Feast Week Day One: Over/Under How Many Wins For The Big 10?

Each of the last two years, I’ve won a March Madness prop bet on how many wins the Big 10 teams will earn as a combined effort. As the Big 10 homer that I am, I bit on the Over both times. And, way to go good guys! I won both times. Last year, for Feast Week, I did a post breaking down the various fields with Big 10 teams and tried to determine just how many wins the league would get. While the oddsmakers wont release a line on how many wins the Big 10 will get during Feast Week, we’re going to set a line and try to get some opinions on the matter. Consider it practice for the eventual prop bet come March. These arent anything close to a comprehensive preview of these tournaments. And, we’ll have plenty more to say about all these games as the week plays, so apolgies in advance if we’re too brief on each field. Also, a couple of more notes on the post. For this exercise we are ignoring those preliminary games for these events. The Big 10 teams advance into the main field, win or lose, so we’re limiting this game to those games. And, only seven teams are playing in a tournament event. Ohio State, Indiana, Penn State and Northwestern arent in any Feast Week tournaments.

2K Sports Classic Coaches Vs Cancer: Pitt/Maryland vs Illinois/Texas

In this four team field that begins tonight, Pitt is the betting chalkChalk is another name for the favorite team to win. to win at +110, but the Illini are second on the board at +250. If those betting olds hold during the first round, then Illinois will advance at least one win to the cause. Of course, dont sleep on the two underdogs of this quartet. Both Maryland and Texas have shown some early season promise. Illinois draws Texas in the opener. It’s hardly a given the Illini will advance. Both clubs give me similar vibes: a lot of talent that hasnt yet come together as a cohesive unit on the floor. I dont know if I would trust either to win with money on the line, but it should be an intriguing game to watch.You never know, maybe Brandon Paul has another dunk of the year in him. At some point, the light switch has to turn on for Illinois, right? Their #13 ranking seems a bit overrated right now considering they didnt make the tournament a year ago and have missed the Dance two of the last three seasons. But there is so much to like on this roster. Bruce Weber has brought excellent recruiting classes in back to back years to add to solid group of veterans like Dimitri McCamey and Mike Tinsdale. The pieces are in place, but the Illini have also been the most inconsistent Big 10 power program since the Deron Williams/Dee Brown era ended. I do think they’re good for one win in this event. Either they power past Texas and lose in the finals to Pitt. Or they bow to the Longhorns but win the consolation game over a Maryland squad thats going to be much better in the middle of the winter than they are right now as they look for their groove with Javeir Vazquez. Illini, 1 win.

Puerto Rico Tip Off: West Virginia/Davidson vs Vandy/Nebraska; Minnesota/Western Kentucky vs UNC/Hofstra

This is a tough tournament for Minnesota. They get one of the best mid-major programs in recent years in Western Kentucky, and should they advance probably will play North Carolina in the next round. The upper half of the bracket includes talented West Virginia and Vanderbilt clubs. I think Minnesota can win a couple of games. Maybe? Their best route to two wins might be losing to the Hilltopppers in the opener and winning the consolation brackets against the likes of Hofstra and Davidson. If they do play UNC and then either WVA/Vandy later on, it will be a great battle of Tubby Smith’s defense against those high powered offenses. My off the cuff prediction? Win over WKU, loss to UNC then a win over Vandy in the third place game. But that may be my Big 10 homerism shining through. Minnesota, 1-2 wins.

Paradise Jam: Iowa/Xavier vs Seton Hall/Alabama; Clemson/Long Beach vs Old Dominion/St Peter’s

Iowa opens with Xavier. It wont be pretty. Musketeers should win with ease. ANd I dont really like their chances against Seton Hall and Alabama in the next round, whomever they eventually draw. Here’s the deal for the Hawkeyes chances to adding any wins for the Big 10. Can they beat Long Beach State or St Peter’s in the last place game? If so, then add one.  The problem is I’m not sold we can do that with any certainty. Iowa, 0-1 wins.

Maui Invitational: Michigan State/Chaminade vs UConn/Wichita; Kentucky/Oklahoma vs Washington/Virginia

A powerhouse field awaits Michigan State in Maui with the likes of Kentucky, Uconn and Washington joining them on the islands. Despite the heady field, the Spartans were given the opening cookie of drawing host Chaminade in the opening round. The easiest first round game of the bunch could keep their legs more fresh than everybody else during the three-day event. I think that helps push them past a possible second round game with UConn. These programs played in the 2009 national semis with MSU winning. The Spartans are arguably better now, while the Huskies are worse. A championship match with either UK or UW would be a coin flip and great entertainment late into the night on Thanksgiving Eve. After playing a high paced game with Eastern Michigan, the Spartans played a sloppy game, yet were still able to tuck away South Carolina fairly easily the other night in their two Maui tuneups. The experts in the desert have made the Spartans the favorite in this field. We have these odds to think about over the weekend before we have to make a play: MSU, +120; UW, +250; UK +300; UConn +800, Oklahoma, +2500, Virginia +3000; Field, which includes just Chaminade and Wichita State, +3000. MSU, 2-3 wins.

Legends Classic: Michigan/Syracuse vs UTEP/Georgia Tech

 By all accounts Michigan is overmatched in the opener against Syracuse. Except I watched the Orange struggle with Detroit. There is no reason to think Michigan’s defensive efforts and added length to this year’s squad can thwart the Orange as well. Of course, I dont know if the Wolverines have the space eater inside like the Titans did with Eli Holman, who really gave the Orange fits. And, despite the offense we’ve seen out of Tim Hardaway Jr so far, we’ll see how the super young Wolverines handle that 2-3 zone of Syracuse. More likely, they lose. But, I think Michigan has an excellent shot at beating either UTEP or Georgia Tech, who lost to something called Kennesaw State just a few days ago. The Wolverines tune up with Bowling Green tonight and Garnder Webb over the weekend in advance of their trip to Atlantic City for this event.  Michigan: 0-1 wins.

Old Spice Classic: Wisconsin/Manhatten vs Texas AM/Boston College; Notre Dame/Georgia vs Temple/Cal

Can the Badgers navigate one of the toughest Feast Week fields when play convenes Thanksgiving afternoon? The good news is they are in the “easy” bracket. That’s not to slight the Aggies or Eagles, both possible secon round foes, but a statement towards the Badgers having the easiest first round match. I can see any of the other six teams winning their first game in this Invitational. I’d wonder if the sometimes counky Badger offense coul survive, for example, the typical Aggie defense they might see in the second round. Then again, can any of these teams in this field handle the Badgers own bruising defensive style? Oddmakers have made the Badgers and Temple the +250 chalkChalk is another name for the favorite team to win. to take the trophy. Let’s follow their lead and assume at least a couple of wins out of the Badgers. Wisconsin: 2-3 wins.

Chicago Invitational: Purdue/Southern Illinois vs Richmond/Wright State

Of these seven fields, this is the most likely championship from the Big 10. The league could cut the nets down in other fields, but this is the one sure thing on paper. At least it looks that way for the Purdue Boilermakers. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how they play on back to back nights without Robbie Hummel. How they play without Hummel is something worth tracking all pre-season actually. They open with Southern Illinois. Since its not 2005 anymore, this game looks sexier on paper than it really is. The Salukis will have trouble getting many more than 50 points and the Boilers roll. I’m guessing Richmond tops Wright State in the other match, but the Spiders will get a big dose of Big 10 defense from the Boilermakers and eventually fall by double digits. Purdue: 2 wins.

So, let’s set the number at 10.5 wins for the Big 10 teams during the Feast Week.  What do you guys think? Will we see the heroes from our local teams exceed or fall short of this number over the next week or so? Minnesota and Illinois get first crack at adding to the bounty this evening with games against Western Kentucky and Texas respectively.

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