Men’s
1. Purdue – This team made the Sweet 16 last year and returns three key members of that group: center JaJuan Johnson, forward Robbie Hummel and guard E’Twaun Moore. The Boilermakers showed glimpses of brilliance last season and will be more consistent this year.
2. Michigan State – The national runner-up would seem to be just as good this season with three returning starters, but the Spartans will miss the presence of center Goran Suton. Junior point guard Kalin Lucas and senior forward Raymar Morgan will be the leaders of a still-talented Michigan State team.
3. Minnesota – The Gophers are built on defense and an unselfish mentality on offense. Tubby Smith has one of the deepest teams in the league, but needs to find a more consistent source of scoring. That player could be 6-foot-7 freshman forward Royce White.
4. Ohio State – The departure of B.J. Mullens will hurt the Buckeyes in the frontcourt, but Evan Turner makes up for it and is among the best players in the nation. Their guard rotation is also strong, as David Lighty returns from injury.
5. Illinois – The Illini have the opposite problem of the Buckeyes – a strong frontcourt and a weak backcourt. Big men Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale will man the middle as well as any duo in the conference. The Illini’s success will depend on its guard play.
6. Michigan – The Wolverines have two star players without any role players. Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims could both make the All-Big Ten team. If a few other players contribute, Michigan could make major strides.
7. Northwestern – This is the Wildcats’ best chance at making the NCAA Tournament for the first time. Losing Craig Moore will be tough, but Kevin Coble is the star of the team, and Michael Thompson is running the point. Add a more experienced frontcourt, and the Cats should be dancing in March.
8. Wisconsin – While Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon make up one of the best backcourts in the conference, the Badgers lost Marcus Landry, who was their best player. Wisconsin will quickly have to find a way to replace its most efficient scorer.
9. Penn State – Talor Battle is another case of a great player stuck with an average group of role players. Battle averaged 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and five assists last season. The only other players to score at least seven points per game, Jamelle Cornley and Stanley Pringle, are both gone.
10. Indiana – This team will be good eventually. It’s no secret the Hoosiers’ recruiting class was among the best in the nation, but such a young team cannot expect to excel in the grueling Big Ten season. With an abundance of young talent, Indiana will not be the pushover it was last year.
11. Iowa – The Hawkeyes are getting worse at a time when the rest of the league is getting better. Matt Gatens and Anthony Tucker return, but both are outside shooters, which means inconsistency. Iowa went 5-13 in the Big Ten last season and lost too many players to expect to improve.
Women’s
1. Ohio State – With junior center Jantel Lavender, the reigning conference player of the year, and star sophomore point guard Samantha Prahalis leading the way, the Buckeyes have the best inside-outside combo in the conference. Now they need to get over the hump in March.
2. Michigan State – The Spartans shocked many by beating top-seeded Duke in the NCAA tournament and were poised to advance to the Elite Eight before collapsing in the final 90 seconds against Iowa State. Their physicality on the boards creates problems, as does 6-foot-9 center Alyssa DeHaan.
3. Minnesota – A veteran group headlined by standout seniors Brittany McCoy, Ashley Ellis-Milan and Katie Ohm will propel the Gophers into the top three. They also have some momentum from their upset of Notre Dame in the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament.
4. Purdue – The Big Ten’s most consistent postseason performer loses three of its top four scorers from last season. But sophomore guard Brittany Rayburn showed flashes of brilliance in her first year as the first sub, while senior backcourt mates FahKara Malone and Jodi Howell also return.
5. Illinois – Coach Jolette Law’s third season should be a breakthrough one for the Illini – they bring in the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation to add to senior center Jenna Smith, who averaged 18.5 points per game as a junior. Illinois loses only one contributor from a year ago.
6. Iowa – Replacing three players who each scored more than 1,000 points in their careers won’t be easy. The young Hawkeyes figure to endure some growing pains early in the season, but junior guard Kachine Alexander is a dynamic athlete and will be difficult for opponents to contain.
7. Northwestern – Year two under coach Joe McKeown should result in a huge step forward. The incoming freshman class was ranked in the top 20, and the new depth should relieve some of the double teams from junior center Amy Jaeschke.
8. Penn State – The Nittany Lions are close to cracking the top half of the Big Ten. Senior guard Tyra Grant was the conference’s second-leading scoring last year, and only one team pulled down more rebounds per game. Top-100 freshman Alex Bentley should make an immediate impact.
9. Wisconsin – The Badgers allowed the second-fewest points per game in the Big Ten last season, and they return everyone from a team that went to the WNIT. The offensive development of junior forward Lin Zastrow is imperative in a frontcourt-heavy conference.
10. Indiana – Through the first half of conference play, the Hoosiers were turning heads. Then they lost to Illinois, and their season spiraled downward. Indiana missed the NCAA tournament and loses most of its key players.
11. Michigan – The Spartans finished in the Big Ten cellar last season, and they don’t figure to be much better. Their top four scorers graduated, and the conference has improved. Coach Kevin Borseth’s squad faces an uphill climb.
