We’ve reached the halfway point of the B1G conference schedule and three teams are currently tied atop the B1G standings. Through 11 games, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue are all 9-2.

With just nine games remaining on the schedule, it’s easy to believe that the regular season conference champion will finish the year with three losses. And in a league so deep, maybe a fourth loss still gets the job done. But BTN analyst Jon Crispin argues that there will be a flurry of losses coming over the next month, even for the team that claims the conference title.

“I think it’s going to be five,” Crispin said when asked how many losses the B1G champion will have. “What lacks, ultimately, is an attention to detail. It’s the attention to detail that’s going to allow you to win basketball games, particularly when you think about teams that have seen you once already this season.

“The scouting reports will be more accurate in terms of things that you can do well against an opponent. Often times, the first time around, you want to stop your opponent. The second time, you may have a little more confidence, you feel like, ‘Let’s be the aggressor, let’s go out and attack them.’ I always feel like the second time around, anything can happen.”

Crispin certainly makes a good argument, as teams start going head to head for the second time this season.

Still, considering how well Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue have played, it’s hard to believe that all three of those teams will drop at least three more contest. But, there have already been some whacky moments in the league, so we could see a slew of upsets in February and March.

If Crispin is right and five is the number in the loss column, that keeps Wisconsin (8-3), Maryland (8-4) Iowa (6-5) and Minnesota (6-5) in the hunt through the final month of the season.