B1G 2020-21 Conference Schedule Analysis

The B1G has announced the complete conference schedule tonight.  Some quick thoughts on the newly released B1G basketball schedule:

Christmas Day: I love that the B1G is playing games on Christmas Day. A quadruple-header of B1G hoops will surely be more thrilling than the typical NBA on Christmas Day. Wisconsin will travel to Michigan State as the headliner, but Iowa visits Minnesota, Michigan travels to Nebraska and Maryland visits Purdue. I hope that the B1G schedules these games in a way that are back-to-back-to-back-to-back so that we can watch all four while stuffing ourselves with Christmas treats. Also, I officially start the movement to have MSU and Wisconsin wear green and red respectively, to truly embody the Christmas spirit.

Rivalry Endings: The Big Ten scheduled Indiana and Purdue, as well as Michigan State and Michigan, for those team's final games. I wish that they would do this every year, and even more so they should extend it to all 14 teams. Minnesota/Wisconsin, Iowa/Nebraska, Illinois/Northwestern, Maryland/Rutgers and Penn State/Ohio State (I admit those last two are weak, perhaps they could flip to Maryland/Ohio State for the basketball benefit) should end the season on the hardwood.

Team-By-Team Analysis

Illinois: The Fighting Illini only play Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State once. They will host Iowa and Maryland, but they will travel to Michigan and Michigan State. Illinois ends the conference slate with two straight road games (Ohio State and Wisconsin), and four of their last six are away from home too. 

Indiana: The Hoosiers avoid playing Ohio State and Wisconsin twice, but they have to visit both teams. They also only play Maryland once, but they welcome the Terps to College Park. Opening league play with three of four at Assembly Hall is big, and with Northwestern and Penn State in that stretch, the Hoosiers need to get out to a strong start.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes' biggest stretch in their title pursuit may be the seven game stretch from January 10 until February 4. They are on the road five times (Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio State), and they host Illinois and Northwestern. If they can navigate through that gauntlet, they will sit strong in the league race. Iowa ends by hosting Ohio State and Michigan before visiting Madison to take on the Badgers, a tough finish as well.

Maryland: The Terps may have the easiest final two games, as they visit Northwestern and host Penn State. The four-game stretch at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 will be crucial for them. Maryland hosts Michigan, travels to Indiana, welcomes Iowa and visits Illinois. That will be a tough two weeks to navigate, but they do not have a lengthy gauntlet like other teams in the league.

Michigan: An interesting note about this schedule is that Michigan will play Maryland, Minnesota and Penn State twice in their first nine league games. The Wolverines avoid playing two title contenders twice. They will host Illinois (2/11) and Iowa (3/4), but they will never travel to Champaign or Iowa City. Michigan has a tough three-game stretch as they host Michigan State (2/6), host Illinois (2/11) and travel to Wisconsin (2/14). They will also have a tough four-game finish with three road games against Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State, in addition to hosting Iowa.

Michigan State: The Spartans draw a favorable avoidance of Illinois and Wisconsin twice. They will host both teams in their only individual meeting as well (Wisconsin 12/25 and Illinois 1/23). The end of the slate is tough for the Spartans, as they travel to Indiana and Maryland, in addition to hosting Ohio State and Michigan.

Minnesota: This is clearly the toughest opening seven games in the league. They play Iowa twice, Michigan twice, host Michigan State and Ohio State, and visit Wisconsin. Although their final three games are favorable (vs Northwestern, at Penn State, vs Rutgers), they may start off with a few losses in league play.

Nebraska: If Minnesota has the toughest opening seven games, Nebraska rivals it with their opening eight. They visit Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin, and they host Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Michigan State. For a team that is looking to rebuild and improve compared to a year ago, this is a discouraging first eight games. In late February, they host Maryland and Purdue in addition to traveling to Illinois. They end with Northwestern and Rutgers, but its a hard path prior to that. On a positive note, they do play Penn State twice.

Northwestern: The Wildcats also have a tough starting eight games. They host Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State, and they visit Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State. Unfortunately for the 'Cats, they only play Penn State and Nebraska once.

Ohio State: After opening at Purdue, the Buckeyes have an extremely favorable six-game stretch. They play Northwestern and Rutgers twice, they host Penn State and travel to Minnesota. They need to rack up as many wins as possible here, as they travel to Illinois, Iowa, Maryland and Wisconsin, in addition to hosting Michigan State and Purdue in their following six games. If they make it to the end as a contender, they do host Illinois and Iowa in the final two games.

Penn State: Most favorably for the Nittany Lions, they do play Northwestern and Nebraska consecutively at the end of January. They also play Nebraska an additional time. They have a tough opening six games, playing Michigan twice, hosting Illinois and Wisconsin and travelling to Indiana and Ohio State. Not necessarily a nightmare schedule, but for a team with issues, they sure would have liked to see all of the other bottom teams twice.

Purdue: The Boilermakers get out of the box firing with Ohio State and Maryland at home, and Iowa on the road. They have another tough week in early January when they travel to Michigan State and Indiana. Purdue does draw a positive week in late February when they play Nebraska and Penn State consecutively, before they finish with Indiana and Wisconsin (both at home).

Rutgers: A darling contender last season, Rutgers will have a chance to prove themselves once again early. They travel to Maryland, Michigan State and Ohio State, in addition to hosting Illinois, Iowa and Purdue in the first six games. They do have a pair of favorable back-to-back games (Northwestern and Minnesota at the end of January and Nebraska and Minnesota for their last two games), so those two weeks should play into their favor.

Wisconsin: The Badgers open with three games of their first four games at home (Maryland, Minnesota and Nebraska). They do visit East Lansing on Christmas in that stretch. They have an extremely beneficial draw by playing Nebraska, Northwestern and Penn State twice. For a team that is already deemed a title contender, these extra games against bottom league teams help.

Complete B1G Schedule

Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020    
Penn State at Michigan
 
Monday, Dec. 14, 2020  
Rutgers at Maryland
 
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020  
Minnesota at Illinois    
 
Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020         
Ohio State at Purdue   
 
Sunday, Dec.  20, 2020    
Michigan State at Northwestern
Illinois at Rutgers
 
Monday, Dec. 21, 2020  
Nebraska at Wisconsin
 
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020  
Purdue at Iowa
 
Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020         
Northwestern at Indiana         
Rutgers at Ohio State
Illinois at Penn State
 
Friday, Dec. 25, 2020     
Wisconsin at Michigan State
Iowa at Minnesota
Michigan at Nebraska
Maryland at Purdue

Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020 
Indiana at Illinois
Ohio State at Northwestern
 
Monday, Dec. 28, 2020  
Michigan State at Minnesota
Maryland at Wisconsin
 
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020  
Northwestern at Iowa 
Purdue at Rutgers       
 
Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020         
Penn State at Indiana  
Nebraska at Ohio State
 
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 
Michigan at Maryland
Minnesota at Wisconsin
 
Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021
Purdue at Illinois
Michigan State at Nebraska
Iowa at Rutgers
 
Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021         
Northwestern at Michigan
Ohio State at Minnesota
Wisconsin at Penn State          
 
Monday, Jan. 4, 2021        
Maryland at Indiana
 
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021        
Rutgers at Michigan State
Nebraska at Purdue
 
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021   
Minnesota at Michigan
Penn State at Ohio State
 
Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021      
Iowa at Maryland
Illinois at Northwestern
Indiana at Wisconsin
 
Friday, Jan. 8, 2021
Purdue at Michigan State
 
Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021       
Michigan at Penn State
Ohio State at Rutgers
 
Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021       
Maryland at Illinois     
Indiana at Nebraska    
 
Sun., Jan. 10 or Mon., Jan. 11  
Minnesota at Iowa
 
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021      
Wisconsin at Michigan
Rutgers at Penn State
 
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021
Illinois at Nebraska
Northwestern at Ohio State
 
Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021     
Purdue at Indiana
Michigan State at Iowa
 
Friday, Jan. 15, 2021         
Wisconsin at Rutgers

Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021     
Ohio State at Illinois
Nebraska at Maryland
Michigan at Minnesota
 
Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021       
Indiana at Michigan State
Penn State at Purdue
 
Sun., Jan. 17 or Mon., Jan. 18  
Iowa at Northwestern
 
Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021      
Maryland at Michigan
 
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021 
Penn State at Illinois
Minnesota at Nebraska
 
Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021     
Indiana at Iowa
 
Friday, Jan. 22, 2021         
Michigan at Purdue
 
Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021     
Illinois at Michigan State         
Maryland at Minnesota
Northwestern at Penn State
Ohio State at Wisconsin
 
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021       
Rutgers at Indiana
Nebraska at Iowa
 
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 
Purdue at Ohio State
Northwestern at Wisconsin
 
Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021     
Michigan State at Rutgers
 
Friday, Jan. 29, 2021         
Iowa at Illinois
 
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021
Wisconsin at Maryland
Indiana at Michigan
Penn State at Nebraska
Minnesota at Purdue
 
Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021       
Rutgers at Northwestern
Michigan State at Ohio State
 
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021      
Illinois at Indiana
Purdue at Maryland
Penn State at Wisconsin          

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021 
Nebraska at Michigan State
Michigan at Northwestern
 
Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021     
Ohio State at Iowa
Minnesota at Rutgers
 
Fri., Feb. 5 or Sat., Feb. 6        
Maryland at Penn State
 
Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021     
Wisconsin at Illinois
Michigan State at Michigan
Northwestern at Purdue          
 
Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021       
Iowa at Indiana
 
Sun., Feb. 7 or Mon., Feb. 8     
Nebraska at Minnesota
 
Mon., Feb. 8 or Tue., Feb. 9    
Ohio State at Maryland
 
Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021      
Penn State at Michigan State
 
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021
Rutgers at Iowa
Indiana at Northwestern
 
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021   
Illinois at Michigan
Purdue at Minnesota
Wisconsin at Nebraska
 
Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021   
Iowa at Michigan State
Indiana at Ohio State
Northwestern at Rutgers
 
Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021      
Minnesota at Maryland
Nebraska at Penn State
Michigan at Wisconsin
 
Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021    
Northwestern at Illinois
Michigan State at Purdue
 
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021
Minnesota at Indiana
Maryland at Nebraska
 
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021   
Rutgers at Michigan
Ohio State at Penn State
Iowa at Wisconsin

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021   
Michigan State at Indiana
Illinois at Minnesota
Purdue at Nebraska
 
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021      
Penn State at Iowa
Wisconsin at Northwestern
Michigan at Ohio State
Maryland at Rutgers
 
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021
Nebraska at Illinois
Indiana at Rutgers
 
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021   
Ohio State at Michigan State
 
Fri., Feb. 26 or Sat., Feb. 27     
Purdue at Penn State
 
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021   
Michigan at Indiana
Northwestern at Minnesota
 
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021   
Illinois at Wisconsin
 
Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021      
Michigan State at Maryland
Iowa at Ohio State
Rutgers at Nebraska
 
Tuesday, March 2, 2021          
Wisconsin at Purdue
 
Wednesday, March 3, 2021     
Maryland at Northwestern
Minnesota at Penn State
 
Thursday, March 4, 2021        
Iowa at Michigan
 
Saturday, March 6, 2021         
Illinois at Ohio State
Indiana at Purdue
 
Sat., March 6 or Sun., March 7
Rutgers at Minnesota
Nebraska at Northwestern
 
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Penn State at Maryland
Wisconsin at Iowa
Michigan at Michigan State