Fansided

Top 5 Conferences In College Basketball

By Bryce Olin

Dec 23, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) disputes a call towards his bench during a game against UNLV at Thomas and Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) disputes a call towards his bench during a game against UNLV at Thomas and Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 22, 2014; Berkeley, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Josh Gasser (21) congratulates forward Sam Dekker (15) on the sideline during the second half of the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the California Golden Bears 68-56. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2014; Berkeley, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Josh Gasser (21) congratulates forward Sam Dekker (15) on the sideline during the second half of the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the California Golden Bears 68-56. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Big Ten

Projected Tournament Teams: Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois, Ohio State, Michigan State, Maryland, Minnesota

It feels really weird to present a Big Ten field without Michigan in consideration for the NCAA tournament, but the Wolverines are in a little bit of disarray right now. I don’t think Michigan can be counted out completely, though.

Overall
Rk School W L W-L%
1 Penn State 12 1 .923
1 Maryland 11 1 .917
1 Wisconsin 11 1 .917
1 Indiana 10 2 .833
1 Minnesota 10 2 .833
1 Ohio State 10 2 .833
1 Illinois 9 3 .750
1 Iowa 9 4 .692
1 Michigan State 9 4 .692
1 Northwestern 8 4 .667
1 Nebraska 7 4 .636
1 Purdue 8 5 .615
1 Michigan 7 5 .583
1 Rutgers 7 5 .583

Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 12/26/2014.

Wisconsin is by far the best team in the Big Ten, and they could run the table in conference play. That’s how big of a talent discrepancy there is in the Big Ten. Led by Frank Kaminsky, the Badgers should be the Big Ten team to advance deepest in the tournament and have as good of a shot as anyone at knocking off Kentucky in the National Championship.

The rest of the Big Ten is a little bit weaker than they have been in the past. Getting seven teams into the tournament would be a success for the Big Ten, but six of those teams could be looking at first round exits in the Big Dance.

I’ve been really impressed with Richard Pitino’s Minnesota Golden Gophers and

Michael Bluth’s

Mark Turgeon’s Maryland Terrapins.

Other than those three teams, the rest of the Big Ten has been really unpredictable.

Michigan State is going to struggle before turning it on by the end of the season.

Illinois and Penn State have been good, but how good are they really? I don’t think we quite know yet.

And, Ohio State is heavily relying on a freshman, D’Angelo Russell. You never want that to happen in the Big Ten, unless it’s Greg Oden and Mike Conley.

Top to bottom, the Big Ten might be the deepest conference in the country, but they just don’t have the same quality teams at the top.

There’s definitely an argument to be made for Purdue, Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern, and Indiana for a spot in the tournament, based on their non-conference play so far.

I don’t the Big Ten is getting 11 teams in the NCAA tournament, but I can imagine nine teams getting into the Big Dance by the end of the season.

Next: Big 12