IU sits at just 9-10 in the B1G this year. Of the 10 losses, IU had excellent chances to win 9 of them, with Michigan State being the exception. After noting several 2nd half collapses, I wanted to dig in and quantify IU's performance in the 1st half of B1G games this year vs the 2nd half. As you may expect, the results are rather alarming:
1. IU is +93 in the 1st half of B1G games.
2. IU is -79 (!) in the 2nd half of B1G games. If you include OT, it's -90.
3. In 19 B1G games, IU outscored their opponent in the 1st half in 14 of these games. Only PSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and OSU outscored IU in the first half, and by less than 10 points in all cases.
4. In the same 19 B1G games, IU was outscored by their opponent in the 2nd half in 12 of these games, with 7 of those differences exceeding 10 points. Wisconsin and Illinois outscored IU by 22 and 19 points, respectively, in the 2nd half.
5. Of the 7 B1G games where IU outscored their opponent in the 2nd half, 2 were against PSU, 2 were against Maryland, 2 were against OSU (lost in OT once though), and 1 was against Minnesota.
6. Completing the trend, IU is -11 in the one OT game played against OSU.
The data support the idea of IU performing very poorly in the 2nd half and OT of B1G games. This supports the idea of Woodson having the team ready to play in the 1st half, but letting things slip in the 2nd half.
Any ideas of why this is happening?
1. IU is +93 in the 1st half of B1G games.
2. IU is -79 (!) in the 2nd half of B1G games. If you include OT, it's -90.
3. In 19 B1G games, IU outscored their opponent in the 1st half in 14 of these games. Only PSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and OSU outscored IU in the first half, and by less than 10 points in all cases.
4. In the same 19 B1G games, IU was outscored by their opponent in the 2nd half in 12 of these games, with 7 of those differences exceeding 10 points. Wisconsin and Illinois outscored IU by 22 and 19 points, respectively, in the 2nd half.
5. Of the 7 B1G games where IU outscored their opponent in the 2nd half, 2 were against PSU, 2 were against Maryland, 2 were against OSU (lost in OT once though), and 1 was against Minnesota.
6. Completing the trend, IU is -11 in the one OT game played against OSU.
The data support the idea of IU performing very poorly in the 2nd half and OT of B1G games. This supports the idea of Woodson having the team ready to play in the 1st half, but letting things slip in the 2nd half.
Any ideas of why this is happening?