theirs is a pretty even fight.