IU started out in its first 10 games:

8-2. Not bad. A strong showing to Duke at home and a mess up down the road in Terre Haute.

Now, this is how they did in the next 10 (not really), but it is including their first Big 10 game following the pre-conference and leaving behind their first game versus Nicholls State. Do you follow?                                           

                                                                                    Overall

8-2 (Beat Michigan)  mentioned                                         9-2     

8-2 (Beat Ohio St) drop 2nd win over Florida A & M                                       10-2

7-3 (Lost to MSU) drop 3rd win over W. Illinois                                               10- 3      

8-2 (Beat Illinois) drop 1st lost to Duke                                                               11-3

8-2 (Beat Purdue)  drop 4th win over W. Michigan                                            12-3

8-2 (lost to Iowa)  drop 2nd loss to Indiana St.                                                   12-4

7-3 (lost to Minnesota) drop 5th win over Kentucky                                      12-5

8-2 (beat Northwestern) drop 6th win over Charlotte                                  13-5

7-3 (lost to Connecticutt) drop 7th win over Butler                                    13-6

6-4 (lost to Wisconsin) drop 8th win over Ball St.                                         13-7

5-5 (lost to Iowa) drop 9th win over Michigan                                                     13-8

4-6 (lost to Penn St.)  drop 10th win over Ohio St.                                        13-9

3-7 (lost to Illinois) drop 3rd loss to Michigan St.                                              13-10

2-8 (beat Penn St.) drop 11th win over  Illinois                                               14-10

3-7 (beat Michigan St) drop 12th win over Purdue                                 15- 10 

4-6   (beat Purdue) drop 4th loss to Iowa                                                          1 6-10

5-5 (beat Michigan)   drop 5th loss- to Minnesota                                            17-10

Next up: Wisconsin, BIG 10 Tourney at 2:30 EST, Friday 10th

5-5 (beat Wisconsin) drop 13th win over Northwestern                                    18-10

Next up: Ohio St., Semi-final BIG 10, 4:00 EST, Sat. 11th

5-5 (lost to Ohio St.) drop 6th loss to Iowa                                                        18-11

Next: NCAA Tourney--Thursday or Friday

Does this look right? I may have messed up a few times.

But the idea is to give an idea (or snapshot) of a a team at any given time. When IU lost to UCONN they were a 7-3 team in their last 10 games. When they beat Penn St. they were 3-7 due to the bad losing 7 out of 8, including five straight. But can IU still do it? Here's hoping.

16-10 record looks good overall, 8-7 in the Big 10. What other teams have played both Duke and UConn? (Granted, they lost both at home, but they competed in both). This is why the last road game is a big deal as well as a good showing in the Big Ten Tournament next week.

Is this helpful at all? I haven't looked at RPI, SOS,home games, etc., but I thought the 10 game snapshot is a good indicator, especially how we assume the Committee looks at the last 10 games and weights them more...

Anyway---I love college basketball.

The NBA, that is another post. It's about endurance.