The Wisconsin Badgers have just two non-conference games left on their schedule. In a week and a half, they begin the extended portion of their Big Ten schedule, two full months of conference clashes. While Wisconsin definitely figures to absorb its share of hits in the 2020 Big Ten, the good news attached to the Big Ten’s depth is that it means nearly any win in this league is going to be a quality win. Wisconsin, if it is good enough to go .500 in the Big Ten this season, will likely collect several high-value wins which will look very good in March.
Just look at how the analytics are valuing the Big Ten just before Christmas:
Big Ten now has 12 top-55 Kenpom teams.
— Bart T🏀rvik (@totally_t_bomb) December 22, 2019
Saturday magnified the depth on display in Big Ten basketball. Minnesota followed its knockout of Ohio State with a 20-point win over Oklahoma State. Iowa went to Chicago and dispatched Cincinnati, adding to its resume. Indiana dug out a close win over Notre Dame. No, not all Big Ten teams answered the bell (hello, Nebraska), but it is clear that a lot of teams in the conference are capable of scoring high-end wins on their best nights.
Yes, part of this reality is due to the top tier of college basketball being comparatively weak this season. There is no dominant team in the sport, and if Gonzaga goes to No. 1, the fact that the Zags play in the West Coast Conference might mean they will retain the top ranking for several weeks. As we saw in last year’s NCAA Tournament, though, being a top seed didn’t mean Gonzaga was ready to compete for a national championship. Texas Tech clearly outplayed GU in the Elite Eight.
Nevertheless, even though there is no dominant team in college basketball, there are a lot of good teams capable of being great for a night or two. The Big Ten sits squarely in the middle of this dynamic, which means that Wisconsin should be able to improve its NCAA portfolio most of the times it takes the court in conference play. No, Nebraska and Northwestern won’t enhance UW’s profile, but nearly everyone else will. It might not feel great to have a 9-11 conference record, but that could be enough to make the Big Dance if the nine wins are strong enough.
That is something to keep in mind for Wisconsin in these final days of 2019.