Those of you who read more than just our fine blog have probably noticed the “other Big Ten Bloggers” feeds that we all share. Frankly, it’s how I found Nittany White Out in the first place.  Such sharing of information and technology works to benefit all of our readers, and helps us all learn valuable information about our biggest rivals.

However, sometimes those other bloggers are just plain wrong.  MGoBlog is a fine institution, a Michigan blog that I read more than occasionally because, well, they started the Blogpoll, and tend to know their shit.  But they posted an article about an hour and half ago that I take exception to.

“Why Penn State?” asks that very question: how come the Nittany Lions are considered more potent contenders than Michigan for the NCAA tournament?  Now, the question is certainly valid: both teams have similar records, split their season series, and it’s not a exaggeration to contend that Michigan’s out-of-conference resume is vastly superior to Penn State’s.  We had virtually the same out-of-conference schedule despite Michigan playing a much more difficult schedule: our losses are to Temple and Rhode Island, theirs are to UConn, Duke, and Maryland.  Our best wins are against Georgia Tech and Mount Saint Mary’s, they took down Duke and UCLA, and Northeastern, who somehow has an RPI in the top 100.

But making the NCAA tournament is not something that ought to be based solely on a team’s out-of-conference schedule.  When you compare how both teams have competed within the Big Ten, a clearly superior team emerges.  That team is Penn State.

Penn State’s best win, at Michigan State, is a better win than Michigan’s beating of Duke in Ann Arbor.  Taking down the top dog in the conference is something that only one other team had done, and that wasn’t Michigan.  Each of Michigan’s best wins came at home, Penn State traveled to a hostile Breslin Center and beat the Spartans.  Further, both teams feature wins over Illinois, Penn State’s was in Champaign and Michigan’s was, again, a home game.  Both teams beat Purdue at home, but fell in West Lafayette.

Now let’s look at Michigan’s in-conference losses: a sweep at the hands of Michigan State, and Wisconsin, which I will not fault them for.  We traded blowouts with the Wolverines, but they lost two to Ohio State, and even one at Iowa that seemed to be the one that has knocked them out of consideration.

It seems obvious enough why a road win is more difficult than a home win.  It’s not just about keeping up a level of play, it’s about fighting off the fans, and often, even the referees.  We’ve all seen the tendency of “home calls,” and there’s a reason why even the worst teams in the Big Ten, like Iowa, are even 4-4 at home.  They’re 0-9 on the road.  Going in to any opposing stadium and coming out with a win is difficult.  It seems that MGoBlog doesn’t comprehend the truism.

Road wins are a stupid metric. And even if they’re a good metric it’s because it showcases the team’s ability to play at a very high level and do a very difficult thing, which Michigan has already demonstrated by beating UCLA on a neutral court and Duke at home.

Yes, those are phenomenal wins.  Nobody’s doubting that.  At one point, Michigan had an RPI in the top 20, and deservedly so.  But since the out-of-conference season has ended, they’ve lacked a marquee win.  Beating Illinois isn’t impossible, they have 6 losses in their Big Ten Schedule.  But beating them in Champaign is pretty damn tough-they’ve only lost to Michigan State and the Nitany Lions.

I hope I’ve made it clear to MGoBlog’s Brian why Penn State has such a great tournament argument.  They’ve gone into their opponent’s home court and beaten them.  That’s something Michigan can’t claim.  In a perfect world, both teams are in.  But when it comes down to it, it’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately argument.  Lately, Penn State has wins at Michigan State and Illinois.  Michigan doesn’t.

Look at Jeff Sagarin’s rankings.  Penn State and Michigan both have 5 wins against the top 50 RPI teams.  Michigan, though, has two more losses, 9 to 7.  Is a loss to a great team, like UConn, better than a win over Army?  While the RPI seems to think so, it doesn’t make much sense.

If Penn State can finish off the sweep of the Illini on Thursday, there’s no doubt that Penn State deserves the tournament.  Michigan definitely needs some help.  Their last remaining game, at Minnesota, isn’t a marquee one, but it puts them that much closer.

Releated Posts:

1. Big Ten Basketball Schedule Released: Penn State Screwed Over
2. Penn State no longer part of the 2010 ESPN 76 Classic
3. Fear the Turtle! Terrapins set to face Penn State
4. Penn State 55 – Michigan 51
5. Penn State’s Wild BCS Dream Scenario

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