2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge

For the first time in the now fourteen years of the event, every Big Ten team will be participating in the challenge. Before this year someone was always left out but thanks to the expansion of the ACC every team from the land of the good will get a chance to do their part in proving which conference reigns supreme in basketball this season. This may prove to be more challenging than usual because the ACC has elected to keep the three bottom dwellers from last season (Clemson, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech) out of the event while allowing newcomers Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse to participate. The ACC won the first eight challenges and the Big Ten won the next four before the two conferences tied last season.  Here's a look at what's on tap this time around:

Indiana @ Syracuse (Tuesday 7:15pm, ESPN)

This is an intriguing matchup. IU faces off against the team that upset them in last season's NCAA tournament.  Syracuse continues to employ a tough zone defense where they encourage three point attempts while driving to the hoop is difficult. This does not play into Indiana's strengths as so far they are struggling with the outside shot.  Where Indiana does excel is getting to the free throw line. It will be interesting to see if IU is able to continue this trend as high volume free throw shooting teams are often neutralized when facing zone defenses.  Syracuse has been surprisingly efficient on offense despite shooting poorly from the line so far. There's just too much riding on Yogi Ferrell's shoulders in this one though the Hoosiers should have an advantage in the post.

The Pick: Syracuse 77-68.

2013-2014 Men's Big Ten Basketball Preview

Now that I've previewed all twelve teams it's prediction time.  Below I've listed my best guess at the conference standings as well as the awards. In April we can all

Gary Harris & Adreian Payne may be the two
best players in the entire BIG conference.

look back and see how wrong I am.

Standings

	W	L
Michigan St.	14	4
Wisconsin	13	5
Ohio St.	12	6
Michigan	12	6
Purdue	11	7
Iowa	10	6
Indiana	9	9
Illinois	7	11
Penn St.	6	12
Minnesota	5	13
Northwestern	4	14
Nebraska	4	14

All Big Ten First Team
G Aaron Craft - Ohio State
G Gary Harris - Michigan State
G Nik Stauskas - Michigan
F Adreian Payne - Michigan State
F Sam Dekker - Wisconsin

All Big Ten Second Team
G Tim Frazier - Penn State
G Josh Gasser - Wisconsin
G Andre Hollins - Minnesota
F Glenn Robinson III - Michigan
C AJ Hammons - Purdue

Big Ten Freshmen Team
G Derrick Walton, Jr. - Michigan
G Tai Webster - Nebraska
F Zak Irvine - Michigan
F Kendall Stephens - Purdue
C Noah Vonleh - Indiana

BIG Tournament Champ: Michigan State
Defensive player of the Year: Aaron Craft
Big Ten Player of the Year: Adreian Payne

2013-14 Men's Basketball Big Ten Preview - The Three I's

I started to write all twelve teams at once but felt the overall quality was lacking. Instead I'll break my preview up into groups of three in an attempt to give a better preview for each team.  Today we'll start with the three schools who begin with the letter I.

Illinois Fighting Illini
Head Coach: John Groce
Last Season: 23-13 (8-10), lost in second round of NCAA Tournament to Miami
Graduated: G Brandon Paul, G DJ Richardson, F Tyler Griffey, G Sam McLaurin
Transfered: F Myke Henry
Left Early: None
New Faces: G Kendrick Nunn (#60), F Malcolm Hill (#62), F Austin Colbert (#97), G Rayvonte Rice (transfer), F Jon Eckey (transfer), G Jaylon Tate, C Maverick Morgan
2013 recap: Illinois was coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in school history last year causing coach Bruce Weber to lose his job. Enter John Groce from Ohio University. Taking the same squad (minus Meyers Leonard) Weber left behind, Groce was able to steer his team into the NCAA tournament and almost into the Sweet 16.  The Illini started off hot, winning their first twelve games

Abrams is the unquestioned leader for U of I.
Let's see if the many freshmen can follow.

before falling to Missouri.  Though they finished the conference slate with a losing record they were able to acquire big wins over Ohio State and Indiana. This enabled the Fighting Illini to earn a #7 seed. A win over Colorado matched them up with #2 Miami and they took them to the wire before falling by four. It was a bittersweet end for the seniors on the team - no they didn't reach a Final Four but after 2012's debacle they were able to return to the NCAA's and win a game.
The Starters:

	Player	Height	Wt	Year
PG	Tracy Abrams	6'2"	190	Jr.
G	Kendrick Nunn	6'3"	180	Fr.
G	Joseph Bertrand	6'6"	200	Sr.
F	Jon Ekey	6'7"	225	Sr.
C	Nnanna Egwu	6'11"	235	Jr.

.

Gone is Brandon Paul who posted one of the highest usage rates in the country and second highest in the Big Ten.  Gone is three year starter DJ Richardson and two year starter Tyler Griffey.  Returning is Tracy Abrams who is the unquestioned man at the point.  Last season he struggled as a three point shooter (27%) and his turnovers were a little high.  He'll need to improve in both facets this season if the Illini are going to present any kind of challenge for the Big Ten crown.  With Groce's offense relying heavily on guard play, freshman guard Kendrick Nunn looks to seize a starting spot as a combo guard. A product out of Simeon High School in Chicago, Nunn excels at beating his man off the dribble but his three point shot may be shaky at first which could doom the Illini's attempt to space the floor. Guard Joseph Bertrand also seems to have locked down a starting job.  Last season he led the team in free throw percentage (77%) but he only attempted 44 of them.  He'll need to get to the line more this season and take fewer three point attempts to help improve the efficiency of the offense.  Defensively, Bertrand is underrated. His long arms allow him to reach into passing lanes and poke the ball away.  Jon Eckey seems to have secured the power forward spot with ease. While not physically imposing, Eckey is known for his shot-blocking ability.  He prefers to face the basket as his post-up game is virtually non-existent.  Look for the Illini to rely on him to hit several mid-range jumpers a game in an attempt to clear the lane for their quick guards.  Nnanna Egwu continues to improve but now the Illini are going to need him more than ever.  With an influx of talented centers in the conference Egwu will be tested on a nightly basis.  Hopefully for Illini fans he'll be able to improve on his 6.5 points per game and 5 rebounds per game averages from last season.
The Bench:

G	Rayvonte Rice	6'4"	235	Jr.
G	Mike LaTulip	6'1"	170	So.
G	Malcolm Hill	6'6"	210	Fr.
C	Maverick Morgan	6'10"	250	Fr.
G	Jaylon Tate	6'3"	160	Fr.
F	Austin Colbert	6'9"	210	Fr.
F	Darius Paul	6'8"	220	So.

.

The bench is filled with freshmen who will fight and claw their way in to some form of a pecking order during the non-conference season.  I really don't have much information to add on these players except that Rice and Hill will be leaned on heavily for minutes.  If either or both of these two shows to be a capable three point shooter and solid defender they will find themselves getting a boatload of minutes.  Maverick Morgan has plenty of size and seems to have established himself as Egwu's backup.  Getting exposure in the Big Ten as a freshman can do wonders for his development down the road.  Forwards Darius Paul and Austin Colbert will also find themselves on the floor a lot early on as they look to provide depth.
2014 Outlook: This is a young team that may struggle mightily out of the gate as Groce figures out which players work best together. There don't appear to be any players that will be able to consistently hit three pointers which may cause floor spacing to be an issue.  Groce's teams typically aren't ones to crack down on defense either so offensive efficiency will make or break them on most nights.  There is a lot of talent on hand and the team will improve as the season goes along and may even score a couple of upsets along the way.  It seems unlikely that this team will be able to finish with a winning record in conference play which puts them squarely in the NIT.
Projection: 8th in Big Ten, NIT bid

2012-13 Big Ten Preview

And we're back!  The summer flew by and unfortunately the blog was neglected as a result. But now it's time for college basketball so I'm feeling a little more energetic this weekend.

I'll start off by giving a short preview of all twelve Big Ten teams and then I'll just pick and choose my way through conferences later. So here we go, my predicted reverse order of finish, the Big Ten preview begins now...

12. Nebraska
Last Season: 12-18, tied for 11th in Big Ten
Graduated: G Bo Spencer, G Toney McCray, G Brandon Richardson, G Caleb Walker, C Jorge Brian Diaz (retired)

Brandon Ubel is the last big man left in Lincoln.
He'll need to anchor this team to avoid a last place finish.

New Faces: Devell Biggs, Benny Parker, Shavon Shields, Sergej Vucetic
Outlook: Poor coach Tim Miles.  In his first season as Huskers head coach he'll have only five returning scholarship players including one starter.  There is potential talent coming in but it will have to wait a year due to transfer requirements.  With a short and shallow roster, Nebraska is destined for a last place finish but with three seniors there will be nights when they compete.
Projected Starters:
G Ryan Gallegos (Jr)
G Dylan Talley (Sr)
G Devell Biggs (Jr)
F Andre Almeida (Sr)
C Brandon Ubel (Sr)
Bench: F David Rivers (So), G Benny Parker (Fr), G Shavon Shields (Fr), C Sergej Vucetic (Fr), G Jordan Tyrance (RS Fr), G Trevor Menke (So), F Kyle Kurkowski (RS Fr)

11. Illinois
Last Season: 17-15, tied for 9th in Big Ten
Graduated/Went Pro: C Meyers Leonard, G Sam Maniscalco

What's going on with this guy? He has all the talent in
the world but his disappointing career to date is a micro-
cosm of Bruce Weber's failed tenure in Champaign.

New Faces: F Sam McLaurin (transfer), Devin Langford (redshirt)
Outlook: There are talented seniors on this roster but none of that talent has materialized for any stretch of length. Now, with no freshmen on the team, Illinois will switch to new coach John Groce's system which relies heavily on a talented point guard. If Tracy Abrams can't handle the job it may be a really long year in Champaign. I think this prediction is conservative though, and still believe there's a chance Brandon Paul finally puts it all together.
Projected Starters:
G Brandon Paul (Sr)
G Tracy Abrams (So)
F DJ Richardson (Sr)
F Tyler Griffey (Sr)
F Nnanna Egwu (So)
Bench: F Mike Shaw (So), F Myke Henry (So), F Ibrahima Djimde (So), Devin Langford (RS Fr)

10. Penn St.
Last Season: 12-20, tied for 11th in Big Ten
Graduated: G Cammeron Woodyard, G Trey Lewis (transfer), G Matt Glover (transfer), C Peter Alexis (retired)

Rumors are Penn St. is challenging the NCAAs anti-cloning
rule regarding Tim Frazier. Five of him would be fun to watch!

New Faces: Brandon Taylor, Donovan Jack, Akosa Maduegbunamm
Outlook: Penn State has an excellent backcourt led by All Big Ten selection Tim Frazier.  The frontcourt, however, is a big question mark. Their lack of experience and talent will be exploited by teams with skilled big men.  This will be a fun team to watch and if the young bigs develop an NIT berth isn't out of the question.
Projected Starters:
G Tim Frazier (Sr)
G DJ Newbill (RS So)
G Jermaine Marshall (Sr)
F Ross Travis (So)
F Sasa Borovnjak (Jr)
Bench: G Nick Colella (Sr), F Patrick Ackerman (So), F Jon Graham (So), F Brandon Taylor (Fr), F Donovan Jack (Fr), G Akosa Maduegbunamm (Fr)

9. Northwestern
Last Season: 19-14, tied for 7th in Big Ten, NIT appearance
Graduated: F John Shurna, F Luka Mirkovic

In a loaded Big Ten, it will take a career year
from Drew Crawford to give Northwestern
some excited high fives post buzzer.

New Faces: Jared Swopshire (transfer), Nikola Cerina (transfer), Tre Demps (redshirt), Michael Turner (redshirt), Alex Olah, Kale Abrahamson, Sanjay Lumpkin, Chier Ajou
Outlook: Last year Northwestern became the only Big Ten school ever to go to the NIT four straight years. Sadly, 2012-13 looks like it will be a fifth.  The young talent on this team is real and just like the last two seasons, there will be a point during the season where people think this team has a shot to earn their elusive NCAA bid.  However, I'm bearish on a defense that was twelfth in the conference last season. Once the young guns get a season under their belts this team can really take off.  If the Wildcats don't make the NCAAs in 2013-14 then I'll be surprised.
Projected Starters:
G Drew Crawford (Sr)
G JerShon Cobb (Jr)
G David Sobolewski (So)
F Jared Swopshire (Sr)
F Alex Olah (Fr)
Bench: G Tre Demps (Sr), G Alex Marcotullio (Sr), F Kale Abrahamson (Fr), G Reggie Hearn (Sr), C Aaron Liberman (Fr), F Chier Ajou (Fr), F Sanjay Lumpkin, G Nikola Cerina (Jr)

8. Iowa
Last Season: 18-17, tied for 7th in Big Ten, lost in second round of CBI tournament
Graduated: G Matt Gatens, F Andrew Brommer, G Bryce Cartwright

Basabe might want to start practicing against
adults if he's to lead Iowa back to the NCAAs.

New Faces: Adam Woodbury, Mike Gesell, Kyle Meyer
Outlook: Iowa made huge strides last season under Fran McCaffery.  The fast pace the Hawkeyes play is a bit refreshing in the grind-it-out Big Ten.  This team could finish anywhere from fifth to tenth. Much of that depends on the incoming freshmen and the improvements made by last year's freshmen. Either way this is a team who should be knocking on an NCAA berth this season.
Projected Starters:
G Mike Gesell (Fr)
G Roy Devyn Marble (Jr)
G Josh Oglesby (So)
F Aaron White (So)
C Melsahn Basabe (Jr)
Bench: F Eric May (Sr), F Zach McCabe (Jr), C Adam Woodbury (Fr), F Gabe Olaseni (So), F Kyle Myer (Fr)

7. Minnesota
Last Season: 23-15, tied for 9th in Big Ten, lost in NIT championship
Graduated: F Ralph Sampson, Chip Armelin (transfer)

Here's to hoping Trevor Mbakwe can be the same player
he was before he tore his ACL. The man was a beast in the paint!

New Faces: Charles Buggs, Wally Ellenson
Outlook: Minnesota must wonder what they've done to upset the basketball gods. Each year they look like a contender only to have injuries severely hamper their roster. Last season was no exception and it took until late in the year for the team to come together. If this team can just stay healthy they can compete with anyone in the conference. I'm not one to bet against history hence my prediction that the Gophers finish in the middle of the pack. That shouldn't prevent this team from qualifying for the NCAA tournament.
Projected Starters:
G Andre Hollns (So)
G Austin Hollins (Jr)
G Joe Coleman (So)
F Rodney Williams (Sr)
F Trevor Mbakwe (RS Sr)
Bench: F Elliott Eliason (RS So), G Charles Buggs (Fr), G Julian Welch (Sr), G Maverick Ahanmisi (Jr), G Wally Ellenson (Fr), F Andre Ingram (Sr), F Oto Osenieks (So),

6. Purdue
Last Season: 22-13, 6th in Big Ten, lost in Round of 32 to Kansas
Graduated: F Robbie Hummel, G Ryne Smith, PG Lewis Jackson, G/F Kelsey Barlow (dismissed)

Purdue fans held many candlelight vigils in an attempt
to rectify Terone's embarrassing .435 FT%.

New Faces: Ronnie Johnson, Donnie Hale (redshirt), AJ Hammons, Raphael Davis, Jay Simpson
Outlook: The Boilermakers are a team in transition. The Baby Boilers are officially gone and are replaced by one of the nation's top recruiting classes. Led by guard Terone Johnson and seven footer AJ Hammons, Purdue will look to clamp down on defense and make the lane a place opponents avoid .  There will be struggles for this team but head coach Matt Painter has only failed to win twenty-two games once in his career as a head coach.
Projected Starters:
G Ronnie Johnson (Fr)
G Terone Johnson (Jr)
F DJ Byrd (Sr)
F Donnie Hale (RS Fr)
C Sandi Marcius (RS Jr)
Bench: G Raphael Davis (Fr), G Anthony Johnson (RS So), C AJ Hammons (Fr), F Jacob Lawson (So), F Jay Simpson (Fr), F Travis Carroll (Jr), F Dru Anthrop (Sr)

5. Wisconsin
Last Season: 26-10, 4th in Big Ten, lost in Sweet 16 to Syracuse
Graduated: PG Jordan Taylor, G Rob Wilson

By channeling his inner Manute Bol,
(draining 3's, blocking shots), this string bean
has become a very good player.

New Faces: Sam Dekker, Zak Showalter
Outlook: The Badgers lost All-American candidate point guard Jordan Taylor and their top perimeter player Josh Gasser will miss the season after tearing his ACL.  Things may seem dark but haven't we learned not to count Bo Ryan out? Wisconsin has never finished worse than fourth in his eleven years with the program.  I'm picking them fifth here but that's no slouch in the country's top conference. Also, I expect them to make the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in the last eleven years. This is a solid program.
Projected Starters:
G George Marshall (RS Fr)
G Ben Brust (Jr)
F Ryan Evans (R Sr)
F Mike Bruesewitz (Sr)
C Jared Berggren (R So)
Bench: G Sam Dekker (Fr), C Frank Kaminsky (So), G Traevon Jackson (So), C Evan Anderson (RS So), F Duje Dukan (Jr), G Jordan Smith (So), G Zak Showalter (Fr), F Zach Bohannon (RS Jr)

4. Michigan
Last Season: 24-10, tied for 1st in Big Ten, lost in first round to Ohio
Graduated: F Zack Novak, G Stu Douglass

Trey Burke is flipping awesome. The Wolverines
might want to win some tournament games this year
because I doubt he's back for his junior season.

New Faces: Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary, Nik Stauskas, Max Biefeldt, Spike Albrecht, Caris Levert
Outlook: The Wolverines surprised many by winning a share of the Big Ten last season but followed that up with a very disappointing loss in the first round of the NCAAs. This season they're bringing in the conference's top recruiting class and look to reclaim a share of the title.  While their starting lineup may be the best outside Bloomington, their depth remains questionable. Still, this is a team that should earn a top four or five seed in the Big Dance come April.
Projected Starters:
G Trey Burke (So)
G Tim Hardaway (Jr)
F Glenn Robinson III (Fr)
F Mitch McGary (Fr)
C Jordan Morgan (Jr)
Bench: F John Horford (RS So), G Matt Vogrich (Sr), G Eso Akunne (Sr), C Blake McLimans (Sr), G Nik Stauskas (Fr), F Max Biefeldt (RS Fr), G Spike Albrecht (Fr), G Caris Levert (Fr)

3. Ohio St.
Last Season: 31-8, tied for 1st in Big Ten, lost in Final 4 to Kansas
Graduated/Went Pro: F Jared Sullinger, G William Buford, Jd Weatherspoon (transfer), Jordan Sibert (transfer)

Sure Craft fouls on every play, but that's more a knock on
officials than him.  Expect him to lead the BIG in steals again.

New Faces: G Amedeo Della Valle
Outlook: Ohio St. may have lost its two best players last season but that is no reason to expect them to fall down the Big Ten standings. Aaron Craft is possibly the most tenacious defender in the college ranks while DeShaun Thomas is still an underrated scorer.  Though many people may not recognize the names on the roster, everyone should remember Thad Matta doesn't rebuild. He just reloads.
Projected Starters:
G Aaron Craft (Jr)
G Lenzelle Smith (Jr)
F DeShaun Thomas (Jr)
F Sam Thompson (So)
C Amir Williams (So)
Bench: PG Shannon Scott (So), F Evan Ravenel (Jr), F LaQuinton Ross (So), G Alex Rogers (Jr), G Amedeo Della Valle (Fr)

2. Michigan St.
Last Season: 29-8, tied for 1st in Big Ten, lost in Sweet 16 to Louisville
Graduated: F Draymond Green, G Brandon Wood, F Austin Thornton

Some may say this was Branden Dawson's date
with Karma for the way he spurned Purdue.

New Faces: Gary Harris, Denzel Valentine, Matt Costello, Kenny Kaminski
Outlook: The Spartans again have loaded up their non-conference schedule in an attempt to prepare for the NCAA tournament.  Izzo knows they may struggle early but as Branden Dawson continues to improve (torn ACL) and the team gels they'll be right there in Big Ten play. I'm calling an Elite 8 appearance for this team.
Projected Starters:
G Keith Appling (Jr)
G Gary Harris (Fr)
F Branden Dawson (So)
F Adreian Payne (Jr)
F Derrick Nix (Sr)
Bench: PG Travis Trice (So), F Denzel Valentine (Fr), G Brandon Kearney (So), F Alex Gauna (So), G Kennan Wetzel (So), F Matt Costello (Fr), G Kenny Kaminski (Fr)

1. Indiana
Last Season: 27-9, 5th in Big Ten, lost in Sweet 16 to Kentucky
Graduated: G Verdell Jones, F Tom Pritchard, G Matt Roth

I feel you, Oladipo. You're the most under-
rated player in the BIG. Hello NBA.

New Faces: Yogi Ferrell, Peter Jurkin, Jeremy Hollowell
Outlook: Want to know why IU is the consensus #1 team in the country? Last year they ranked fourth in the nation in offensive efficiency and the entire starting lineup is returning. The top bench players are also coming back and IU landed a top five recruiting class. The defense may still be bad but with this offense that shouldn't be a problem.  This team should win the conference and go to the Final Four.
Projected Starters:
G Yogi Ferrell (Fr)
G Victor Oladipo (Jr)
F Will Sheehey (Jr)
F Christian Watford (Sr)
F Cody Zeller (So)
Bench: F Derek Elston (Jr), G Jordan Hulls (Sr), G Remy Abell (So), Maurice Creek (RS Jr), F Austin Etherington (So), F Jeremy Hollowell (Fr), C Peter Jurkin (Fr)

All Big Ten First Team
C Cody Zeller
G Victor Oladipo
G Aaron Craft
G Trey Burke
F DeShaun Thomas

All Big Ten Second Team
G Terone Johnson
G Brandon Paul
G Tim Frazier
C Jared Berggren
F Trevor Mbakwe

Power 16: January 18, 2012

Soph. Dion Waiters leads the Orange's excellent defense this season.
According to Kenpom.com Waiters ranks 3rd in the nation in steal % which
along with his teammates puts Syracuse first nationally in steal %. This team
has to be the favorite to cut down the nets in April.

It's been more than two weeks since I put out a Power 16 and there has been some shuffling.  Conference play is underway for everyone so we're starting to sort out the pretenders from the contenders.  At 2/3 of the way through the season, if your team hasn't started to put things together by now it's likely they will not.  Here's how we stand in the third week of January:

1's	Record	Top 3 Quality Wins
Syracuse	20-0 (7-0)	Florida, Marquette, Stanford
Kentucky	18-1 (4-0)	Kansas, UNC, Louisville
Ohio St.	16-3 (4-2)	Duke, Florida, Indiana
Baylor	17-1 (4-1)	Kansas St., St. Mary's, BYU

Syracuse has been phenomenal.  At 20-0 they're one of only two undefeated teams remaining (Murray St.) and though the Big East is no cakewalk there are no teams that are on the same level with the Orange.  Kentucky will be tested vs. Alabama this weekend but with their only loss at Indiana they've got a firm grasp on a one seed.  Ohio St. is only 4-2 in conference play but has one of the best resumes of any team in the nation.  Plus Jared Sullinger is healthy and the committee will take that into consideration.  Baylor is a bit of an enigma.  They haven't played many top teams and their 18 point loss at Kansas raises some questions.

Big Ten/ACC Challenge Preview

This week the Big Ten/ACC Challenge will kick off for the thirteenth time.  ESPN created this event as a way to match the two best basketball conferences up against each other in an attempt to prove which conference had more game (ratings, anyone?).  The ACC won the first ten challenges, even winning eight of the eleven matchups in 2006 and 2007.  In 2009 the Big Ten finally proved victorious when Ohio St. beat Florida St. in the final game of the challenge. Last year the Big Ten won the challenge again by an identical score of 6-5.  With the addition of Nebraska, this year will mark the first time each conference has an equal number of teams (12) so no one will be left out.  Maryland has the longest active winning streak (6) and Iowa has the longest losing streak (5).  Here’s a look at this year’s matchups:

Michigan @ Virginia (Tuesday ESPN2, 7pm)

Virginia gets to host one of the BIG’s contenders in the tip-off game.  They’ve excelled on the defensive side of the ball thus far (Drexel only managed 35 points on Nov 19) while playing at a pace Wisconsin would be proud of.  Michigan’s only loss thus far came at the hands of Duke in the Maui Invitational.  Michigan loves to shoot a lot of 3’s but as a team are shooting 62% on their 2’s. It will be interesting to see if Michigan's offense can crack Virginia's stout defense.

The Pick: Michigan in a nail biter 61-58.

2011-12 BIG Basketball Preview: Season Predictions

Now that the individual team previews are complete I'd like to do my predictions.  Hopefully these will turn out to be more accurate than my 2011 MLB predictions.  Remember, the season kicks off Friday but Big Ten conference games won't begin until the final week of December.  That's a lot of games before the real season starts. We'll likely learn who's really good and who's really bad but won't learn how the middle of the conference stacks up until they begin playing each other head to head. 
A special thanks goes out to Ken Pomeroy for making advanced statistics available to everyone on the internet. His website made information gathering simple and has been a valuable tool in many of my NCAA basketball posts. 
Take a look after the jump to see my guess at how it'll all shake out:

2011-12 BIG Basketball Preview: Illinois

Brandon Paul will be All Big 10 this year. Mark it down.

Head Coach: Bruce Weber – 193-86 (.692)

Lost:  G Demetri McCamey, C Mike Tisdale, F Mike Davis, F Bill Cole, G/F Jereme Richmond

Returning: G Brandon Paul (Jr), G DJ Richardson (Jr), C Meyers Leonard (So), F Tyler Griffey (Jr), G Crandall Head (So), G Joe Bertrand (RS So)

New faces: PG Tracy Abrams(58), C Nnanna Egwu(97), SF Michael Henry(39), PF Mike Shaw(59), SF Devin Langford, C Ibrahima Djimde, G Brad Maniscalco (transfer)

Preview: The Fighting Illini lost four seniors who made up the core of their team the past four seasons as well as the highly intriguing G/F Jereme Richmond who declared for the NBA draft but was not selected.  Now it’s time for Juniors Brandon Paul and DJ Richardson to step up. As dysfunctional as the team was last season I think most Illini fans will agree with me when I say the team ran more smoothly when these two were on the floor. Both can go nuts from 3 on any given night though improving consistency from long range should be a point emphasis. Paul is the more dynamic player and Weber will probably look to use him as the center of the offense utilizing his playmaking ability. The team will hope Tyler Griffey can add some strength in order to help him bang more down low and sophomore seven-footer Myers Leonard will need to improve by leaps and bounds as he couldn’t have been more raw last season.  The incoming talent is really incredible but if they don’t gel better than last season’s senior class Bruce Weber’s time in Champaign will end before their graduation. It’s NCAA Tournament or bust for this team.

Shot in the dark at the starting 5:

PG Brandon Paul

G DJ Richardson

F Tyler Griffey

F Mike Shaw

F Nnanna Egwu

2009-2010 Big Ten Preview

Another exciting season of NCAA Basketball is underway. As I did last year, I will again predict the Big Ten standings for the upcoming season. Here we go:

11. Iowa

Coach: 2009 proved to be even more difficult to stomach than anyone expected in Iowa City. Last year I wrote:

Lickliter's biggest challenge is getting good players. He's been the first to admit that it's a challenge to recruit Big Ten players and not just guys who fit his scheme.

This appears even more apparent this season after a mass exodus of last year's team. If the Hawkeyes don't improve upon their 15-17 record this could be it for Lickliter.

Lineup: G Matt Gatens, G Anthony Tucker, G Cully Payne, F Jarryd Cole, F Brennan Cougill

Bench: Eric May, Devan Bawinkel, Aaron Fuller, Andrew Brommer

Star: Matt Gatens is head and shoulders the best player on this team. With his versatility and high percentage shooting, he could go down as one of the best Hawkeyes ever.

Top Freshman: Cully Payne

NIT Bid: No

10. Indiana

Coach: Tom Crean has shown he is a master recruiter and a patient mentor. He inherited a Hoosier team bereft of all talent and only managed to win one conference game. This season, with the conference's top recruiting class and a few of last year's recruits on board, IU looks to make some noise as they attempt to move up the ranks. They're still a year away though.

Lineup: PG Verdell Jones III, G Maurice Creek, G Jeremiah Rivers, F Tom Pritchard, F/C Christian Watford

Bench: Derek Elston, Devan Dumes, Jordan Hulls, Bobby Capobianco

Star: Look for Verdell Jones to really improve now that he has some legitimate players around him.

Top Freshman: Christian Watford

NIT Bid: No

9. Penn St.

Coach: Last year may have been the most successful season in Nittany Lion history. Snubbed by the NCAA despite finishing 4th in the Big Ten and winning 23 games, this team went on to win the NIT championship proving its doubters wrong. Yet Ed DeChellis knows this season may be even tougher after the departure of three seniors. But as long as Talor Battle is around this team will scare people.

Lineup: G Talor Battle, G Jeff Brooks, F Andrew Jones, G Chris Babb, F David Jackson

Bench: Tim Frazier, Cammeron Woodyard, Adam Highberger

Star: Talor Battle was all Big Ten last year as a sophomore. This guy is a true game changer.

Top Freshman: Tim Frazier

NIT Bid: Yes

8. Illinois

Coach: Bruce Weber got his team back to the tournament last year. However the good news ends there. When Sr. guard Chester Frazier got went down late in the year, the Illini offense went with him. Putrid offensive showings vs. Purdue in the Big Ten tournament and in a blowout loss to 12th seeded Western Kentucky have left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Unfortunately last year's team had several seniors so a minor step back may occur this season. For the first time in his tenure, Weber managed to bring in two of the top freshmen in the conference. If these two can contribute right away look for the Illini to return to the NCAA Tournament.

Lineup: G Demitri McCamey, G Brandon Paul, G DJ Richardson, F Mike Davis, C Mike Tisdale

Bench: Alex Legion, Bill Cole, Dominique Keller, Jeffrey Jordan

Star: Mike Davis exploded last year. Named to the Big Ten 2nd team, he averaged 11.3 pts/game and led the Big Ten in rebounding.

Top Freshman: DJ Richardson. Richardson's team went 33-0 and won the state title his senior year.

NIT Bid: Yes

7. Northwestern

Coach: Bill Carmody almost got his team where no Northwestern team had ever been: the NCAA Tournament. With a team loaded with seniors this looked to be the year, if ever, they would finally make it. Unfortunately a pre-season injury to the team's best player may prevent the Wildcats from reaching their full potential. Good teams tend to struggle against NWU as their 1-3-1 zone defense causes opponents fits. I'm not sure Carmody's job is on the line but if they don't make the tournament it will be another disappointing season in Evanston.

Lineup: G Michael Thompson, G Jeremy Nash, G/F Drew Crawford, F John Shurma, C Luka Mirkovic

Bench: Kyle Rowley, Alex Marcotullio, Ivan Peljusic

Star: With Kevin Coble out for the year, Michael Thompson assumes the reins of team superstar. Only 5'10", he's a strong rebounder and penetrator

Top Freshman: Drew Crawford

NCAA Bid: No

6. Wisconsin

Coach: Never count Bo Ryan out. I, for one, thought last season's team would be awful. Although they didn't dominate the way some Badger teams of the past have done, they still won 20 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. This season will be even more of a challenge after his top two players graduated. Expect more Wisconsin basketball: slow, grinding offense and an in-your-face defense focused on rebounding. I don't see a lot of talent on this squad but as I already said, don't count Bo Ryan out.

Lineup: PG Trevon Hughes, G Jason Bohannon, G/F Tim Jarmusz, F Keaton Nankivil, F Jon Leuer

Bench: Ryan Evans, Jordan Taylor, Mike Bruesewitz

Star: Trevon Hughes is lightning quick and one of the best defensive players in the country.

Top Freshman: Mike Bruesewitz

NCAA Bid: Yes

Indiana vs. Illinois Rd 2

	INDIANA (7)	Pts		RB		Assts		Stls		Fg%		3pt%		FT%
G	AJ Guyton	16.4		3.3		3.1		1.0		0.454		0.413		0.789
G	Bracey Wright	17.6		5.1		2.4		0.9		0.404		0.349		0.775
F	Brian Evans	13.7		6.0		2.7		1.0		0.449		0.408		0.800
F	DJ White	14.6		7.6		0.9		0.7		0.562		0.333		0.690
C	Alan Henderson	16.0		8.8		1.1		1.2		0.540		0.231		0.646
B	F Jared Jeffries	14.4		7.2		2.2		1.2		0.449		0.325		0.643
	G Eric Gordon	20.9		3.3		2.4		1.3		0.433		0.337		0.834
	F Kirk Haston	14.6		7.8		1.2		0.8		0.487		0.366		0.717

Guyton: This guy could seriously play.  Not a true point guard but probably forced to play it because he's small for a shooting guard. Honors: 1st team All Big Ten 1998, 1999, 2000; Player of the year 2000.

Wright: Big shooting guard who was afraid of playing defense.  Honors: 1st team All Big Ten 2005

Evans: Played 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fiddle to the older guys his first three years but once he was the senior he showed everyone what he could do.  Averaged over 20ppg and won player of the year. Honors: 1st team all Big Ten 1996; Player of the Year 1996

White: Big, strong, physical post-man that dominated as a junior and senior.  Not especially agile on defense but a good rebounder.  Honors: All Big Ten 2008; Player of the Year 2008.

Henderson: Overshadowed by Calbert Cheaney and Damon Bailey but his numbers say it all.  Might be the most dominating big man they've ever had.  Honors: 1st team All Big Ten 1995.

Bench: Jared Jeffries was player of the year in 2002 and carried the Hoosiers to the NCAA championship game. Eric Gordon also earned 1st team honors while proving to everyone Bloomington was just a temporary stop before the NBA.  Kirk Haston garnered 1st team  honors in 2001 for solid defense and was probably the best big man in the conference that year.

Strengths:  Size, defense, team play, bench scoring

Indiana really has a great team here and with Bob Knight running the show you can expect tough man to man defense for 40 minutes.  If  Guyton and Henderson are double teamed you can expect Evans to step up with the big shot.

Weaknesses: DJ White and Alan Henderson had tendencies to get into foul trouble while donning the cream and crimson.  Can Gordon play with Wright and Guyton?  Will the guards relax and let the game come to them or will they force the issue?

	ILLINOIS (1)	Pts		RB		A		Stls		Fg%		3pt%		FT%
G	Deron Williams	11.0		3.3		5.9		1.1		0.422		0.373		0.685
G	Kiwane Garris	16.8		3.3		4.3		1.4		0.411		0.363		0.830
G	Frank Williams	14.3		4.0		4.3		2.1		0.395		0.326		0.806
PF	Brian Cook	13.2		6.2		1.3		0.7		0.509		0.339		0.793
C	James Augustine	10.1		7.5		1.1		1.0		0.617		0.333		0.686
B:	F Jerry Hester	14.7		5.3		1.6		0.8		0.457		0.335		0.790
	G Dee Brown	13.2		3.3		4.9		1.7		0.421		0.359		0.724
	G/F Luther Head	10.1		3.1		2.5		1.2		0.472		0.382		0.752

D. Williams: Big body but quick.  Excellent passer, good rebounder, very smart.  He was a much better player than his stats show.  Honors: 1st team All Big Ten 2004, 2005

Garris: A shoot first point guard that was the centerpiece of the team all four years.  Not especially big but knew how to put up the points.  Honors: 1st team All Big 1996, 1997

F. Williams: Another guard that looked to shoot first but like the other two was not a ballhog.  Underrated defender. Honors: 1st team all Big Ten 2001, 2002

Cook: The 6'10" forward doesn't have overly impressive rebounding numbers but was solid in that area.  Also could step outside and shoot threes, opening up the lane for the guards.  Honors: All Big Ten 2003; Player of the Year 2003.

Augustine: This big man was overshadowed by the 3-headed guard monster of Williams, Head, and Brown but when the team needed a big bucket they could count on the guy.  Could shoot equally well with both hands in the paint.  Honors: 1st team All Big Ten 2006.

Bench: Jerry Hester is a surprise inclusion on this team.  Quietly put up his numbers but was not what you could call an impact player.  Dee Brown was electric on the fast break, had a long range shot, and quick hand on defense.  A great player to have on the bench.  Luther Head often drove the nail through the coffin in close games with his ability to hit clutch shots.  When asked was a lock down defender also.

Strengths:  3 point shooting, guard depth, team unity, offensive adaptability

This is truly a team.  Five of these guys played together, this familiarity could help hide some deficiencies.  The guard depth on this team is just amazing.  Dee Brown off the bench?  The guards can score when needed or they can dish.  Also, these big men can run up and down the floor.

Weaknesses: Big man depth, starters FT%, Turnovers

One stat we don't show is turnovers because it's just too hard to find consistent data.  I can tell you though that these guards for Illinois were prone to turning it over.  That may be a result of their style of play, but it could be what dooms them if and when they fall.  The guy you want to have the ball late in the game (D. Williams) is a poor free throw shooter as is Augustine.  If Augustine or Cook is in foul trouble do you really want Hester getting big minutes?

What to Expect:

U of I will push the pace to extreme limits when Brown and D. Williams are on the floor at the same time.  IU will try to grind it out in the half court in an attempt to neutralize their bigs and force some turnovers.  Bob Knight's man to man defense may wear down but Indiana's depth down low will make this a game for the ages.  I wish I had tickets.

Matchup to Watch: Kiwane Garris vs. AJ Guyton

Garris passed the torch to Guyton for best combo guard in the conference.  It would be fun to see these two wily veterans go head to head.

Fifteen Yr Big Ten All-Stars

Ryan and I have decided to create an all-star lineup for each of the Big Ten teams over the past fifteen seasons.  After talking it through, we also decided that we should have a tournament with the teams.  The voters will choose which team advances to the next round.  Seeding is determined by the number of Big Ten titles each team won over the time frame.  The teams that didn't win any titles were just assigned a seed based on our view of how talented the roster is.  The tournament theoretically takes place in Chicago's United Center.

Without further ado, the first game of the Big Ten tournament features a play-in game with 11th seeded Northwestern against 10th seeded Penn State.

	Northwestern	Pts		RB		Assts		Stls		Fg%		3pt%		FT%
PG	Geno Carlisle	15.8		2.7		3.3		0.8		0.393		0.368		0.766
SG	Jitim Young	13.0		4.6		2.0		1.8		0.471		0.305		0.626
SF	Vedran Vukusic	14.1		3.5		2.1		1.1		0.478		0.375		0.755
PF	Kevin Coble	14.2		5.3		1.7		1.5		0.484		0.390		0.778
C	Evan Eschmeyer	18.4		9.6		2.2		0.8		0.601		0.000		0.675
Bench	G Cedric Neloms	14.1		4.7		0.9		0.7		0.461		0.231		0.731
	F/C  Tavaras Hardy	9.5		5.4		1.9		0.8		0.448		0.208		0.579
	G TJ Parker	10.0		2.5		3.0		1.3		0.428		0.333		0.708

Carlisle: Lightening in a bottle, knows how to get to the basket. Transferred to Cal after 2 yrs.

Honors: 1st team All-Big Ten 1996

Young: The best player NWU has had in recent memory.  Guard that knows how to rebound.

Honors: 1st team All-Big Ten 2004

Vukusic: Solid outside shooter, but like most Euro players is a little soft.

Coble: Currently starting for the Wildcats.  This is a guy to keep your eye on b/c he can score from anywhere.

Eschmeyer: The only NBA talent on this team.  Dominated down low but his teams were unsuccessful due to atrocious guard play.  Honors: 1st team All-Big Ten 1997, 1998, 1999

Bench: Parker is super quick and plays sneaky good defense but his shooting was never good, Cedric Neloms led the Big Ten in FTs his Senior year, and Tavares Hardy is another solid big man.

Strengths: Post presence, quickness on the perimeter.  

With Kevin O'Neill running the show, the Wildcats will push the pace and hope for some easy opportunities.  When those opportunities don't present themselves the Wildcats have Eschmeyer to lean on in half court sets.

Weaknesses: Outside shooting. Overall athleticism.

Coble and Vukusic are both good outside shooters but the guards are not.  This may seem a little backwards in that the little guys prefer to shoot from the lane whereas the big guys want the ball outside.  This will cause a problem in creating 2nd opportunities--something the Wildcats need to be successful.

	Penn St.	Pts		RB		Assts		Stls		Fg%		3pt%		FT%
G	Dan Earl	12.6		2.7		4.1		1.6		0.467		0.383		0.788
G	Joe Crispin	15.6		2.9		3.8		1.0		0.381		0.348		0.885
G/F	Geary Claxton	15.1		7.4		1.6		1.0		0.443		0.330		0.650
F	John Amaechi	15.6		8.9		1.3				0.518				0.694
F	Calvin Booth	11.9		6.7		0.8		0.6		0.497		0.100		0.729
Bench	G Titus Ivory	15.9		3.8		3.4		1.7		0.441		0.358		0.836
	G Pete Lisicky	15.9		2.9		2.9		1.0		0.408		0.374		0.888
	F Jan Jagla	10.2		6.9		1.1		0.8		0.414		0.257		0.699

Earl: Solid PG skills.  Good passer, good defender, good shooter.  Nothing outstanding, just solid all-around.

Crispin: Don't let his FG% fool you.  This guy is a shooter.  His numbers suffered from being the best player on a bad team. Honors: 1st Team All-Big Ten 2001

Claxton: Very good rebounder for a guard. Matchup nightmare.  Would have been all 1st team Big Ten if not for a knee injury halfway through his senior season.

Amaechi: A giant on the boards.  Solid shooter from medium range and a solid defensive player. Honors: 1st Team All-Big Ten 1995

Booth: Another NBA bound big man.  Who knew?  Big, round body that other teams will have trouble pushing around.  Not that great of an athlete but good rebounder and FT shooter.  Honors: Defensive POY 1998.

Bench: Ivory and Lisicky are two more little guards that can shoot the lights out when they're hot.  Jagla is a solid bench contributor.

Strengths:  Penn State will definitely light up some scoreboards with their phalanx of distance shooting guards.  Geary Claxton will prove to be a formidable matchup problem for any Big 10 team with his unique size and skills; Claxton sports a true NBA guard body.  The Big Men create a formidable tag team.

Weaknesses:  Penn State basketball has been the weakest program by far since the Nittany Lions entered the Big 10 in 1993.  The team may have a horde of shooters but gaining rebounds and second chances will be highly difficult with their small bench.  An early exit seems inevitable, yet will anybody really care in Happy Valley?