Sure we are not done with potential 2018 recruits, or 2019 reclassifications, or grad transfers but we’re close and there is not a lot of excitement during the summer months so I figured you guys needed something to argue about during the summer. So here is how I see the Big 14 (ten) at this current point. I break them down into different sections.
TIER ONE
THE CONTENDERS TO WIN THE BIG TEN-ONLY TEAMS THAT I BELIEVE CAN ACTUALLY WIN THE BIG TEN (NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC ORDER):
INDIANA
The Hoosiers will have all the makings of a Big Ten champion in 2019 (I hope I’m wrong) when you look at their roster.
They’ll likely start (SR) Juwan Morgan (outstanding in the post), Justin Smith (was playing very well by the end of his freshman year), and Evan Fitzner (6-10 St.Mary’s grad transfer who shot over 41% from three last year. In the backcourt will be (JR) Devonte Green and big-time freshman Romeo Langford, who is my prediction for Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
This team will also have tremendous depth. Up front they’ll have (JR) De’Ron Davis, redshirt freshman Race Thompson, (SO)Clifton Moore, and freshman Jake Forrester.
Sophomore Al Durham will back-up at point guard, while senior Zach McRoberts will continue to be a jack-of-all-trades type, and freshmen wings Jerome Hunter, Robert Phinisee, and Damezi Anderson all come highly regarded.
They have no 2019 commitments yet.
MICHIGAN
The NCAA title runner-up school did lose some talent but should be very strong again.
The pair of juniors leading their backcourt, Charles Matthews and Zavier Simpson, will be the major reason they contend again and along with returning sophomore guard, Eli Brooks, the Wolverines add two very strong freshmen guards in point guard, David DeJulius and SG Adrien Nunez.
Up front, the Big Ten will learn quickly about freshman Ignas Bradeikis, who can play inside and out and is a guy I really wish the Illini had landed. He will team with (SO) Jordan Poole and (JR) Jon Teske to give them a solid front court.
Sophomore Isaiah Livers and freshman Brandon Johns should back-up at forward. John Belein has talked in the off-season how junior center Austin Davis should have a big impact next season. If he can’t get it done then the Wolverines will turn to all-Illini fans favorite, Colin Castleton, to help inside off the bench.
Overall, this team will likely go as far as their front court can take them because they are the main question mark. Iggy will be a stud, but Livers, Teske, and Poole have to take that next step for them to win the Big Ten.
Ibi Watson has transferred to Dayton.
They have no 2019 commitments yet.
MINNESOTA
The Gophers lost two key guys (Reggie Lynch-got the boot and Amir Coffey-got injured) last year or they would have been tournament bound again.
They replace Lynch this year with one of the best freshman centers, Daniel Oturu, who along with a now healthy Coffey and stud senior power forward, Jordan Murphy should provide the Gophers with a great frontline.
Louisville 7-foot transfer Matz Stockman will back-up Oturu and Eric Curry, freshman power forward Jarvis Omersa, and sophomore SF Michael Hurt will also back-up the frontline.
The backcourt is strong as they return (SO) Isaiah Washington and (SR) Dupree McBrayer and add UW-Milwaukee grad transfer Brock Stull. These three along with 4-star guard Gabe Kascheur should combine with the solid talent up front to return Minnesota to the tournament.
The Gophers also added two sit-out transfers who will be eligible in 2019: G Payton Willis (Vanderbilt) and G Marcus Carr (Pitt)
G Jamir Harris and F Davonte Fitzgerald have transferred.
MICHIGAN STATE
The problem for the Spartans is that I just don’t see a true star like they usually have. Nick Ward, Joshua Langford, and Cassius Winston have potential to become that but none have done it yet. To me, this is a one or two team NCAA tournament win team that won’t make a long run unless they step up big-time……the thing with Izzo’s players is that they usually get better and so this could be a scary team late in the season if these three play up to their abilities. Thus, they are a definite contender in the Big Ten.
Up front, Ward will start at center with Langford at the small forward. Stud freshman Marcus Bingham will likely start at the four but either way, the Spartans have a lot of depth up front. Xavier Tillman (SO.) and (SR) Kenny Goins are the main back-up bigs but Izzo also adds Robert Morris 6-11 transfer Braden Burke (SO.) to the mix. They also have freshmen forwards Gabe Brown, Thomas Kithier, and Aaron Henry who all come in highly touted.
Junior point guard, Cassius Winston, and senior shooting guard, Matt McQuaid, should start in the backcourt. 5-9 freshman point guard Foster Loyer comes in with an outstanding reputation and will likely see a lot of time along with senior redshirt Kyle Ahrens.
No commitments for 2019.
NEBRASKA
The Huskers will have the most experience as they will likely start four seniors and one junior. They will also have a chip on their shoulder after going 13-5 in the Big Ten and still missing the tournament.
This job has been very tough for many coaches but Tim Miles continues to surprise the rest of the league.
Up front, they return center Isaac Copeland (SR) and Isaiah Roby (JR) at the four. The only position up for grabs is likely at small forward that will likely go to senior Jack McVeigh but could also go to (SO) Nana Akenten or they could go big with Copeland at the four and Roby at the three and start 6-10 junior shot blocker Jordy Tshimanga. Right now Miles is trying to add one more big for the 2018 season. They also have wing (SO) Thorir Thorjarnason…..great name but doesn’t really play much.
Their backcourt will be outstanding as seniors James Palmer and Glynn Watson Jr. will lead the way. Backups will be freshmen Amir Harris and Karrington Davis and sophomore Thomas Allen.
While they will lose the four seniors they won’t be hurting as bad for the future as some might think. They will likely also lose Roby but they will return Tshimanga, Akenten, and they recently landed 6-4 Robert Morris transfer Dachon Burke who averaged 17.6 ppg and 5.8 rebounds last year as a sophomore. He will sit out the upcoming season.
TIER ONE
THE CONTENDERS TO WIN THE BIG TEN-ONLY TEAMS THAT I BELIEVE CAN ACTUALLY WIN THE BIG TEN (NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC ORDER):
INDIANA
The Hoosiers will have all the makings of a Big Ten champion in 2019 (I hope I’m wrong) when you look at their roster.
They’ll likely start (SR) Juwan Morgan (outstanding in the post), Justin Smith (was playing very well by the end of his freshman year), and Evan Fitzner (6-10 St.Mary’s grad transfer who shot over 41% from three last year. In the backcourt will be (JR) Devonte Green and big-time freshman Romeo Langford, who is my prediction for Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
This team will also have tremendous depth. Up front they’ll have (JR) De’Ron Davis, redshirt freshman Race Thompson, (SO)Clifton Moore, and freshman Jake Forrester.
Sophomore Al Durham will back-up at point guard, while senior Zach McRoberts will continue to be a jack-of-all-trades type, and freshmen wings Jerome Hunter, Robert Phinisee, and Damezi Anderson all come highly regarded.
They have no 2019 commitments yet.
MICHIGAN
The NCAA title runner-up school did lose some talent but should be very strong again.
The pair of juniors leading their backcourt, Charles Matthews and Zavier Simpson, will be the major reason they contend again and along with returning sophomore guard, Eli Brooks, the Wolverines add two very strong freshmen guards in point guard, David DeJulius and SG Adrien Nunez.
Up front, the Big Ten will learn quickly about freshman Ignas Bradeikis, who can play inside and out and is a guy I really wish the Illini had landed. He will team with (SO) Jordan Poole and (JR) Jon Teske to give them a solid front court.
Sophomore Isaiah Livers and freshman Brandon Johns should back-up at forward. John Belein has talked in the off-season how junior center Austin Davis should have a big impact next season. If he can’t get it done then the Wolverines will turn to all-Illini fans favorite, Colin Castleton, to help inside off the bench.
Overall, this team will likely go as far as their front court can take them because they are the main question mark. Iggy will be a stud, but Livers, Teske, and Poole have to take that next step for them to win the Big Ten.
Ibi Watson has transferred to Dayton.
They have no 2019 commitments yet.
MINNESOTA
The Gophers lost two key guys (Reggie Lynch-got the boot and Amir Coffey-got injured) last year or they would have been tournament bound again.
They replace Lynch this year with one of the best freshman centers, Daniel Oturu, who along with a now healthy Coffey and stud senior power forward, Jordan Murphy should provide the Gophers with a great frontline.
Louisville 7-foot transfer Matz Stockman will back-up Oturu and Eric Curry, freshman power forward Jarvis Omersa, and sophomore SF Michael Hurt will also back-up the frontline.
The backcourt is strong as they return (SO) Isaiah Washington and (SR) Dupree McBrayer and add UW-Milwaukee grad transfer Brock Stull. These three along with 4-star guard Gabe Kascheur should combine with the solid talent up front to return Minnesota to the tournament.
The Gophers also added two sit-out transfers who will be eligible in 2019: G Payton Willis (Vanderbilt) and G Marcus Carr (Pitt)
G Jamir Harris and F Davonte Fitzgerald have transferred.
MICHIGAN STATE
The problem for the Spartans is that I just don’t see a true star like they usually have. Nick Ward, Joshua Langford, and Cassius Winston have potential to become that but none have done it yet. To me, this is a one or two team NCAA tournament win team that won’t make a long run unless they step up big-time……the thing with Izzo’s players is that they usually get better and so this could be a scary team late in the season if these three play up to their abilities. Thus, they are a definite contender in the Big Ten.
Up front, Ward will start at center with Langford at the small forward. Stud freshman Marcus Bingham will likely start at the four but either way, the Spartans have a lot of depth up front. Xavier Tillman (SO.) and (SR) Kenny Goins are the main back-up bigs but Izzo also adds Robert Morris 6-11 transfer Braden Burke (SO.) to the mix. They also have freshmen forwards Gabe Brown, Thomas Kithier, and Aaron Henry who all come in highly touted.
Junior point guard, Cassius Winston, and senior shooting guard, Matt McQuaid, should start in the backcourt. 5-9 freshman point guard Foster Loyer comes in with an outstanding reputation and will likely see a lot of time along with senior redshirt Kyle Ahrens.
No commitments for 2019.
NEBRASKA
The Huskers will have the most experience as they will likely start four seniors and one junior. They will also have a chip on their shoulder after going 13-5 in the Big Ten and still missing the tournament.
This job has been very tough for many coaches but Tim Miles continues to surprise the rest of the league.
Up front, they return center Isaac Copeland (SR) and Isaiah Roby (JR) at the four. The only position up for grabs is likely at small forward that will likely go to senior Jack McVeigh but could also go to (SO) Nana Akenten or they could go big with Copeland at the four and Roby at the three and start 6-10 junior shot blocker Jordy Tshimanga. Right now Miles is trying to add one more big for the 2018 season. They also have wing (SO) Thorir Thorjarnason…..great name but doesn’t really play much.
Their backcourt will be outstanding as seniors James Palmer and Glynn Watson Jr. will lead the way. Backups will be freshmen Amir Harris and Karrington Davis and sophomore Thomas Allen.
While they will lose the four seniors they won’t be hurting as bad for the future as some might think. They will likely also lose Roby but they will return Tshimanga, Akenten, and they recently landed 6-4 Robert Morris transfer Dachon Burke who averaged 17.6 ppg and 5.8 rebounds last year as a sophomore. He will sit out the upcoming season.
