Hoops Habit
Fansided

The Big Ten shows renewed depth in 2016 Gavitt Tip-Off Games

By Casey Pazzalia

Dec 28, 2014; Madison, WI, USA; The Big Ten Conference logo on the Kohl Center Court during pre-game warm-ups before the Wisconsin Badgers take to the floor to play the Buffalo Bulls at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Madison, WI, USA; The Big Ten Conference logo on the Kohl Center Court during pre-game warm-ups before the Wisconsin Badgers take to the floor to play the Buffalo Bulls at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

In 2015, the Big East and Big Ten won four Gavitt Tip-Off games apiece. This year, the result turned out exactly the same.

Friday night, the Big Ten drew even with the Big East in the 2016 Gavitt Tip-Off Games. The Minnesota Golden Gophers beat St. John’s to give each conference four total wins.

In the second annual Gavitt Games, the Big Ten was down 4-3 going into Friday night’s contest. A win by the Chris Mullin-led St.John’s team would have made the Big East the first ever winner of the event. In the inaugural Gavitt Games last year, the conferences each won four games apiece, splitting the eight-game schedule.

Before Minnesota’s showcase tying win, Maryland, Rutgers, and Ohio State each notched wins for the Big Ten side. The four wins for the Big East came from Seton Hall, Butler, Creighton, and defending national champion Villanova.

The second consecutive tie only adds intrigue to next year’s event. All eight games were very competitive and only one game featured a double-digit winning margin (Creighton over Wisconsin, 79-67).

The showcase has provided fascinating matchups in its two-year history. In both years crosstown rivals Maryland and Georgetown have faced off, renewing their rivalry after a 22-year absence.  Also, former Big East school Rutgers has been able to face off with their old counterparts in the Gavitt Games. Rutgers spent 18 years in the Big East, from 1995-2013.

2016 Gavitt Tip-Off Games: Results

  1. Villanova 79 – Purdue 76
  2. Maryland 76 – Georgetown 75
  3. Creighton 79 – Wisconsin 76
  4. Butler 70 – Northwestern 68
  5. Ohio State 72 – Providence 67
  6. Rutgers 66 – DePaul 59
  7. Seton Hall 91 – Iowa 83
  8. Minnesota 92 – St.Johns 86

The Gavitt Tip-Off Games have featured an eight game schedule in both years. Since there are more than eight teams in each conference, the schools will rotate each year.

Marquette and Xavier did not compete this year for the Big East. In the Big Ten, Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan State all sat out this year.

The showcase is named after Dave Gavitt, first ever commissioner of the Big East conference.

While the Big Ten is normally anchored by heavyweights like Wisconsin and Purdue, it was the little guys who provided the headlines in the Gavitt Games. Wins by bottom-feeder programs Rutgers and Minnesota prove the conference could be deeper than ever.

Rutgers

For the first time ever, Rutgers will not finish last in the Big Ten.

In the Scarlet Knights’ first two seasons in the Big Ten, they had a combined 3-33 conference record and two last place finishes. With a road-win over DePaul in the Gavitt Games, Rutgers moved to 3-0 for the first time since 2008. The school and fan base have been rejuvenated under first-year coach Steve Pikiell, using the motto #KnightandDay to stamp their turnaround.

More from NBA

Rutgers isn’t a tournament team, not even close. We know that and they know that. Last season, they lost 10 conference games by a margin of 20 points or more. This year, the Scarlet Knights return all three of their leading scorers from last year (Corey Sanders, Mike Williams, and DeShawn Freeman).

With the addition of transfers Nigel Johnson (Kansas State) and C.J Gettys (UNCW), Rutgers has a solid core of experienced players. With their added depth and change of culture, Rutgers should win a handful of Big Ten games.

The 2016-17 campaign will be a success if the Scarlet Knights can be competitive throughout their tough conference schedule.

Rutgers’ next three games come against non-power schools Niagara, North Texas, and Hartford. If the Scarlet Knights want to be taken seriously, it starts with beating the schools that they should beat.

https://twitter.com/RutgersMBB/status/799795665022947328

Minnesota

After a disappointing 2015-16, Richard Pitino has Minnesota back in the thick of the Big Ten basketball picture.

With the Gophers; home win over St. John’s in the Gavitt Games, they moved to a perfect 4-0 in 2016. Freshman Amir Coffey led the way with 30 points and has scored double figures in each of his first four games.

Last year, Minnesota only won eight games all season.

Despite the 8-23 record last year, Minnesota played their best against their toughest opponents. Of the five games they played against ranked teams, they never lost by double digits. The Gophers earned their first conference win at home over No. 6 Maryland.

More from Hoops Habit

Besides playing down to lesser teams; Minnesota’s biggest problem last year was keeping their best players on the court. The Gophers lost three key players — Nate Mason, Kevin Dorsey, and Dupree McBrayer — to suspension in the middle of conference play.

Mason and McBrayer both returned to the team this year, while Dorsey transferred to Colorado State. Prior to their suspension, Mason and McBrayer both played in every one of the team’s games last year.

Transfer big man Reggie Lynch (Illinois St.) and returning Sophomore Jordan Murphy join Coffey, Mason and McBrayer in the starting lineup for the Gophers this year.

Fourth year coach Richard Pitino finally has a team with all players he recruited and the team is averaging 85.5 points per game. Pitino comes from a winning pedigree and it looks like the players have completely bought in.

Next: 2016-17 NBA Power Rankings: Week 4

The Big Ten will play in a similar showcase in late November, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.