B1G Time Results

The Big Ten is now at a 64-6 record through two weeks of games. Twelve teams remain undefeated, and no team has suffered a second loss. Seven teams in the conference are ranked in the AP Poll, including four in the Top 11, and three more are receiving votes.

All in all, the Big Ten has come out the gates hot, and some teams have earned huge prove-it wins already.

Last Hoopla: 18 Pennies for 18 Thoughts

Basket Under Review Post: Breaking Records (Good and Bad)

The Statement Wins

Michigan beat Notre Dame, and that likely would have been enough to end up at the top of this Hoopla regardless.

But to beat the Irish by 39 points in a game that was never close? That has put these Wolverines on the map, and proved what level of contender they could be.

This was a dominant, dominant showing across the board. Michigan shot 50 percent from the field and out rebounded Notre Dame 50-28. Olivia Olson led the Wolverines with 20 points and Irish star Hannah Hidalgo shot 4 of 21 with seven turnovers. Michigan won every single quarter by six points or more, including a 28-12 fourth quarter to really rub salt in the wound.

This was a well-balanced beatdown that felt replicable. Brooke Quarles Daniels may have been 1 for 8, but she made a massive impact with 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals, all while helping contain Hidalgo. Mila Holloway added 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. All in all, it showed that the Wolverines can be as good this year as we thought they possibly could be. UConn is ahead this week to test that agin.

…You know who else has been as good as advertised? UCLA. Five games, four on neutral sites, two against ranked opponents, but five dominant wins all the same.

This week, the Bruins handles UNC and USF with their primarily six-player unit of Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkeens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice. Those six have all been tremendous so far, which every one of those players averaging at least 9.5 PPG, 3 RPG and 1 APG. Four UCLA players are averaging 13+ PPG, 7+ RPG and 3+ APG across the various categories as well as they truly spread the wealth around.

What’s interesting to me so far about UCLA is how much Jaquez has taken over as a primary weapon. She’s leading the team in points and is tied with Betts for rebounds, probably thanks to a 61.2 FG% and 47.4 3PT%. The Bruins will eventually need to expand the bench more than they have so far, but they are also missing a key option there with five-star Sienna Betts, who has yet to see time as she recovers from a preseason injury.

The Big Wins

Maryland is the third Big Three team from my preseason rankings, and the Terps have been doing just fine for themselves early on.

The Terps are also 5-0. The Terps have also won every game handedly. And while UCLA has had stiffer competition on the whole, Maryland had a great showing on Sunday against Princeton, a team that already earned road wins against Georgia Tech and Villanova to start its season.

In the 84-68 win over the Tigers, Maryland got great scoring from Oluchi Okananwa (20 points), Saylor Poffenbarger (19) and Addi Mack (15). The Terps also got 13 points from their star Kaylene Smikle, who saw limited minutes as she returns from injury, but found time to attempt — and make — 11 free throws in the win.

Okananwa (14.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 57.7 FG%) has been tremendous in her first games for Maryland, and the same goes for Mack (12.2 PPG, 55.8 FG%), a true freshman who saw her first start against Princeton after Lea Bartelme went down to a season-ending ACL tear. George Mason will be another strong test for these Terps before the biggest one of the non-conference, Kentucky on Nov. 26, comes knocking.

.While it’s hard to say yet what Florida State is going to look like this season based on the early results, a win by Indiana on the road against the Seminoles is absolutely massive for a team with such a fresh start like these Hoosiers.

Shay Ciezki (23.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 53.2/47.6/94.1) has been a true superstar to start this season, and is joined by just one teammate — Lenée Beaumont — as the only two Indiana players averaging more than 6 PPG so far this season. That is not great scoring balance, but the Hoosiers are 4-0 all the same thanks to Ciezki heroics. Indiana has also done an incredible job limiting opposing three-point shooters so far (17.6 3PT%, 3rd in NCAA).

Understandable Losses

It’s hard to beat a team that just played for a national championship. Just ask USC and Ohio State.

The Trojans and Buckeyes fell to South Carolina and UConn, respectively, for their first losses of the season. USC hung tough for awhile, trailing by only two at half, before the Gamecocks took over for a 69-52 win. Ohio State was down three after one quarter before the wheels came off and the Huskies rolled, 100-68.

What can you learn from a blowout loss? For USC, I’d say it fought well considering where this team is at in the non-JuJu world of development. The Trojans forced 17 South Carolina turnovers, but just could not make shots (32.8 FG%), especially from deep (1 of 14). They were also out rebounded 56-32, an area that could continue to be a concern with the lack of forward depth on the roster.

The Buckeyes got smacked, but Jaloni Cambridge remained solid from the field (17 points, 8 of 16). She did also turn the ball over seven times, part of Ohio State’s 24 on the day. That’s something Ohio State should work on. It should also work on not playing Sarah Strong ever again because she is terrifying. A crisp 29 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and ZERO turnovers on 12-of-17 shooting for Strong against the Buckeyes, my goodness me.

Important Wins

• Washington trailed through most of the first half on the road against Utah, its former in-conference foe, but went into the break tied before winning the second half 36-25 to move to 3-0. The Utes may not be a ranked foe, but a 30-point shooting from Sayvia Sellers to win this one without Elle Ladine is worth highlighting

• I thought Marquette would be an interesting test for Minnesota. It wasn’t! The Gophers crushed them 90-47, and have still not allowed a team to score 50 all season. They get Kansas tomorrow in a game that should be gooooooooooood.

• After how much Penn State struggled last season, I do think a 89-77 road win over a solid Saint Joseph’s team is worth celebrating. I mentioned Tea Cleante last week, and will say her name again: 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting in the win. She might be the unseen piece that can jolt the Lions up the standings.

• Wisconsin needed to regain in-state pride after falling to Marquette, and taking down Green Bay is a great way to do exactly that. The Phoenix led by double digits after the first quarter, but the Badgers stayed composed and, led by 23 points from Destiny Howell, got it done to move to 4-1.

Learning Losses

• Illinois is going to be a continued high-ceiling work-in-progress because of the young faces and roster turnover. That will lead to some losses like the 64-59 defeat to Oregon State this past week. The Beavers simply made their shots (52.1 FG%) while the Illini couldn’t (33.9%), specifically from inside the arc where Illinois was just 12 of 40 (30.0%). Tiara Bolden (25 points) and Berry Wallace (24) dominated the scoring for both teams, but Wallace didn’t get enough supplemental help to get it done.

• That’s not a great loss, but Purdue takes the crown for the hardest defeat of the week, falling to Purdue Fort Wayne 68-67. The Mastodons rank 205th in Bart Torvik, and have a 36-point loss to West Virginia and one-point defeat to Xavier already on the schedule. Credit to the Mastodons for hitting an incredible stepback three for the win. That said, this is a tough blow to a program looking for a spark. A 9-24 assist-to-turnover ratio and 21 fouls committed both played a big factor in the loss.

What to Watch

I will be utilizing Bart Torvik’s delightful “Torvik Thrill Quotient” (TTQ) throughout the year here to highlight the best games coming this week. It is, more or less, a number to describe game excitement, and the Big Ten is often littering the top of the list.

• 11/19 — Minnesota at Kansas — TTQ: 74

• 11/20 — No. 19 Iowa vs. No. 7 Baylor — TTQ: 92

• 11/20 — Rutgers at Auburn — TTQ: 59

• 11/21 — No. 11 USC at No. 24 Notre Dame — TTQ: 98

• 11/21 — No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 1 UConn — TTQ: 92

• 11/22 — Penn State vs. Princeton — TTQ: 70

• 11/23 — Illinois at Florida State — TTQ: 68

• 11/24 — Ohio State vs. Belmont — TTQ: 67

Photo Credit: Michigan Athletics

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