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Entry #12 Big Ten Men's Basketball Preview Posted November 13, 2011, 9:20am by Doug Ropp
1. 1. Ohio State
I do figure Ohio State to be the beast of the conference. I think Thad Matta is an excellent coach and I like the job he has done there. Last year was disappointing as they fell to Kentucky in the Sweet 16. They do have big shoes to fill with the loss of David Lighty and sharp shooter Jon Diebler.
For the Buckeyes, it all starts with big man Jared Sullinger. He had a very solid freshman year and should continue to even better in his sophomore campaign. Point Guard Aaron Craft earned high praise last season from former Hoosier Dan Dakich and this year should be no different. Also, the Buckeyes will look for help from William Buford and DeShaun Thomas.
2. 2. Illinois
I am going to start off by putting Bruce Weber on the hot seat. I never liked him since he replaced Bill Self. The reason is because I did not like how he used James Augustine in the post.
Despite my dislike of Weber, the Illini have built up some steady recruiting over the last few years. I think this team should be better than last few years just because Demitri McCamey is gone and you don’t have to deal with his attitude. The Illini are going to have to find a way to replace the loss of Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale down low though. I believe Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson will continue to help the Illini.
3. Indiana
Any success the Hoosiers have this year is going to hinge on how much they improve on the defensive end. They are going to really have to step it up a notch this season if they are going to get back to the upper half of the Big Ten.
The Hoosiers have hit the injury bug early on this season. Maurice Creek has a torn Achilles and is likely out for the season. I was not counting on him much this year but anything would have been a bonus. Christian Watford has had a hurt foot early on and Tom Pritchard rolled his ankle.
The big star of this team is Watford followed by Verdell Jones. I am counting on them to have huge seasons. The leader of the team is point guard is Jordan Hulls. Hulls threw out several players during off season conditioning. The word from Dan Dakich is that sophomore guards Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey had great summers so look for them to contribute.
The final pieces for any success from the Hoosiers this season will have to come from rebounding and inside play. IU got a head start in this area by picking up highly regarded Cody Zeller. Hopefully, Derek Elston will help out as well and Pritchard needs to get back to playing with confidence.
4. 4. Michigan State
I am sure Tom Izzo is not happy with last year’s record of 19-15. So revenge will be on the minds of the Spartans. The Spartans unfortunately lost Delvon Roe to injury. I expect Draymond Green to have a big senior year. Also look for contributions from Keith Appling and Adreian Payne
5. 5. Northwestern
Northwestern is the rare team that has never made it to the NCAA tournament. They have been on the brink the last couple of years. I don’t know if they will finally break through.
It all starts with John Shurna for the Wildcats. They will also get help from big man Luka Mirkovic.
6. 6. Michigan
I don’t know much about this team but they have been growing a lot under Coach John Beilein. Tim Hardaway Jr. will be the leader of this team and look for solid three point shooting from Stu Douglass and Zack Novak
7. 7. Iowa
Let me start off by saying on a personal note, I hope Fran McCaffery loses every game he coaches at Iowa. But if the truth were to be told, Iowa should be one of the Big Ten’s most improved teams this year
They are counting on Point Guard Bryce Cartwright and forward Melsahn Basabe came on at the end of last year. Matt Gatens and Eric May should have big roles as well this year.
8. 8. Purdue
Purdue figures to be one of the more interesting teams to watch this season. They will have to overcome E’Twuan Moore and JuJuan Johnson heading off to the NBA after four years of play. Robbie Hummel is back and hopefully he will bounce back from his knee injuries.
Matt Painter said on the Dan Dakich show, he is looking for help from Terone Johnson, Rhyne Smith, and Kelsey Barlow.
9. 9. Wisconsin
One thing I learned about the Badgers is to never underestimate a Bo Ryan team. He coaches the “Swing”/flex offense to perfection. Ryan has always had solid point guards and this year is no different in Senior Jordan Taylor. Look for the Badgers to hinge on Taylor big time this season. Other than that, that is all I have for you..
10. Minnesota
After looking at the Gophers 6-12 record last season in the Big Ten, I am sure Tubby Smith was not happy. I expect Ralph Sampson III to contribute. But the big player to look for is Trevor Mbakwe. This guy is nasty underneath.
11. 11. Penn State
With Talor Battle gone, this is a team I know very little about. Coach Ed DeChellis is no longer with the team as he left for Navy. He was a Coach I respected but they could never get over the hump. Patrick Chambers is the new coach for the Nittany Lions. Sporting News said the team will rely on guard Tim Frazier.
12. 12. Nebraska
The newest member to the Big Ten and another team I know little about. Although, they were competitive under Doc Sadler in the Big 12. Sporting News said Jorge Brian Diaz, a big man is their top player.
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Here’s
a look into the Big Ten season this year. I am not into making predictions
but I will give you a break down of what to look for this year. Don’t go by
the order as a predicted order of finish.
