The B1G Regular Season Champion will be Decided by Win Percentage. Michigan will Clinch Top Winning Percentage by Winning 1 of Final 2 Games

[Franisdaman]

March 2 Update:

The Big Ten confirmed Tuesday March 2, that its regular-season basketball championship will be determined based on winning percentage.

Michigan, at 13-2 (.867) in conference play, is the current leader on the men’s side. Illinois is 15-4 (.789).

The clarification from a league spokesman was needed because Michigan is on track to play just 17 conference games, while Illinois is set to play the full 20.

Assuming no more changes to the schedule, Michigan can wrap up the league’s top winning percentage by winning one of its final two games (both vs Michigan State).

Big Ten confirms winning percentage to determine title

The Big Ten has confirmed that its regular-season basketball championship will be determined based on winning percentage.

apnews.com

ORIGINAL POST (Feb 23):

This is how the B1G is deciding Regular Season Champions. They are going to remain silent, wait things out, & eventually make a determination. They are not going to have any predetermined rules, like they had in football.

Currently, in basketball, Michigan has a 1/2 game lead on Illinois. How will a regular season champion be determined? The B1G, so far, has been silent.

Meanwhile, in wrestling, the B!G waited it out & made this determination today....

 

[markfromj]

“This is how” followed by nothing that says how?

 

[Fan In Black]

Missed games should count as losses to the team that backed out. Is that not fair?

 

[Lumas Etima]

They will just change the rules at the end of the season in order to achieve the desired outcome. It worked for football, right?

 

[Franisdaman]

“This is how” followed by nothing that says how?

from the original post:

They are going to wait things out & eventually make a determination.

Just like they did w/ the sport of wrestling.

 

[Franisdaman]

They will just change the rules at the end of the season in order to achieve the desired outcome. It worked for football, right?

I think they learned their lesson from football. With football, they had rules at the beginning & then had to change them

With basketball, just like they were w/ wrestling, the B1G is being silent, waiting things out. Will we have multiple champions if a team (like Illinois) is ZERO games back? Currently, Illinois is just 1/2 GAME BACK. We will have to wait and see.

 

[Franisdaman]

Missed games should count as losses to the team that backed out. Is that not fair?

Michigan and their fans would not like this rule

 

[DTP2]

Give it to best win percentage and best 20 game record.

 

[markfromj]

from the original post:

They are going to wait things out & eventually make a determination.

Just like they did w/ the sport of wrestling.

Which is not how, but when.

 

[Franisdaman]

Which is not how, but when.

How and when

 

[Auger]

They are going to remain silent, wait things out, & eventually make a determination. They are not going to have any predetermined rules, like they had in football.

Currently, in basketball, Michigan has a 1/2 game lead on Illinois. How will a regular season champion be determined? The B1G, so far, has been silent.

Meanwhile, in wrestling, the B!G waited it out & made this determination today....

View embedded media

In wrestling it's all settled during the B1G Championship anyway. I think in a lot of ways whomever wins the B1G Tournament in basketball this year will be viewed as the real champion of the B1G. The top 4 didn't get a lot of matchups this year against each other. The B1G Tournament is going to be set up perfectly.

 

[MepoDawg#]

“This is how” followed by nothing that says how?

Wait and determine afterwards.

 

[Franisdaman]

In wrestling it's all settled during the B1G Championship anyway. I think in a lot of ways whomever wins the B1G Tournament in basketball this year will be viewed as the real champion of the B1G. The top 4 didn't get a lot of matchups this year against each other. The B1G Tournament is going to be set up perfectly.

its interesting how the B1G Tournament Championship in wrestling is WAY more important than a regular season championship whereas in basketball its the exact opposite.

Concerning basketball, heck, the B1G might not have a regular season champion. We just don't know because they aren't talking.

Other conferences, in comparison, have already come out and said that the team with the best conference winning percentage is the regular season champion.

Now, after tonight, the Illini are 3 games out in the loss column. If Iowa and Illinois can't beat Michigan, Michigan probably wins the regular season title going away, even though they did not play a full 20 games.

 

[Franisdaman]

Wait and determine afterwards.

yeah, having preseason rules for determining division winners and a conference champion did not work for football.

the B1G learned some lessons and is not making that mistake again.

 

[Fan In Black]

if you cant play a game it should be a forfeit. why is that so hard or unfair? I honestly dont understand. Someone enlighten me.

 

[Franisdaman]

if you cant play a game it should be a forfeit. why is that so hard or unfair? I honestly dont understand. Someone enlighten me.

i think every conference out there decided long ago that if a game got postponed or canceled due to covid it would be deemed a no contest

 

[DodgerHawki]

if you cant play a game it should be a forfeit. why is that so hard or unfair? I honestly dont understand. Someone enlighten me.

The thinking would be that the school (Michigan) decided to pause all sports out of precaution for worries over the COVID variant. Won't get into the idiocy of that decision here (well I kind of did). And that the basketball team was not at fault for not playing. The year is just weird. There is no perfect answer. If Michigan beats Illinois and Iowa, hard to argue against them winning. Although they are supposed to play 2 games against MSU and 2 against Indiana yet. If Iowa were to somehow beat OSU and Michigan this week, it becomes a much more interesting discussion.

 

[Fan In Black]

The thinking would be that the school (Michigan) decided to pause all sports out of precaution for worries over the COVID variant. Won't get into the idiocy of that decision here (well I kind of did). And that the basketball team was not at fault for not playing. The year is just weird. There is no perfect answer. If Michigan beats Illinois and Iowa, hard to argue against them winning. Although they are supposed to play 2 games against MSU and 2 against Indiana yet. If Iowa were to somehow beat OSU and Michigan this week, it becomes a much more interesting discussion.

I get it I guess. But if a team misses games it could have lost ( see Illinois tonight) I have a hard time giving them a title. If Iowa missed time it would be easy to say they would have beat some teams they lost too. Im not being homer here. You didnt play the games. Id say the same for wrestling and that is my favorite Iowa sport by far.

 

[Rifler]

The BIG is just hoping for things to play out in a fashion that makes it obvious who the conference champion should be,.. I hope they have to sweat it.

 

[sober_teacher]

To be fair to the b10, I don't know if there's a clear right answer here - as others have said they learned their lesson from football and decided to take a wait and see approach. Illinois losing last night actually did the b10 a big favor. Any argument against making Michigan the regular season champ gets a lot weaker if there's multiple game b/t them and the 2nd place team, whereas the argument for them gets a lot harder if they share the same # of losses in conference. Do you then punish Illinois for going 17-3 and Michigan only 14-3 (idk how many games they have left)?

 

[blockm2]

To be fair to the b10, I don't know if there's a clear right answer here - as others have said they learned their lesson from football and decided to take a wait and see approach. Illinois losing last night actually did the b10 a big favor. Any argument against making Michigan the regular season champ gets a lot weaker if there's multiple game b/t them and the 2nd place team, whereas the argument for them gets a lot harder if they share the same # of losses in conference. Do you then punish Illinois for going 17-3 and Michigan only 14-3 (idk how many games they have left)?

I file it under covid and who cares. It's a weird year. Let everybody hang a banner with an asterisk on it.

 

[Franisdaman]

To be fair to the b10, I don't know if there's a clear right answer here - as others have said they learned their lesson from football and decided to take a wait and see approach. Illinois losing last night actually did the b10 a big favor. Any argument against making Michigan the regular season champ gets a lot weaker if there's multiple game b/t them and the 2nd place team, whereas the argument for them gets a lot harder if they share the same # of losses in conference. Do you then punish Illinois for going 17-3 and Michigan only 14-3 (idk how many games they have left)?

Remember when they made Nebraska play 8 games in 15 days? Nebraska even had to play Maryland on consecutive nights. Get the games in, says the B1G. Unless you're Michigan.

They aren't making Michigan play their final 11 games in the final 22 days of the regular season. I wonder why?

Michigan is now only at 17 conference games. The 3 other contenders are playing the full 20.

Tomorrow night should be fun. As you can see below, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State & Iowa are all playing.


Michigan's (11-1) Remaining Schedule:
W vs PSU
W at Neb
W at MD
W vs N'w
W vs MN
W vs Wisc
L at MN
W vs MD
W at Purdue
W at Wisc
W vs Rutgers
W Feb 21 at OSU

Feb 25 vs Iowa
Feb 27 at Indiana
March 2 vs Illinois
March 4 vs Michigan State
March 7 at Michigan State

Illinois' (12-4) Remaining Schedule:
W vs MN
L at Rutgers
W at PSU
W vs IU
W vs Purdue
W at N'w
L vs MD
L vs OSU
W vs PSU
W vs Iowa
W at IU
W vs Wisc
W at Neb
W vs N'w
W Feb 20 at MN
L Feb 23 at MSU

Feb 25 vs Neb
Feb 27 at Wisc
Mar 2 at Michigan
Mar 6 at OSU

Ohio State's (12-5) Remaining Schedule:
L at Purdue
W vs Rutgers
L at N'w
W vs Neb
L at MN
W at Rutgers
W vs N'w
W at Illinois
L vs Purdue
W at Wisconsin
W vs PSU
W vs MSU
W at Iowa
W at MD
W vs IU
W at PSU
L Feb 21 vs Michigan

Feb 25 vs MSU
Feb 28 vs Iowa
Mar 6 vs Illinois

Iowa's (11-5) Remaining Schedule:
W vs Purdue
L at MN
W vs N'w
W at Rutgers
W at MD
W vs Mn
W at N'w
L vs IU
L at Illinois
W vs MSU
L vs OSU
L at IU
W vs Rutgers
W at MSU
W at Wisc
W Feb 21 vs PSU

Feb 25 at Michigan
Feb 28 at OSU
Mar 4 vs Nebraska
Mar 7 vs Wisconsin

 

[Franisdaman]

Now with the Illini beating Michigan, things have gotten interesting.

The Illini are just 2 games out in the loss column.

The Illini have 2 more wins (15 vs 13 for Michigan).

I still don't get it; the B1G made Nebraska play 8 games in 15 days (Feb 6 thru Feb 20). Nebraska even had to play back to back games (Feb 16 and Feb 17 at Maryland).

So, why aren't they making Michigan play their remaining 11 games in the 22 days left so that they end up having to play 20 games, just like everybody else?

Instead, Michigan is now only at 17 conference games.


Michigan's (13-2) Remaining Schedule:
W vs PSU
W at Neb
W at MD
W vs N'w
W vs MN
W vs Wisc
L at MN
W vs MD
W at Purdue
W at Wisc
W vs Rutgers
W Feb 21 at OSU
W Feb 25 vs Iowa
W Feb 27 at Indiana
L March 2 vs Illinois

March 4 vs Michigan State
March 7 at Michigan State

Illinois' (15-4) Remaining Schedule:
W vs MN
L at Rutgers
W at PSU
W vs IU
W vs Purdue
W at N'w
L vs MD
L vs OSU
W vs PSU
W vs Iowa
W at IU
W vs Wisc
W at Neb
W vs N'w
W Feb 20 at MN
L Feb 23 at MSU
W Feb 25 vs Neb
W Feb 27 at Wisc
W Mar 2 at Michigan

Mar 6 at OSU

Iowa's (12-6) Remaining Schedule:
W vs Purdue
L at MN
W vs N'w
W at Rutgers
W at MD
W vs Mn
W at N'w
L vs IU
L at Illinois
W vs MSU
L vs OSU
L at IU
W vs Rutgers
W at MSU
W at Wisc
W Feb 21 vs PSU
L Feb 25 at Michigan
W Feb 28 at OSU

Mar 4 vs Nebraska
Mar 7 vs Wisconsin

Ohio State's (12-7) Remaining Schedule:
L at Purdue
W vs Rutgers
L at N'w
W vs Neb
L at MN
W at Rutgers
W vs N'w
W at Illinois
L vs Purdue
W at Wisconsin
W vs PSU
W vs MSU
W at Iowa
W at MD
W vs IU
W at PSU
L Feb 21 vs Michigan
L Feb 25 vs MSU
L Feb 28 vs Iowa

Mar 6 vs Illinois

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

Now with the Illini beating Michigan, things have gotten interesting.

The Illini are just 2 games out in the loss column.

The Illini have 2 more wins (15 vs 13 for Michigan).

I still don't get it; the B1G made Nebraska play 8 games in 15 days (Feb 6 thru Feb 20). Nebraska even had to play back to back games (Feb 16 and Feb 17 at Maryland).

So, why aren't they making Michigan play their remaining 11 games in the 22 days left so that they end up having to play 20 games, just like everybody else?

Instead, Michigan is now only at 17 conference games.


Michigan's (13-2) Remaining Schedule:
W vs PSU
W at Neb
W at MD
W vs N'w
W vs MN
W vs Wisc
L at MN
W vs MD
W at Purdue
W at Wisc
W vs Rutgers
W Feb 21 at OSU
W Feb 25 vs Iowa
W Feb 27 at Indiana
L March 2 vs Illinois

March 4 vs Michigan State
March 7 at Michigan State

Illinois' (15-4) Remaining Schedule:
W vs MN
L at Rutgers
W at PSU
W vs IU
W vs Purdue
W at N'w
L vs MD
L vs OSU
W vs PSU
W vs Iowa
W at IU
W vs Wisc
W at Neb
W vs N'w
W Feb 20 at MN
L Feb 23 at MSU
W Feb 25 vs Neb
W Feb 27 at Wisc
W Mar 2 at Michigan

Mar 6 at OSU

Iowa's (12-6) Remaining Schedule:
W vs Purdue
L at MN
W vs N'w
W at Rutgers
W at MD
W vs Mn
W at N'w
L vs IU
L at Illinois
W vs MSU
L vs OSU
L at IU
W vs Rutgers
W at MSU
W at Wisc
W Feb 21 vs PSU
L Feb 25 at Michigan
W Feb 28 at OSU

Mar 4 vs Nebraska
Mar 7 vs Wisconsin

Ohio State's (12-7) Remaining Schedule:
L at Purdue
W vs Rutgers
L at N'w
W vs Neb
L at MN
W at Rutgers
W vs N'w
W at Illinois
L vs Purdue
W at Wisconsin
W vs PSU
W vs MSU
W at Iowa
W at MD
W vs IU
W at PSU
L Feb 21 vs Michigan
L Feb 25 vs MSU
L Feb 28 vs Iowa

Mar 6 vs Illinois

Yep... B1G leadership is going to embarrass themselves again. Different rules for forcing teams to make up games.

Neb.... "You are a W for most teams, so you need to play all your games for the good of the conf"

Mich... "You look like a #1 seed, get your rest"

As much as I like to see Illinois lose... I don't mind seeing Mich get slapped around and the B1G "leadership" have to catch some heat.

 

[Franisdaman]

Soooo who does the B1G crown if Michigan beats MSU twice (assuming they will). Finishing 15-2.

And Illinois beats OSU and finishes 16-4.

Michigan will have a better winning percentage, but Illinois would own the head-to-head.

B1G leadership is about to put their incompetence on display again

Go up 3 posts.

Michigan & Illinois are not tied for 1st place (they are both +11).

How would you decide a regular season champion?

As I stated in the orig post, the B1G is silent this time in terms of how it will decide a regular season champion, and probably for good reason.

 

[Franisdaman]

@IlliniHoops91 , I am putting my objective hat on.

If I were an Illini fan, I would be pissed that:

* Michigan is only playing 17 games
* You have no idea how a conference champion is going to be declared
* If the Illini finish +12 (16-4) and Michigan finishes +13 (15-2), that puts Michigan up 1/2 game. Does that mean Michigan wins the conference championship by that 1/2 game?

Again, nobody knows. The B1G has been silent.

 

[ObeseMuffins]

@IlliniHoops91 , I am putting my objective hat on.

If I were an Illini fan, I would be pissed that:

* Michigan is only playing 17 games
* You have no idea how a conference champion is going to be declared
* If the Illini finish +12 (16-4) and Michigan finishes +13 (15-2), that puts Michigan up 1/2 game. Does that mean Michigan wins the conference championship by that 1/2 game?

Again, nobody knows. The B1G has been silent.

This is easy to me. Conference Tourney Champs are crowned Big 10 CHAMPS.

 

[IlliniHoops91]

@IlliniHoops91 , I am putting my objective hat on.

If I were an Illini fan, I would be pissed that:

* Michigan is only playing 17 games
* You have no idea how a conference champion is going to be declared
* If the Illini finish +12 (16-4) and Michigan finishes +13 (15-2), that puts Michigan up 1/2 game. Does that mean Michigan wins the conference championship by that 1/2 game?

Again, nobody knows. The B1G has been silent.

I don't know what to say. Co-champions? Maybe it should be voted on by committee of B1G board members or something. But if the Illini have a chip on their shoulders entering the NCAA tourney, that could be a good thing. That's the big prize to me. The B1G regular season championship would mean a lot to the players for a lifetime, but I'm more focused on the Illini trying to win it all. The B1G tourney is not a good way to determine the regular season championship unless you add those games onto the regular season totals.

 

[IlliniHoops91]

Big Ten confirms winning percentage to determine title

The Big Ten has confirmed that its regular-season basketball championship will be determined based on winning percentage.

apnews.com

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

Big Ten confirms winning percentage to determine title

The Big Ten has confirmed that its regular-season basketball championship will be determined based on winning percentage.

apnews.com

Lame... But I don't know what the next best option would be in this weird Covid year. Bugs me that they'll play 3 less games.

It doesn't say... but will they use win percentage used for seeding in the B1G tournament? If so, then we have to win out, even with the head-to-head win over Purdue (assuming they beat Indiana)

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[IlliniHoops91]

🤮

 

[Franisdaman]

View embedded media

🤮

Personally, I don't like this.

If Michigan had to play all 20 games, who knows what might have happened. My lord, Michigan lost at Minnesota so anything can happen.

Instead, Michigan could lose at Michigan State on Sunday and if the Illini win their final game March 6 at OSU, the Illini are in 1st place by a half game.


........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-3....1/2...... (.824)


But, because of the win percentage rule that we just found out about we give the title to Michigan??

Bull sheet.

Do I like the Illini? Hell no. Can I be objective? Hell yes.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Personally, I don't like this.

If Michigan had to play all 20 games, who knows what might have happened. My lord, Michigan lost at Minnesota so anything can happen.

Instead, Michigan could lose at Michigan State on Sunday and if the Illini win their final game March 6 at OSU, the Illini are in 1st place by a half game.


........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-3....1/2...... (.824)


But, because of the win percentage rule that we just found out about we give the title to Michigan??

Bull sheet.

Do I like the Illini? Hell no. Can I be objective? Hell yes.

F*** Michigan and Illinois.......and any team that helped cost us the Big Ten regular season title.

Bunch a f***ing a**holes, the lot of them.

 

[IlliniHoops91]

Personally, I don't like this.

If Michigan had to play all 20 games, who knows what might have happened. My lord, Michigan lost at Minnesota so anything can happen.

Instead, Michigan could lose at Michigan State on Sunday and if the Illini win their final game March 6 at OSU, the Illini are in 1st place by a half game.


........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-3....1/2...... (.824)


But, because of the win percentage rule that we just found out about we give the title to Michigan??

Bull sheet.

Do I like the Illini? Hell no. Can I be objective? Hell yes.

It is what it is. We can't change it. There are bigger prizes down the road.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

It is what it is. We can't change it. There are bigger prizes down the road.

Like losing to Iowa.....

 

[Franisdaman]

@Hawkman34 @ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK @goodbyebobby @the24fan @Hawkfan_08 @like-woahh @joelbc1 @IlliniHoops91 @Raptorpeeps


I have been saying since Feb 23 that I did not like the fact that the B1G was being silent on how they would crown their B1G Regular season champion.

And don't forget, Nebraska played 8 games in 15 days to get ALL 20 games in.

Michigan, conversely, was in NO HURRY to get all 20 games in; they could have, but that would have required playing 11 games over 22 days. Coach Howard & Michigan players did not like the thought of having to do that. I wonder why?? Maybe because at the time they were 8-1 and comfortably in 1st place?

There are at least 3 ways the B1G could have determined a B1G Regular Season Champion. And in 2 of the 3 scenarios, the Illini win a regular season championship.

(1) The B1G broke their silence on Monday, March 1st, when they stated that their NEW RULE is that the B1G Regular season champion would be determined by winning percentage. Advantage, Michigan.

(2) Why not make the rule that the team with the most victories wins the B1G Regular season championship? The Illini crushed it with 16 wins; Michigan came in 2nd with just 14 (or at best 15) wins.

Since Iowa was not in the running for a B1G Regular season championship, I think most Hawk fans just glossed over the fact that the B1G ONCE AGAIN was making the rules up as they go.

(3) Or, why not make the rule the same as in B1G Wrestling? If the top 2 teams are separated by 1/2 game or less, then crown co-champions.

In B1G Wrestling, since the top 2 teams were separated by just 1/2 "game," they declared Iowa (5-0) and Penn State (6-0) as co-regular season wrestling champions.

Well, guess what? At the conclusion of today's games, Michigan & the Illini will be separated by THE SAME 1/2 game. So, why not declare Michigan and the Illini co-champions, just like what was done with wrestling?

So, that's 3 different ways the B1G could have decided its B1G Regular season champion. But the B1G chose the ONE rule that benefitted Michigan and screwed the Illini out of a regular season title.

As you can see, right now, Michigan & the Illini are tied in the standings. At the end of the day, 1/2 game will separate them.

The Current Standings:


........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-2....0........ (.875)


If Michigan State beats Michigan today:

........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-3....1/2...... (.824)


If Michigan beats Michigan State today:


........................................Games
..........................................Back
Michigan.................15-2................ (.882)
Illinois.....................16-4.....1/2..... (.800)

 

[Franisdaman]

Illinois has to be pissed. Finished 16-4 to Michigan’s 14-3 and Michigan gets the conference

For Mich, Brooks got hurt early and Wagner was limping on the last play.

I don’t have any problem with Illini fans feeling screwed. Both Iowa and Illinois had to deal with major injuries and still play a full schedule.

Considering that Mich is 0-2 without Brooks, there’s potential losses if they had to play 20 too.

And suddenly Michigan doesn’t have fresher legs than their opponents.

I wish the B1G would have established a minimum number of games played to be eligible for the title. It doesn't seem right Michigan could miss as many games as they did and still be the regular season champion.

the sole “big ten champs” finished .5 games behind Illinois in the final standings.

Warren is a walking clusterf*ck.

We’ve seen that movie.

This rule that finally came out on March 1 that the reg season champion would be decided by winning percentage is a joke.

The Illini finish 1/2 game ahead of Michigan.

Yet according to the March 1 rule, Michigan is your conference champion.


FINAL Standings:

........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-3....1/2...... (.824)

 

[Illinoisman]

This rule that finally came out on March 1 that the reg season champion would be decided by winning percentage is a joke.

The Illini finish 1/2 game ahead of Michigan.

Yet according to the March 1 rule, Michigan is your conference champion.


FINAL Standings:

........................................Games
..........................................Back
Illinois.....................16-4............... (.800)
Michigan.................14-3....1/2...... (.824)

Media wanted their darling Juwan to have every chance possible for this to happen since Izzo was out.

It's pathetic.