2017 SEASON HOOPS INSIDER PREVIEW

INSIDE ONE OF COLLEGE ’S PREMIER CONFERENCES | COMPILED BY PATRICK STEVENS, SPECIAL TO GATEHOUSE MEDIA

BREAKING IT DOWN PRESEASON qUESTIONS RANKING THE LEAGUE

1. Michigan State 8. ioWa Is Michigan State 2016-17 record: 20-15 (10-8 2016-17 record: 19-15 (10-8 the best team in Michigan State star Big Ten) Big Ten) the country? . [MICHIGAN Upside: The Spartans could Upside: A team that started quite possibly. The STATEUNIVERSITY] win a national title; the ceiling doesn’t four freshmen at times last year takes a general consensus get much higher than that major step forward and is also one of the is the Spartans have Downside: It’s hard to see one with the most entertaining squads in the league the best player in the Spartans that doesn’t involve a bunch of Downside: Defensive deficiencies hold country thanks to Miles injuries. Michigan State has perhaps the back the Hawkeyes, even as the likes of Bridges’ decision to best blend of talent, young and experi- Tyler Cook and Jordan Bohannon con- remain in East Lansing enced, in the country tinue to make strides at the other end for his sophomore year. But the support- 2. PUrDUe 9. Penn State ing cast figures to be 2016-17 record: 27-8 (14-4 Big 2016-17 record: 15-18 (6-12 outstanding as well, Ten) Big Ten) and Michigan State Upside: A tested senior class Upside: A trio of star sopho- has a coach in Tom led by Vince Edwards is exceptional mores becomes more consistent and Izzo who is more than and guard continues lifts the Nittany Lions into the NCAA capable of putting to develop as the Boilermakers win the Tournament for the first time under his pieces in place to league’s regular season crown again Patrick Chambers make a deep run. And Downside: It turns out Downside: It’s more of the same in that supporting cast is was irreplaceable and the Boilermakers Happy Valley, with some promising hardly a bunch of bit slide back toward the middle of the pack performances mixed in with more losses players. Four starters, and make a hasty exit once the postsea- than victories. Chambers is again on the including sophomore son arrives hot seat , are back, a healthy Gavin Schilling 3. WiSconSin 10. illinoiS will fortify the interior 2016-17 record: 27-10 (12-6 2016-17 record: 20-15 (8-10 and Jaren Jackson Jr. Big Ten) Big Ten) figures to be one of the Upside: The names changes, Upside: league’s top freshmen. but this much stays the same — the has the same effect on the Illini he did Badgers are always a good bet for a top- at Oklahoma State and guides Illinois Will Minnesota four finish in the Big Ten and a run to the to its first NCAA appearance in five and Northwestern Sweet 16 years build on their Downside: Perhaps losing four start- Downside: While the Illini are more fun breakout ers was a bit too much even for this to watch than in recent years, it quickly seasons? program, which isn’t assured a dozen becomes clear it will take more than one It’s not outlandish to league wins even though it almost year for Underwood to work his magic in think both will match always collects them Champaign their 24-win seasons from a year ago. Min- 4. MinneSota 11. inDiana nesota was maybe 2016-17 record: 24-10 (11-7 2016-17 record: 18-16 (7-11 the biggest surprise in Big Ten) Big Ten) a power conference, Upside: Last year’s excep- Upside: The holdovers from going from 2-16 in the tional play is a precursor to even greater the era embrace coach Archie Big Ten to team that things as Nate Mason and the Golden Miller, who cajoles a surprise NCAA Tour- made the NCAA Tour- Gophers make a multi-weekend trip to nament bid out of the Hoosiers nament. The Golden the NCAA Tournament Downside: There’s not quite enough in Gophers suffered only Downside: Depth could prove to be a place to do much better than an NIT one major personnel concern again; it took just one injury to bid, but Miller still starts at a better loss (Akeem Springs), turn Minnesota into a highly vulnerable spot than Crean did when he arrived in and the backcourt of team last year Bloomington senior Nate Mason and sophomore Amir Coffey 5. northWeStern 12. ohio State is formidable. As for 2016-17 record: 24-12 (10-8 2016-17 record: 17-15 (7-11 Northwestern, this is the season the Wildcats have been building toward with veteran Big Ten) Big Ten) guards Scottie Lindsey and Bryant McIntosh entering their senior year. Upside: A core group built for Upside: Jae’Sean Tate and the a deep run this year does just that, fur- Buckeyes quickly adapt to new coach Chris Howwill the league’s three new coaches fare? ther electrifying a fan base that savored Holtmann and Keita Bates-Diop enjoys a its first taste of the NCAA Tournament stellar junior year as Ohio State surprises Perhaps not as well this year as they would have at their old schools, but the future is last season the league and wins 20-plus games bright for all of them. Illinois struck quickly to pry Brad Underwood away from Okla- Downside: Stuck playing far from Downside: The Buckeyes don’t have homa State, and his track record as a head coach (three years at Stephen F. Austin, campus at Allstate Arena, the Wildcats depth to withstand the rigors of league one at Oklahoma State) is littered with success. Indiana landed the coveted Archie never benefit from a home-court edge play and it becomes clear Holtmann’s Miller, who was exceptional at Dayton. Then there’s , who was the and slip a few spots in the league first season won’t be much fun Big East’s coach of the year last year and takes over for at Ohio State. He might have the toughest task of the three this year, but his work at Butler suggests 6. Michigan 13. nebraSka he’ll do well with the Buckeyes. 2016-17 record: 26-12 (10-8 2016-17 record: 12-19 (6-12 Big Ten) Big Ten) Can Maryland, Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin deal with losing stars? Upside: Losing three dou- Upside: Glynn Watson Jr. Yes, to varying degrees. Maryland’s offensive identity was wrapped around Melo ble-digit scorers doesn’t derail the takes another step as a junior and the Trimble for much of the last three years, but the Terrapins have a strong sophomore perpetually prepared Wolverines, who Cornhuskers manage to stay healthy as class that can step into larger roles this season. Michigan is constructed to withstand surprise everyone again with a second they move back into the middle of the losses, and Moritz Wagner will lead another capable team. Purdue will Big Ten tournament title in a row pack in the Big Ten have to adjust to life without Caleb Swanigan, but it brings back four starters and Downside: The backcourt isn’t strong Downside: The offense simply isn’t good should contend for a league title. Wisconsin lost stalwarts Nigel Hayes and Bronson enough despite the addition of two enough and runs out of time Koenig, but should remain a factor thanks to and a program that’s never tested transfers and Michigan turns in as Nebraska opts for a coaching change been built around just one or two guys. an uneven season at season’s end

What sort of postseason haul awaits the Big Ten? 7. MarylanD 14. rUtgerS 2016-17 record: 24-9 (12-6 Big 2016-17 record: 15-18 (3-15 At least as much as last year. All seven teams that reached the NCAA Tournament Ten) Big Ten) have an excellent chance to get back there again, and Iowa is a good bet to be in the Upside: A roster led by three Upside: A winning season hunt to make it eight even after losing leading scorer Peter Jok. The sneaky-good sophomores — Anthony Cowan, Kevin overall and a climb out of the basement team might be Penn State, which made strides thanks to a freshman-centric roster a Huerter and Justin Jackson — leads the of the conference standings would be year ago. Now, , and Mike Watkins are all sophomores, and Terrapins to their fourth consecutive a fine step forward in ’s coach Patrick Chambers should have his best team yet in his seven-year tenure in NCAA Tournament second year with the Scarlet Knights Happy Valley. Downside: No one really emerges to Downside: Last year provided some hope replace the departed Melo Trimble and for Rutgers, but it was not an offensive Maryland’s offense fizzles in crunch time dynamo; it could be tough to watch if the PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE enough to doom Maryland to an NIT bid Scarlet Knights still struggle to score FirSt teaM SeconD teaM NOTABLE NUMBER G Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern G , Maryland G Nate Mason, Minnesota G Justin Jackson, Maryland G/F Miles Bridges, Michigan State F Vincent Edwards, Purdue 3 Pre-Christmas conference games for every team in the Big Ten thanks to the league’s F Jaren Jackson Jr., Michigan State F Nick Ward, Michigan State decision to play the conference tournament a week early this year at New York’s Madison F Ethan Happ, Wisconsin F Moritz Wagner, Michigan Square Garden. All 14 teams will play two league games between Dec. 1and Dec. 4.

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