Big Ten

Big Ten Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:36:59 -0500

With six teams in CHN's preseason Top 25, and 3 more teams with NCAA Tournament hopes, no league has more depth than the Big Ten. And an improving Indiana into the mix, and this should be quite a season for Big Ten fans.

Conference Rank: 1st

10 year average: 4th

Big Ten Page

All-BIG TEN Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Kalin Lucas	Michigan St	Jr
G	Manny Harris	Michigan	Jr
G	Talor Battle	Penn St	Jr
G/F	Evan Turner	Ohio St	Jr
F	Robbie Hummel	Purdue	Jr
Second Team
G	William Buford	Ohio St	So
G	Trevon Hughes	Wisconsin	Jr
F	Kevin Coble	Northwestern	Sr
F	Mike Davis	Illinois	Jr
C	JaJuan Johnson	Purdue	Sr

Player of the Year - Kalin Lucas Freshman of the Year - Maurice Creek (Indiana)
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Kalin Lucas (1st Team) Evan Turner (1st) Manny Harris (3rd) Talor Battle Robbie Hummel JaJuan Johnson All-Freshman Team Maurice Creek (3rd)		Points: Evan Turner 17.3 Rebounds: Mike Davis 8.1 Assists: Talor Battle 5.0 Team: Michigan State 72.0

Big Ten Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

3	Michigan State	Big Ten	1	NCAA
10	Purdue	Big Ten	2	NCAA
13	Ohio State	Big Ten	3	NCAA
14	Michigan	Big Ten	4	NCAA
18	Minnesota	Big Ten	5	NCAA
21	Illinois	Big Ten	6	NCAA
36	Wisconsin	Big Ten	7	NCAA
54	Penn State	Big Ten	8	NIT
71	Northwestern	Big Ten	9	NIT
109	Indiana	Big Ten	10	CBI/CIT
123	Iowa	Big Ten	11	CBI/CIT

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Big Ten?

Other Big Ten Content

Other

Big Ten 5-Year Ranking

Big Ten Top 25 Players

Big Ten: Fantasy Stats Preview

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Big Ten Basketball: Top 25 Players

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:33:46 -0500

Ranking players is more art then science. How do you compare the potential of freshmen with seniors who have already peaked? How much does physical talent come into play versus intangibles and experience? How big a role do numbers play?

In some situations, the bigger challenge is deciding what position to list a player. College basketball is filled with combo guards, wings who can play from the 2 to 4, centers who are really power forwards, and so on.

All of these questions make lists like this fun and debatable.. if you disagree with CHN's rankings, post what you think below.

BIG TEN

PG
1. Kalin Lucas - Michigan State
2. Talor Battle - Penn State
3. Demetri McCamey - Illinois
4. Lewis Jackson - Purdue
5. Michael Thompson - Northwestern

SG
1. Evan Turner - Ohio State
2. Manny Harris - Michigan
3. Trevon Hughes - Wisconsin
4. E'Twaun Moore - Purdue
5. William Buford - Ohio State

- The SG position is particularly deep in the Big Ten. Iowa's Matt Gatens, MSU's Chris Allen & Durrell Summers, are also quality players. The Big Ten's crop of freshmen guards is rather weak this year. Indiana's Maurice Creek might be the best in the league.

SF
1. Kevin Coble - Northwestern
2. Raymar Morgan - Michigan State
3. David Lighty - Ohio State
4. Jon Leuer - Wisconsin
5. Royce White - Minnesota

PF
1. DeShawn Sims - Michigan
2. Robbie Hummel - Purdue
3. Mike Davis - Illinois
4. Delvon Roe - Michigan State
5. Derek Elston - Indiana

C
1. JaJuan Johnson - Purdue
2. Mike Tisdale - Illinois
3. Andrew Jones - Penn State
4. Ralph Sampson III - Minnesota
5. Tom Pritchard - Indiana

- You don't see too many future NBA stars here, but there's a lot of depth. Minnesota's White was recently suspended, but I'm leaving him on the list, until his future is decided. The center position is filled with a lot of workman-like players, but nothing terribly exciting beyond Johnson and the improving Tisdale.

-- SEC Top 25 Players

-- Pac-10 Top 25 Players

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Michigan State Basketball Preview: #3

Joel Welser — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:59:53 -0500

Overall Rank: #3

Conference Rank: #1 Big Ten Conference

2008-09: 31-7, 15-3

2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Tom Izzo (336-137 at Michigan State, 336-137 overall)

Michigan State was one game away from winning a National Championship in their own backyard, but once again North Carolina got the best of the Spartans. Still, MSU had a very successful season and there's no reason not to shoot for another Final Four appearance, but that is what Coach Tom Izzo always aims for.

Key Losses: F Marquise Gray, C Idong Ibok, C Goran Suton, G Travis Walton

Key Newcomers:

The big losses are in the frontcourt and Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman will have to play a role on this team when the Spartans want to play big. Both freshmen are traditional back to the basket players and that is exactly what this team needs. Nix needs to continue to drop a little weight and add a little muscle, but he is the likely candidate to help replace the loss of Goran Suton and Marquise Gray, although Sherman will certainly get an opportunity as well.

Backcourt:

Kalin Lucas has turned into the star of this team after winning the conference’s Player of the Year Award during his sophomore campaign. Lucas led the team with 14.7 points and 4.6 assists per game and is ready to become the unquestioned leader of the team. And that will be very important since Travis Walton is no longer around to help him out. Korie Lucious will take over the backup point guard duties and could be in for a big year after an inconsistent freshman campaign. Durrell Summers and Chris Allen will dominate the playing time on the wings. Summers is a great athlete who also knocks down the outside shot, but it is Allen who is the best shooter on this team. He just needs to figure that out and start being more consistent.

Frontcourt:

A couple freshmen were roleplayers last year and need to step up and become bigger contributors this time around. Delvon Roe was slowed by injuries early in the year, but he showed plenty of promise and ended up starting 31 games. His scoring output needs to improve, but he has already proven that he can be a great rebounder and a decent shot blocker. Draymond Green is undersized to play the four spot, but he makes up for it with his toughness. Largely unnoticed during the regular season, Green came on strong at the end of his freshman campaign and should be ready to make a big impact off the bench. Ideally those two are power forwards, leaving Tom Herzog as the only returning player who is really a center and Herzog rarely played last season.

Who to Watch:

Unless Herzog or one of the freshmen are on the floor, Roe will have to play the center position and that leaves the 6-8 Raymar Morgan at the four spot. Ideally, Morgan would be a small forward, but no matter where he plays, he will put up some great numbers…especially if he can stay healthy. In a season that was marred with injuries, Morgan still managed to rank second on the team in points and rebounds.

Final Projection:

The absence of Suton and his outside shooting, not to mention his rebounding ability will be missed. However, Coach Izzo played small most of last year and putting Roe under the basket with Morgan at the four spot is nothing new. In fact, that will allow the Spartans to run even more and capitalize on the talent in the backcourt. It would be beneficial if somebody emerged as a consistent low post scorer and defender, but even if this team plays small, Coach Izzo will not let last year’s best rebounding team get beat on the glass.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Kalin Lucas, Junior, Guard, 14.7 points per game

Chris Allen, Junior, Guard, 8.4 points per game

Durrell Summers, Junior, Guard, 8.6 points per game

Raymar Morgan, Senior, Forward, 10.2 points per game

Delvon Roe, Sophomore, Forward, 5.6 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
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College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Purdue Basketball Preview: #10

Joel Welser — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:42:18 -0500

Overall Rank: #10

Conference Rank: #2 Big Ten Conference

2008-09: 27-10, 11-7

2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Matt Painter (83-50 at Purdue, 108-55 overall)

Purdue reached the Sweet Sixteen last season and the expectations are only going up. This is a team that wants to win the Big Ten and take the short trip to Indianapolis for the Final Four. With just about everybody who started a game returning, there is little reason to believe that the Boilermakers cannot obtain their lofty goals.

Key Losses: F Nemanja Calasan, G Marcus Green

Key Newcomers:

For a team that only loses a few players, there is a big group of newcomers. Guards like Steve Loveless, Andrew Day, Dru Anthrop and Kyle Coleman will not make a big impact this year, but redshirt freshman John Hart and wings Kelsey Barlow and D.J. Byrd will be given the opportunity to provide a spark off the bench. More important than the backcourt is depth up front. That is where Patrick Bade and Sandi Marcius come into play. Bade is a versatile big man who has more than enough strength to battle in the paint in the Big Ten and Marcius is a traditional back to the basket center.

Backcourt:

Outside of E’Twaun Moore, the backcourt lacked a consistent scorer. But that does not mean there are not options and potential. Chris Kramer is a scrappy defender who tallied 2.1 steals per game and will occasionally do a little scoring. Keaton Grant is the best outside shooter of the bunch and was fourth on the team with 7.9 points per game last year and will likely be the team’s sixth man. Lewis Jackson is the player who will get the scorers the ball. Jackson is very quick and did a great job finding his teammates as a freshman. With a year of experience under his belt his turnover numbers should go down. However, just as importantly, he could turn into a great player if he can consistently hit the mid-range jumper.

Frontcourt:

Their frontcourt lacks depth, but the two starters are two of the best in the conference. Robbie Hummel has been slowed by a back injury but that appears to be a thing of the past. Even while not 100 percent, Hummel tallied 12.5 points per game and added a team high 7.0 rebounds. At 6-8, he has the size to battle in the paint, but he is just as comfortable hanging out on the perimeter and he even led the team with 1.8 three-pointers made per contest. His frontcourt mate is JaJuan Johnson. Johnson is the bruiser under the basket who can stretch out the defense with his mid-range jumper. Johnson is also a great defender and should be one of the best shot blockers in the conference during his junior campaign.

Who to Watch:

The frontcourt will do a majority of the scoring, but Moore could lead the team in scoring yet again. The 6-4 guard will put up a lot of points and do a little bit of everything else. He is a solid rebounder off the wing and is an underappreciated passer and defender. Moore will use his size and speed to get to the basket, but he can also knock down the long ball. If he starts hitting his outside shot a little more consistently, Moore will be nearly impossible to stop.

Final Projection:

The Boilermakers will have to rely on some freshmen even if Coach Matt Painter opts to go eight deep again this year. Last season Nemanja Calasan and Marcus Green could back up Hummel and Johnson, this year it will have to be a freshman or two that plays those minutes. The good news is Johnson and Hummel are not foul prone, but they still cannot play 30 to 35 minutes per game and the opposition can take advantage of those stretches when Hummel or Johnson are on the bench if the newcomers are not ready to play.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Lewis Jackson, Sophomore, Guard, 5.9 points per game

Chris Kramer, Senior, Guard, 5.2 points per game

E’Twaun Moore, Junior, Guard, 13.8 points per game

Robbie Hummel, Junior, Forward, 12.5 points per game

JaJuan Johnson, Junior, Center, 13.4 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
11		12		13		14

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Big Ten Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:14:09 -0500

BIG TEN 5-YEAR STANDINGS

CHN's annual 5-year ranking answers a simple question is in a simple manner: Who has been the best team in the Big Ten over the last five years?

Teams get points for league wins, making the postseason (NIT or NCAA) and winning games in the Big Dance. NIT wins are meaningless here, as are non-conference wins. Also, league tournaments wins are not taken into account. (An original trial-scoring system included points for conference tourney wins. But the flukish nature of these tourney's did more harm than hurt: ie, 2008 Georgia, 2006 Syracuse, and 2004 Maryland ended up getting too much credit despite the reality that they were mediocre to sub-par teams.)

100 total points is set up to be the equivalent of batting .300 in baseball.. anything above and beyond is all-world stuff. 50 points is mediocre and you only start to get bad below 40 points.

Pos.	Was	Team	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	Wins	Gms.	Points

1	2	Michigan St	13	8	8	12	15	56	84	67	Win %
			Final Four	1st Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16	Finals			33	Post Pts.
										100

2	1	Wisconsin	11	9	13	16	10	59	84	70	Win %
			Elite 8	1st Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16	2nd Round			24	Post Pts.
										94

3	4	Ohio State	8	12	15	10	10	55	84	65	Win %
			X	2nd Round	Finals	NIT	1st Round			18	Post Pts.
										83

4	3	Illinois	15	11	9	5	11	51	84	61	Win %
			Finals	2nd Round	1st Round	X	1st Round			19	Post Pts.
										80

5	5	Indiana	10	9	10	14	1	44	84	52	Win %
			NIT	2nd Round	2nd Round	1st Round	X			11	Post Pts.
										63

6	7	Purdue	3	3	9	15	11	41	84	49	Win %
			X	X	2nd Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16			14	Post Pts.
										63

7	6	Iowa	7	11	9	6	5	38	84	45	Win %
			1st Round	1st Round	X	X	X			4	Post Pts.
										49

8	9	Minnesota	10	5	3	8	9	35	84	42	Win %
			1st Round	NIT	X	NIT	1st Round			6	Post Pts.
										48

9	8	Michigan	4	8	8	5	9	34	84	40	Win %
			X	NIT	NIT	X	2nd Round			8	Post Pts.
										48

10	11	Penn State	1	6	2	7	10	26	84	31	Win %
			X	NIT	X	X	NIT			2	Post Pts.
										33

11	10	N'Western	6	6	2	1	8	23	84	27	Win %
			X	X	X	X	NIT			1	Post Pts.
										28

-Ties are broken by favoring conference winning %

Big Ten Thoughts

- Michigan St retakes the top spot after an impressive Final Four run.

- Wisconsin is the only other team besides MSU to make 5 straight NCAA Tourneys.

- Purdue and Iowa are heading in opposite directions.

- Penn State moves up from the cellar after a surprise 10-win season.

Postseason Points

NIT = 1

NCAA 1st Round = 2

NCAA 2nd Round = 4

Sweet = 6

Elite 8 = 8

Final Four = 10

Final = 11

Champs = 12

Other 5-Year Rankings

ACC

Big 12

Big East

Pac-10

SEC

.. All

Poll: Best Conference in 2009-10?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:07:04 -0500

Ohio State Basketball Preview: #13

Joel Welser — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:53:46 -0500

Overall Rank: #13

Conference Rank: #3 Big Ten Conference

2008-09: 22-11, 10-8

2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Thad Matta (132-70 at Ohio State, 200-125 overall)

Ohio State’s best days are ahead of them since most of their impact players are sophomores and juniors, but this group has a bad taste left in their mouth after losing to Siena in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in their home state. Not surprisingly, center B.J. Mullens left after his freshman campaign, but he only started two games all year long and barely averaged over 20 minutes per game. He will certainly be missed, but losing your sixth man is usually not too big of a deal.

Key Losses: C B.J. Mullens

Key Newcomers:

There are no incoming freshmen, but Zisis Sarikopoulos will try and help fill the void left behind by Mullens. Sarikopoulos spent one year at UAB before transferring to Ohio State where he did not play very much. However, since that time, he has really emerged on the national stage playing great ball at the U18 European Championships…for Greece, if you could not guess by the name. The other semi-newcomer is Nikola Kecman. He transferred in from Eastern Arizona and had to sit out the first 12 games of the 2008-2009 season. Two games later the 6-8 forward was done for the year after tearing an ACL.

Backcourt:

The most intriguing position to watch is the most important in college basketball. Jeremie Simmons never really got in the groove of playing point guard. While he dished out 2.5 assists and did a decent job keeping the turnovers down, he lost his job by the end of the year to P.J. Hill. Both are seniors and one of them has to step up and at least be able to bring the ball up the court. The strength is on the wings where Evan Turner is the superstar. Turner’s superb play will open up space for Jon Diebler and William Buford. Diebler connected on 41.6 percent of his attempts from long range and knocked down nearly three per game. Buford came on strong late in his freshman campaign and ended up second on the team with 11.3 points per game. Fitting them all into the starting lineup will not be possible and somebody out of that mix, likely Diebler or Buford, will have an early lead on the conference’s sixth man award.

Frontcourt:

Ideally David Lighty would be on the wing too, but the 6-5 junior’s willingness to do anything Coach Thad Matta needs him to do allows him to play at the four spot. Lighty missed all but seven games last year due to a foot injury, but he will be back to his old ways for his junior campaign. Lighty is a superb athlete who can fly above the rim. His absence really hurt the Buckeyes on the glass, but that should not be an issue this year assuming he can stay healthy. Dallas Lauderdale will not do much scoring, but he is a bruiser under the basket and led the team with 2.0 blockers per game. With Kecman and Sarikopoulos, and possibly senior Kyle Madsen as well, ready to play quality minutes off the bench, the frontcourt is in better shape than it looks.

Who to Watch:

Turner is the unquestioned leader of this team after leading the team with 17.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals. The 6-7 wing will even block a shot every once in a while. Turner does not take too many three-point shots, but he can definitely hit them when he wants to. Mostly Turner attacks the basket and that is why he got to the free-throw line an amazing 6.7 times per game last year. His ability to hit the glass from the wing and find his teammates makes him one of the best players in the conference.

Final Projection:

Turner might win the Big Ten Player of the Year award, but he still needs help from the rest of the team if Ohio State wants to win the conference. They certainly have the weapons, but in the end it will come down to Simmons and Hill and how well they can run the point. It is feasible for this team to win a lot of games without either of them on the floor, and thus playing their five most talented guys, but finding a consistent point guard will go a long way in determining their success come March.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Jeremie Simmons, Senior, Guard, 6.8 points per game

Jon Diebler, Junior, Guard, 11.2 points per game

Evan Turner, Junior, Guard, 17.3 points per game

David Lighty, Junior, Guard, 9.7 points per game

Dallas Lauderdale, Junior, Forward, 4.7 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
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College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Michigan Basketball Preview: #14

Joel Welser — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:23:38 -0400

Overall Rank: #14

Conference Rank: #4 Big Ten Conference

2008-09: 21-14, 9-9

2008-09 postseason: NCAA

Coach: John Beilein (31-36 at Michigan, 507-311 overall)

Coach John Beilein does not always have the most talented players, but he gets the job done. He has proven that at his many stops along the way that has led up to his coaching job at Michigan. His work with the Wolverines paid off last year as the team made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years. With the top five scorers returning and a recruiting class that will give Coach Beilein more of his type of players, there is no reason to believe that Michigan will not be dancing again.

Key Losses: G Kelvin Grady, G C.J. Lee, G David Merritt

Key Newcomers:

The recruiting class is highlighted by a couple quality guards. Point guard Darius Morris has the size and skills to play off the ball and shooting guard Matt Vogrich, considered by many to be the best player in the class, should finally give the team a consistent outside shooter. Walk-on Josh Bartelstein is a good shooter too and Eso Akunne will add even more depth on the wings. The frontcourt gets a couple new players who are not too bad either. Blake McLimans is a lanky 6-10 forward who can spread out the defense with his shooting ability and Jordan Morgan could be a banger under the basket if he can stay healthy.

Backcourt:

The Wolverines will not be afraid to throw the freshmen right into the mix since that is what they did last year anyway. Three sophomores, along with the freshmen, will fill nearly all the minutes at the point guard and shooting guard spots. Laval Lucas-Perry may be the most important of them all. The 6-3 sophomore started strong once he was eligible to play last year, but fell out of favor due to inconsistent scoring. Zack Novak earned a ton of experience during his freshman campaign, starting 22 games and ranking third on the team with 6.7 points per contest. Stu Douglass proved to be the most capable ball handler of the bunch, dishing out 2.1 assists per game. All three need to be more consistent, especially with their outside shooting, or Coach Beilein will hope his freshmen can get the job done.

Frontcourt:

The one sure thing in the frontcourt is DeShawn Sims. The 6-8 senior averaged 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds last year. Sims happened to fit in very well in Michigan’s style of play and has seen the benefits. He is not the greatest outside shooting big man, but he is certainly capable of hitting the outside shot and that is exactly what this team does. Anthony Wright is much like Sims in that regard, but he rarely got an opportunity to show his stuff last year. However, this team still needs a post threat and it would be beneficial if it did not have to be Sims. Senior Zack Gibson has the size to be the guy, but he only averaged 3.9 points and 2.2 rebounds last year. The other option is redshirt freshman Ben Cronin who only played in two games before going out for the season with an injury.

Who to Watch:

While Sims hangs out on the perimeter, it allows Manny Harris to back down smaller defenders and that is why he has become the team’s best scorer. Harris can do it all. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.8 rebounds. 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals last season and should be in for a huge junior campaign. Like the rest of the team, his outside shooting numbers were sub-par, but he does so many other things for this team that it can be overlooked.

Final Projection:

But it is the three-point shooting that limited this team during the 2008-2009 campaign. Just about everybody needs to be able to shoot the ball in this system. They all tried last year, but nobody shot over 37 percent from beyond the arc. If Michigan has big dreams of past glory, the team as a whole has to shoot much, much more consistently.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Stu Douglass, Sophomore, Guard, 6.1 points per game

Laval Lucas-Perry, Sophomore, Guard, 6.5 points per game

Manny Harris, Junior, Guard, 16.9 points per game

DeShawn Sims, Senior, Forward, 15.4 points per game

Zack Gibson, Senior, Forward, 3.9 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
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College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Big Ten Basketball: Fantasy Preview

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:02:57 -0400

This is the 3rd of six fantasy stats projections for BCS conference starters. One of my favorite series of the year, and a helpful guide when drafting for fantasy college basketball leagues. For an idea of whether I know what I'm talking about, check out last year's Big Ten Stats Projection. As always, some teams were nailed better then others.. Wisconsin was solid, Purdue rather weak.. and I strongly overrated BJ Mullens.

Keep in mind stats are highly dependent on minutes, and freshmen are obviously the hardest to predict. I try to note places below where other starters not listed may emerge or where competition for major minutes exist. Stats are listed by ppg, rpg, and then apg.

BIG TEN

ILLINOIS

G Demetri McCamey - 14, 4, 5
G Alex Legion - 8, 2, 2

G DJ Richardson - 9, 3, 3
F Mike Davis - 12, 10, 2
F Mike Tisdale - 12, 6, 1

Notes: Richardson is a freshman. Along with Brandon Paul, the two could eat up minutes from Alex Legion who was a major bust last year. Paul is a big-time scoter who should average 8-12 ppg even if he comes off the bench.

INDIANA

G Jeremiah Rivers - 5, 3, 3
G Devan Dumes - 14, 4, 2
G Verdell Jones - 11, 4, 3
F Derek Elston - 9, 5, 1

C Tom Pritchard - 10, 7, 1

Notes: Jones had the best numbers out of Indiana's returning players, but he could lose minutes to freshman Maurice Cheek. Matt Roth is a streaky shooting guard off the bench capable of putting up points.

IOWA
G Cully Payne - 5, 3, 3
G Matt Gatens - 14, 4, 3
G Anthony Tucker - 13, 3, 2
F Aaron Fuller - 7, 5, 1
F Jarryd Cole - 7, 7, 0

Notes: Gatens & Tucker are capable scorers, but don't expect any exiciting stat-stuffing numbers from anyone here.

MICHIGAN

G Manny Harris - 20, 6, 5
G Laval Lucas-Perry - 10, 3, 2

G Stu Douglass - 8, 2, 3
F DeShawn Sims - 17, 9, 1
C Zack Gibson - 6, 5, 1

Notes: Zack Novak saw starter minutes last year, and should contribute between 8 and 10 ppg. If Harris gets his fg% up from 41.5 to 45 or above, he can score 20 ppg easy.

MICHIGAN STATE

G Kalin Lucas - 14, 4, 7
G Durrell Summers - 12, 4, 2
F Raymar Morgan - 14, 7, 2
F Delvon Roe - 9, 8, 1
F Draymond Green - 6, 6, 1

Notes: With a healthy Morgan and an improving surrounding cast of scorers, don't expect a further jump in Lucas' production, though his assists could jump. Chris Allen will also approach double-digit scoring off the bench.

MINNESOTA

G Al Nolen - 6, 4, 5
G Lawrence Westbrook - 12, 3, 2
F Royce White - 10, 5, 2
F Damian Johnson - 12, 6, 2
C Ralph Sampson - 10, 7, 1

Notes: White, a freshman, could crack the starting rotation. But I also expected big things out of Devan Bostick last year and he never really panned out. He's still an option off the bench, as is Blake Hoffarber who has 10 ppg potential if given the minutes.

NORTHWESTERN

G Michael Thompson - 14, 3, 4
G Jeremy Nash - 8, 3, 2
F John Shurna - 10, 5, 2
F Kevin Coble - 16, 6, 3
C Kyle Rowley - 7, 3, 1

Notes: Thompson's scoring output was only 9.9 ppg, but I expect a bounce back season on the scoring end. Shurna has the potential to score 15 ppg by the time he's a senior.

OHIO STATE
G William Buford - 13, 4, 2

G Jon Diebler - 13, 4, 4
G Evan Turner - 18, 7, 6
F David Lighty - 10, 7, 2
C Dallas Lauderdale - 6, 5, 1

Notes: Evans is a legit stud, and could see a boost in apg if he plays more point. PJ Hill & Jeremie Simmons see decent minutes off the bench, but neither offers much in terms of fantasy.

PENN STATE

G Talor Battle - 18, 5, 6
G Chris Babb - 9, 2, 1
F Jeff Brooks - 6, 5, 1
F David Jackson - 7, 5 1
F Andrew Jones - 10, 8, 1

Notes: Battle contributes solidly in the 3 main categories. Jones averaged 6 & 5 last year but should see the biggest bump. Freshman Tim Frazier is good enough to see 15-20 mpg as the 1st guard off the bench.

PURDUE

G Chris Kramer - 7, 3, 3
G Lewis Jackson - 8, 3, 5
G E'Twaun Moore - 16, 5, 4
F Robbie Hummel - 12, 9, 2
6 JaJuan Johnson - 15, 7, 1

Notes: Last year, I underrated Johnson's output and overrated Moore's. Keaton Grant will also see big-time minutes, and should score 7-8 ppg.

WISCONSIN

G Trevon Hughes - 15, 4, 4
G Jason Bohanon - 13, 3, 3
G/F Tim Jarmusz - 6, 5, 1
F Jon Leuer - 12, 5, 1
F Keaton Nankivil - 8, 5, 1

Notes: Wisconsin usually features a well-balanced attack, so don't expect a 20 ppg scorer. Wisconsin welcomes 5 freshmen, and big man Jared Berggren probably has the best chance to contribute immediately.

Projected Big Ten Leaders

Top PPG
1) Manny Harris (20)
2) Talor Battle (18)
3) Evan Turner (18)

Top RPG
1) Mike Davis (10)
2) DeShawn Sims (9)

3) Robbie Hummel (9)

Top APG
1) Kalin Lucas (7)
2) Talor Battle (6)

3) Harris/Jackson/McCamey/Nolen (5)

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Poll: Who Will Win the Big Ten?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:04:24 -0400