1. Michigan State
This could be Tom Izzo’s year to return to the Final Four. With the third-ranked Spartans’ bevy of wing players, they could fly away with the championship. Swingmen Chris Hill, Kelvin Torbert, Alan Anderson, Maurice Ager, and super frosh Shannon Brown could probably start on any team in the league. Last season Erazem Lorbek and Paul Davis were interchangeable in the paint; Lorbek went to the NBA, but Davis is back after tearing it up with Team USA over the summer.
2. Ohio State
Southern hospitality treated the Buckeyes well, as they will welcome transfers J.J. Sullinger from Arkansas and Tony Stockton from Clemson in addition to academic non-qualifier guard Rick Billings and McDonald’s All-American Ivan Harris. Point guard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham should finally be healthy, and 7-foot-2 center Vladimir Radinovic mans the paint. Chemistry could be an issue with the influx of new players, but the last time underrated coach Jim O’Brien had this much talent to work with he took the Buckeyes to the Final Four.
3. Illinois
New coach Bruce Weber should pick up right where Bill Self left off. Any doubt that sophomore guard Dee Brown could replace the departed Brian Cook’s scoring was erased when Brown put up 47 points for Team USA over the summer. The best of an outstanding sophomore class across the conference, Brown makes everyone around him — including Cook’s heir apparent, James Augustine — play better.
4. Wisconsin
Bo knows Big Ten basketball: 23-8 in conference play, two straight titles. Kirk Penney left a huge hole to fill after leading the Badgers to the Sweet 16. But lighting-fast point guard Devin Harris — the coaches’ preseason Player of the Year — commands Ryan’s share-the-ball offense and will have to score more until forward Alando Tucker returns from a broken leg in six weeks.
5. Michigan
It’s good to see Tommy Amaker’s squad has something to play for after its NCAA eligibility was reinstated. LaVell Blanchard finally graduated, but Daniel Horton (15 ppg last season) Bernard Robinson, Jr. and Lester Abram should get the Wolverines to the postseason.
6. Iowa
Guard Pierre Pierce is back after a suspension cost him all of last season. He’ll join sophomore Jeff Horner in one of the conference’s better backcourts. They’ll be complemented by the frontcourt duo of seniors Glen Worley and Jared Reiner.
7. Purdue
There’s something about Gene Keady and his combover that gets the most out of his players, but without Willie Deane’s alternating ‘fro and corn rows the Boilers will have a tough time putting points on the board. Kenneth Lowe is a defensive stalwart but will have to score more often for Purdue to stay in games. Best name in the conference: forward Darmetrius Kilgore.
8. NU
What if one more of NU’s seven healthy scholarship players goes down with an injury, Vedran Vukusic isn’t the same player he was before his shoulder fell apart, and Jitim Young can’t grab every rebound? It could be a very ugly season.
On the other hand, what if Ivan “The Terrible” Tolic gets healthy and starts banging people around inside, Vukusic lives up to Bill Carmody’s praise and Young has a Big Ten Player of the Year-type season? An NIT berth — maybe.
And hey, Davor Duvancic — Kirk Hinrich called. He wants his hair back.
9. Indiana
Jimmy Chitwood couldn’t save this bunch. Indiana has only two players taller than 6-foot-8, and might be the only conference team NU can beat on the boards this season. Sophomore guard Bracey Wright, who led all Big Ten freshmen with 16.2 points per game last season
10. Minnesota
Sophomore Rick Rickert went undrafted and ended up playing somewhere in Europe. He leaves another tall white guy, Michael Bauer, and transfer Adam Boone with the task of salvaging the Gophers’ season.
11. Penn State
Quick — name the Nittany Lions’ new coach. Or two players on their roster. Didn’t think so.
