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1.
Purdue (T-2nd B10, 11-7 in B10, 27-10 overall,
NCAA Sweet 16)
2009-2010 Outlook:
The Boilermakers underachieved during
conference play last season, mainly because of nagging injuries to Robbie
Hummel and Chris Kramer. Assuming Hummel and Kramer can remain
healthy, their top six players return including JaJuan Johnson who drastically
improved in his sophomore season. A lack of experience off the
bench will be a concern for Matt Painter’s team, but their top six
is talented enough to lead Purdue to the Big Ten title.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: JaJuan Johnson (Jr)/Sandi Marcius (Fr)
F: Robbie Hummel (Jr)/Patrick Bade (Fr)
G: Chris Kramer (Sr)/D.J. Byrd (Fr)/Kelsey Barlow (Fr)
G: E’Twuan Moore (Jr)/Ryne Smith (So)
PG: Lewis Jackson (So)/Keaton Grant (Sr)
Gone: C-Nemenja Calasan, F-Marcus
Green
Player to Watch:
Johnson- In a drunken conversation, a friend of mine made the mistake
of declaring that Johnson would one day be one of the top ten big men
in the NBA. He has received endless criticism for that statement
as my friends and I now compare Johnson to the likes of Tim Duncan and
Kevin Garnett. In all seriousness, Johnson came out of nowhere to be
an effective big man for the Boilermakers. If that growth continues,
Purdue could be a Final Four contender.
Player to Watch:
2.
Michigan State (1st, 15-3, 31-7, National Runner-up)
2009-2010 Outlook:
Sparty really hit their stride during
their run to the national title game. Yet a few question marks
surround the team heading into this season, most noticeably down low.
Freshmen Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman will have to provide some muscle
inside for MSU. Raymar Morgan should be more of a factor this
season seeing as he was slowed by health issues last season. Kalin
Lucas is one of the top floor leaders in the country and Delvon Roe
should only get better in his second season.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Delvon Roe (So)/Tom Herzog (Jr)/Garrick Sherman (Fr)
PF: Draymond Green (So)/Derrick Nix (Fr)
SF: Raymar Morgan (Sr)/Austin Thornton (So)
SG: Durrell Summers (Jr)/Chris Allen (So)
PG: Kalin Lucas (Jr)/Korie Lucious (So)
Gone: C-Goran Suton, G-Travis
Walton, F/C-Marquise Gray, C-Idong Ibok
Player to Watch:
Morgan- The 2008-2009 season was a rough one for Morgan. He was
bothered by an illness in the middle of the year then broke his nose
in the Sweet 16, never finding his groove. Still, Morgan fought
through that adversity and was able to contribute to the Spartans’
success. If Morgan can build off an impressive sophomore season
that saw him become an intriguing NBA prospect, he could be the boost
State needs to hang another Big Ten banner.
3.
Ohio State (T-4th, 10-8, 22-11, NCAA First Round)
2009-2010 Outlook:
Had B.J. Mullens made the smart decision
and returned to the Buckeyes for his sophomore season, I would strongly
consider picking OSU to win the conference. Mullens was an idiot
and decided to turn pro, but everybody else is back including Mr. Do-It-All,
Evan Turner. David Lighty also returns from a broken bone in his
foot that forced him to sit out all of last season. Dallas Lauderdale
provides toughness inside and Jon Diebler can light it up from deep.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Dallas Lauderdale (Jr)/Kyle Madsen (Sr)/Zisis Sarakopoulus (So)
G/F: David Lighty (Sr)/Nikola Kecman (So)
G/F: Evan Turner (Jr)/Walter Offutt (So)
SG: Willian Buford (So)/Jeremie Simmons (Sr)
G: Jon Diebler (Jr)/P.J. Hill (Sr)
Gone: C-B.J. Mullens
Player to Watch:
Buford- In his freshman year, Buford had a quiet, but successful season
for the Buckeyes. He was highly-recruited coming out of high school
and should only get better, providing Turner with a valuable second
option on the perimeter. Buford could potentially bolt Columbus
after this season for the NBA, but will need to better establish himself
as the scorer that many think he is capable of becoming. If he
makes that stride, OSU could surprise and capture the conference crown.
4.
Michigan (T-7th, 9-9, 21-14, NCAA Second Round)
2009-2010 Outlook:
Jon Beilien’s makeover of the Michigan
basketball program paid dividends last season as the Wolverines made
their first NCAA Tournament appearance in more than a decade.
This year, the expectations are even higher. Michigan returns
their top five scorers including All-Big Ten candidates and likely future
NBA’ers Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims. As always, Beilein’s
team will live and die by the trifecta. When they are feeling
it from deep, the Wolverines will be tough to beat.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Zack Gibson (Sr)/Ben Cronin (Fr)/Jordan Morgan (Fr)
F: DeShawn Sims (Sr)/Anthony Wright (Jr)/Blake McLimans (Fr)
G: Zach Novak (So)/Matt Vogrich (Fr)
G: Manny Harris (Jr)/Laval Lucas-Perry (So)/Eso Akunne (Fr)
PG: Stu Douglass (So)/Darius Morris (Fr)
Gone: G-C.J. Lee, PG-Kelvin Grady
(playing football), PG-David Merritt
Player to Watch:
Harris- �Manny Fresh� (as many ESPN analysts so un-cleverly refer
to him as) is one of the purest scorers in the country. He can
attack the basket, stroke it from deep, and rebounds the ball very well
for a guard. However, his shot selection is still very questionable,
as is his leadership ability. If he can become more of a team
player, the sky is the limit for him and the Wolverines this season.
5. Minnesota (T-7th, 9-9, 22-11, NCAA
First Round)
2009-2010 Outlook:
Tubby ball is in effect in the Twin Cities.
In just his second year at Minnesota, Tubby re-gained respectability
for the Gopher basketball program. His team was very deep last
season as eleven players saw at least ten minutes of court time per
game. With their full-court defensive pressure, that type of depth
is needed. Tubby also continued his recruiting abilities landing
highly touted forwards Royce White and Rodney Williams. There
is some recent concern with the indefinite suspensions of White and
Devron Bostick along with Marquette transfer Trevor Mbakwe yet to be
cleared to play. Still, the future continues to be bright for
Minnesota.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Ralph Sampson III (So)/Colton Iverson (So)
PF: Paul Carter (Jr)/Trevor Mbakwe (Jr)/Royce White (Fr)
F: Damien Johnson (Sr)/Rodney Williams (Fr)
SG: Lawrence Westbrook (Sr)/Blake Hoffarber (Jr)/Devron Bostick (Sr)
PG: Al Nolen (Jr)/Devoe Joseph (So)/Justin Cobbs (Fr)
Gone: G/F-Jamal Abu-Shamala, G-Travis
Busch (transfer-Colorado State)
Player to Watch:
Johnson- With Tubby’s ferocious style of defensive play, it helps
to have one of the league’s best defenders in Johnson. He can
also hold his own on the offensive end as he was second on the Gophers
averaging 9.8 points per game. He might be one of the most under
the radar players in the conference.
6.
Illinois (T-2nd, 11-7, 24-10, NCAA First Round)
2009-2010 Outlook:
The past several years, Illinois has
been a team that has relied on its solid guard play. Having lost
three perimeter players is a major loss, but highly recruited freshmen
D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul should help fill the void. Mike
and Mike (Tisdale and Davis) made major jumps last season and will need
to continue to improve for Illinois to compete in the vastly improved
Big Ten.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Mike Tisdale (Jr)/Richard Semrau (Jr)/Stan Simpson (Fr)
PF: Mike Davis (Jr)/Dominique Keller (Sr)/Tyler Griffey (Fr)
G/F: Alex Legion (Jr)/Joseph Bertrand (Fr)
G: D.J. Richardson (Fr)/Brandon Paul (Fr)/
G: Demetri McCamey (Jr)/Jeffery Jordan
(Jr)
Gone: PG-Chester Frazier, SG-Trent
Meacham, G/F-Calvin Brock
Player to Watch:
Legion- When Legion transferred from Kentucky, it was a highly anticipated
get for the Illinois program. However, Legion never found his
niche once he became eligible and often looked lost on the court.
There is no doubting his potential, but will he be able to put it all
together and become a consistent contributor?
7.
Wisconsin (T-4th, 10-8, 20-13, NCAA Second Round)
2009-2010 Outlook:
If Big Ten teams have learned anything,
it is do not underestimate Bo Ryan’s coaching ability. His teams
will always get after it on the defensive end and be very disciplined
with their swing offense. This year may be Ryan’s biggest challenge
as he lacks a go-to player and a lot of depth, especially up-front.
Still, expect the Badgers to once again make some noise. Highly
recruited freshman guard Diamond Taylor left the team after being charged
with three counts of burglary in his first week on campus. Dumb.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Keaton Nankivil (Jr)/Jared Berggren (Fr)/Ian Markholf (So)/J.P. Gavinski (Jr)
PF: Jon Leuer (Jr)/Mike Bruesewitz (Fr)
SF: Tim Jarmusz (Jr)/Ryan Evans (Fr)
SG: Jason Bohannon (Sr)/Rob Wilson (So)
PG: Trevon Hughes (Sr)/Jordan Taylor (So)
Gone: PF-Marcus Landry, SF-Joe
Krabbenhoft, F/C-Kevin Gullikson
Player to Watch:
Leuer- At 6-10, Leuer is loaded with talent and versatility. He
can stroke it from deep, put the ball on the floor, and has a nice skill
set in the post. Becoming more physical, especially on the defensive
end, is a must if the Badgers are to get back to the tourney.
8.
Northwestern (9th, 8-10, 17-14, NIT)
2009-2010 Outlook:
For a program that has never made the
NCAA Tournament, they are getting close. Really close. Close
enough that Michigan State’s Tom Izzo said at Big Ten Media Day that
he thinks this is the year the misery comes to an end and the Wildcats
make the Big Dance. Only one player is gone from last year’s
team that qualified for the NIT. Kevin Coble has developed into
one of the best scorers in the Big Ten and this once young is starting
to mature into a solid Big Ten team.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Kyle Rowley (So)/Luka Mirkovic (So)
F: Kevin Coble (Sr)/Ivan Peljusic (Jr)/Davide Curletti (So)
F: John Shurna (So)/Mike Capocci (Jr)/Drew Crawford (Fr)
SG: Jeremy Nash (Sr)/Jeff Ryan (Sr)/Reggie Hearn (Fr)
PG: Juice Thompson (Jr)/Alex Marcotullio
(Fr)
Gone: SG-Craig Moore, G/F-Sterling
Williams
Player to Watch:
Coble- Let me just say this, if Coble played at Duke everyone in the
nation would be aware of his abilities. But because he plays at
Northwestern, he has continually flown under the radar on the national
scene. He is a versatile forward who can score in a variety of
ways and continues to develop his all-around game. Coble will
be the driving force behind whatever success the Wildcats may encounter
this season.
9.
Penn State (T-4th, 10-8, 27-11, NIT)
2009-2010 Outlook:
The Nittany Lions are coming off a championship
season!!! Okay, it was only the NIT title, but that is quite the
accomplishment from a team that has traditionally been the door mat
of the Big Ten. Penn State fell on the wrong side of the bubble
on Selection Sunday and were the rare exception of a major conference
team finishing with a winning record in conference play and not making
the tourney. All-Big Ten first team player Talor Battle returns
to lead the team, but PSU will have to replace the loss of three valuable
seniors. I am not expecting a repeat performance of last year’s
successful season.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Andruw Jones III (Jr)/Andrew Ott (Jr)
PF: Jeff Brooks (Jr)/Sasha Boronjvak (Fr)
F: David Jackson (So)/ Bill Edwards (Fr)
SG: Chris Babb (So)/Cammeron Woodyard (So)/Jermaine Marshall (Fr)
PG: Talor Battle (Jr)/Tim Frazier (Fr)
Gone: G-Stanley Pringle, F-Jamelle
Cornley, SG-Danny Morrissey
Player to Watch:
Battle- The conference’s leading scorer from a year ago, Battle did
a little bit of everything for the Nittany Lions last season.
He played 37-plus minutes a night averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 boards,
and 5.0 assists per game. Battle also led the U.S. team in scoring
at the World University Games.
10.
Indiana (11th, 1-17, 6-25)
2009-2010 Outlook:
It cannot get much worse for the Hoosiers
who had the worst season in the school’s history last season.
In his second season, Tom Crean continues to try and right the wrongs
Kalvin Sampson did to the program. Landing a crop of talented
freshman was a step in the right direction to gaining back some respect
for IU. Georgetown transfer Jeremiah Rivers is eligible this season
and should provide Indiana with some stability and much needed leadership.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Tom Pritchard (So)/Tijan Jobe (Sr)/Bawa Muniru (Fr)
F: Derek Elston (Fr)/Bobby Capobianco (Fr)
G: Devan Dumes (Sr)/ Maurice Creek (Fr)/Christian Watford (Fr)
G: Jeremiah Rivers (Jr)/ Matt Roth (So)
PG: Verdell Jones III (So)/Jordan Hulls
(Fr)/Daniel Moore (So)
Gone: G/F-Nick Williams (transfer-Mississippi),
G/F-Malik Story (transfer-Nevada), F-Kyle Taber
Player to Watch:
Rivers- The Hoosiers are very young and despite sitting out last year,
Rivers’ addition on the floor should be a major plus for Crean due
to his basketball lineage (his father is Celtics’ head coach Doc Rivers.)
Last we saw him at G-Town, he was not an intimidating offensive talent,
but really got after it on D’. For a Tom Crean-coached team,
that aggressive work ethic will be welcomed. If he has become
a more dangerous scorer, all the better.
11. Iowa (10th, 5-13, 15-17)
2009-2010 Outlook:
The Hawkeyes are going to be the Hoosiers
of last year; only they might not be lucky enough to win a game.
Seriously, that bad. Three expected starters chose to transfer
which makes me wonder what is going on with this program. There
will be some serious growing pains this season and Todd Lickliter needs
to turn things around soon or he could be on the hot seat.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Andrew Brommer (So)/Brennan Cougill (Fr)
F: Jarryd Cole (Jr)/Aaron Fuller (So)/Devon Archie (Jr)
G: Matt Gatens (So)/Eric May (Fr)
G: Anthony Tucker (So)/ Devan Bawinkel (Sr)
PG: Cully Payne (Fr)/John Lickliter (Fr)
Gone: SG-Jeff Peterson (transfer-Arkansas),
SG-Jake Kelly (transfer-Indiana State), C-David Palmer (transfer-Northern
Kentucky), F/C-Cyrus Tate, G-Jermain Davis (transfer-Minnesota State-Mankato)
Player to Watch:
Payne- The only other point guard on Iowa’s roster is Lickliter’s
son, John, meaning Payne will likely shoulder the ball-handling responsibility.
Having Tucker and Gatens alongside Payne in the backcourt should help
ease the transition, but it is still a lot to ask a true freshman.
All Big Ten First Team
(POY) Evan Turner, Ohio State
Robbie Hummel, Purdue
Kalin Lucas, Michigan State
Talor Battle, Penn State
Kevin Coble, Northwestern
Second Team
Manny Harris, Michigan
DeShawn Sims, Michigan
E’Twuan Moore, Purdue
Mike Davis, Illinois
Raymar Morgan, Michigan State
All Freshman Team
(FOY) D.J. Richardson, Illinois
Royce White, Minnesota
Derrick Nix, Michigan State
Maurice Creek, Indiana
Cully Payne, Iowa
All Defensive Team
(DPOY) Damien Johnson, Minnesota
Chris Kramer, Purdue
David Lighty, Ohio State
Durrell Summers, Michigan State
Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin
Sixth Man of the Year
Keaton Grant, Purdue
Coach of the Year
Matt Painter, Purdue
Written by Paul Banks of NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
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