I don't see any top 5 in the nation B1G teams, but there are a slew some talented and capable teams who will make this season a free for all. A lot of balance 1-9.
MSU has a nice team, lead by Ward inside and Winston at PG, but I would not make them a clear favorite until I see them defend better. And teams that get back on D to prevent run-outs will give them trouble. Langford should step up this season. Henry is freshman who has looked like he can make things happen off the bench.
Minnesota with Coffee back, plus Murphy, McBrayer and Curry can do some damage if everyone stays healthy and off suspension. They will be young at PG and off the bench. Wiscy is anchored by Happ with Davison likely to be a force now that he's healthy. Trice will be back, Pritzl is a three point threat. They have no stars beyond Happ, just a collection typical Wiscy system players. They will have trouble cracking the top 5 or 6, IMO.
Nebraska is team that everyone has circled as a contender. Palmer is a probable All American, Watson a very good PG, Roby an athletic 5 and Copeland an excellent 4. They fill out the playing group with some untested, less heralded kids, but the top 4 is as good as anyone. Anything lower than top 4 or 5 in conference would be a big disappointment.
Iowa has everyone back, including Cook, Bohanon, Garza, Dailey, Baer, Moss et al. Very good talent and a lot of depth. The caveat with them is defense, which was really bad lat season with the same cast of characters. Top 6 in the league and an NCAA bid would be the expectation.
IU might be considered a title fav. Morgan returning is huge for them, Green is a serviceable PG, Davis is a load in the paint. Langford is a special talent, and the rest of their freshman class is bonkers. How quickly the other freshmen come along will dictate how high they finish. Top 4, IMO.
OSU doesn't blow you away on paper. CJ Jackson and the Wessons are solid returning talent. Washington and Muhammed are two freshman who look like they will contribute right away. Losing Micah Potter to transfer two weeks ago hurts. Last season, they surprised a lot of people, but Tate and Bates-Diopp are big shoes to fill. OSU should be middle of the pack.
Maryland with Cowan at PG and Fernando at center, and the talented freshman Smith at forward, has the talent and experience to make some noise. Morsell showed flashes as a freshman. Bender gives them depth a center. They will need freshmen to step up to legitimately contend.
PSU gives us pause after beating WVU on the road. Stevens, Watkins and Reaves are three solid returnees, with Stevens potentially first team, All B1G. I also see them as middle of the pack, maybe squeak out an NCAA bid, needing freshmen to fill in holes in the lineup.
Purdue, Rutgers, Illinois will have their moments. Boilers have Carson Edwards and......... Haarms is a serviceable center, Cline a gunner, not a whole lot else in terms of proven talent. How far can Edwards carry them? Middle of the pack is my guess. Another team that needs substantial contributions from freshmen. Rutgers will once again have to win with grit. Soph Geo Baker is a nice player, but your prospects are not that great when he's your top returnee. The rest of he cast are complementary players on most rosters, but Rutgers has proven that they can beat anyone at home by grinding it out. Finally, Illinois has Frazier back at PG, and Nichols as a shooting guard off the bench but will rely heavily on its freshman class and a transfer. Guard Osunmu, a frosh, scored 25 against Georgetown.
Michigan? We have a pretty experienced lineup with veterans Simpson, Teske, Matthews in the starting line-up, plus Poole, who got a lot of run as a freshman. Freshman Iggy, of course, rounds out the starting 5, but we don't rely nearly as much on freshmen as several other teams. Eli and Livers give us experienced bench players, and Livers could end up with starters minutes playing the 3, 4 and 5. He could eat up some of Davis's minutes. The offense has not clicked in the early going, to say the least. That progression will determine our finish.
Oops. Forgot Northwestern - easy to do. Vic Law is a nice player at forward who's never really lived up to the hype. Pardon is a solid B1G center. After that, just a lot of question marks, at best. Might be fighting with Rutgers to avoid the B1G basement.
MSU has a nice team, lead by Ward inside and Winston at PG, but I would not make them a clear favorite until I see them defend better. And teams that get back on D to prevent run-outs will give them trouble. Langford should step up this season. Henry is freshman who has looked like he can make things happen off the bench.
Minnesota with Coffee back, plus Murphy, McBrayer and Curry can do some damage if everyone stays healthy and off suspension. They will be young at PG and off the bench. Wiscy is anchored by Happ with Davison likely to be a force now that he's healthy. Trice will be back, Pritzl is a three point threat. They have no stars beyond Happ, just a collection typical Wiscy system players. They will have trouble cracking the top 5 or 6, IMO.
Nebraska is team that everyone has circled as a contender. Palmer is a probable All American, Watson a very good PG, Roby an athletic 5 and Copeland an excellent 4. They fill out the playing group with some untested, less heralded kids, but the top 4 is as good as anyone. Anything lower than top 4 or 5 in conference would be a big disappointment.
Iowa has everyone back, including Cook, Bohanon, Garza, Dailey, Baer, Moss et al. Very good talent and a lot of depth. The caveat with them is defense, which was really bad lat season with the same cast of characters. Top 6 in the league and an NCAA bid would be the expectation.
IU might be considered a title fav. Morgan returning is huge for them, Green is a serviceable PG, Davis is a load in the paint. Langford is a special talent, and the rest of their freshman class is bonkers. How quickly the other freshmen come along will dictate how high they finish. Top 4, IMO.
OSU doesn't blow you away on paper. CJ Jackson and the Wessons are solid returning talent. Washington and Muhammed are two freshman who look like they will contribute right away. Losing Micah Potter to transfer two weeks ago hurts. Last season, they surprised a lot of people, but Tate and Bates-Diopp are big shoes to fill. OSU should be middle of the pack.
Maryland with Cowan at PG and Fernando at center, and the talented freshman Smith at forward, has the talent and experience to make some noise. Morsell showed flashes as a freshman. Bender gives them depth a center. They will need freshmen to step up to legitimately contend.
PSU gives us pause after beating WVU on the road. Stevens, Watkins and Reaves are three solid returnees, with Stevens potentially first team, All B1G. I also see them as middle of the pack, maybe squeak out an NCAA bid, needing freshmen to fill in holes in the lineup.
Purdue, Rutgers, Illinois will have their moments. Boilers have Carson Edwards and......... Haarms is a serviceable center, Cline a gunner, not a whole lot else in terms of proven talent. How far can Edwards carry them? Middle of the pack is my guess. Another team that needs substantial contributions from freshmen. Rutgers will once again have to win with grit. Soph Geo Baker is a nice player, but your prospects are not that great when he's your top returnee. The rest of he cast are complementary players on most rosters, but Rutgers has proven that they can beat anyone at home by grinding it out. Finally, Illinois has Frazier back at PG, and Nichols as a shooting guard off the bench but will rely heavily on its freshman class and a transfer. Guard Osunmu, a frosh, scored 25 against Georgetown.
Michigan? We have a pretty experienced lineup with veterans Simpson, Teske, Matthews in the starting line-up, plus Poole, who got a lot of run as a freshman. Freshman Iggy, of course, rounds out the starting 5, but we don't rely nearly as much on freshmen as several other teams. Eli and Livers give us experienced bench players, and Livers could end up with starters minutes playing the 3, 4 and 5. He could eat up some of Davis's minutes. The offense has not clicked in the early going, to say the least. That progression will determine our finish.
Oops. Forgot Northwestern - easy to do. Vic Law is a nice player at forward who's never really lived up to the hype. Pardon is a solid B1G center. After that, just a lot of question marks, at best. Might be fighting with Rutgers to avoid the B1G basement.
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