THE TOP THREE CONTENDERS FOR THE 2020-21 BIG TEN season are………..
3.Wisconsin
Badgers??? We don’t need no to stinking Badgers???........sorry but I really hate Wisconsin and really hope I’m wrong but this team returns pretty much all of their key guys that led them to the Big Ten title.
Up front, they will likely go twin towers with Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers. Both are strong, physical, and can score in different ways. Aleem Ford will man the three with the a backcourt of convict Brad Davison and D’Mitrik Trice.
Off the bench, they add top-100 forward Ben Carlson and have 7-foot sophomore Joe Hedstrom. They also have 6-10 freshman Steven Crowl and 7-foot walk-on Owen Hamilton. They also added incoming walk-on freshman Carter Gilmore, who some think will be eventually on scholarship…..he’s 6-7 and had a huge high school career (averaged 25 a game and had 49 in one game)-he’s considered a preferred walk-on and he turned down many scholarship offers to play for his dream school: Wiscy.
The Badgers also add freshmen twin brothers (both wings): Jonathan and Jordan Davis and freshman guard Lorne Bowman (top 100). They’ll be added to sophomore forward Tyler Wahl and senior guard Trevor Anderson in what should be a solid bench.
The Badgers have proven they can win this league with this group but with all the talent that will be playing in the Big Ten next year they are guaranteed nothing.
2.Rutgers
Never thought I would see the day where Rutgers was even considered a top ten team in the Big Fourteen but they are not only a contender, they will have a great chance at winning it.
First things first, they need to start winning on the road……this team is a beast at home with great crowds but this veteran squad needs to start winning big road games if they are to win the league.
Is it just me or has guard Geo Baker been in the league for 13 years???? Him and Montez Mathis will make up a very strong backcourt and they will return one of the most underrated centers in the country in junior Myles Johnson. All he does is rebound, block shots, and score on a consistent basis. At forward, they have Caleb McConnell likely starting and then we get to one of the studs of the Big Ten (along with Baker) in Ron Harper Jr…….the kid is just nasty at getting things done and he’s only a junior.
About a month ago, they landed their highest recruit in years when top 40 center Cliff Omoruyi signed……so when Johnson checks out their subbing with a beast at the five.
Super-sub (and part psycho) Jacob Young returns and guard Joey Downes will also add depth in the backcourt.
Up front they have forwards Dean Reiber, Paul Mulcahy and center Mamadou Docoure. They also add incoming freshman and Swedish star Oskar Palmquist who could have an impact right away and forward Mawot Mag.
They better not let Steve Pikiell get out of New Jersey because the guy has completely turned this program around and now is landing star recruits and really has many kids on the east coast excited about Rutgers……this program is looking like a consistent contender for years to come.
1.Iowa
Yeah…..I hate Iowa even more than Wiscy but the reality is they are going to be very good.
Garza, Wieskamp, and Frederick will all start pretty much for sure……either Joe Touissant or fifth year Jordan Bohannon will start at the other guard and the one that doesn’t start along with Chicago freshman point guard Ahron Ulis will provide outstanding depth in the backcourt.
Jack Nunge (back from ACL surgery) or one of the McCaffery brothers (Patrick and Connor) will likely start at the four and the other two guys will provide solid depth. They add freshman big man Josh Ogundele to the bench up front also……by the way….which McCaffery brother deserves to be punched in the face more?......Hmmmm……
Then there are the two freshmen that most people aren’t talking about but could have a huge impact in Iowa City over the next few years: Kris and Keegan Murray……who you say?.....these are the twin sons of former Hawkeye Kenyon Murray (circa 1996). They were good coming out of high school but then took a prep year at DME Academy in Florida and reportedly have improved greatly….both are 6-8 and can play multiple positions…….I just really hate seeing Iowa with all this talent.
This team is outstanding from top to bottom and could reach the Final Four but defensively (remember…DePaul came in and whipped their ass at Carver Hawkeye arena last year….their defense was AWFUL) they have holes and they haven’t had to deal with these type of expectations in the past. They are by no means a guarantee to win the league but they are my favorite to win. Really hope I’m wrong!!
3.Wisconsin
Badgers??? We don’t need no to stinking Badgers???........sorry but I really hate Wisconsin and really hope I’m wrong but this team returns pretty much all of their key guys that led them to the Big Ten title.
Up front, they will likely go twin towers with Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers. Both are strong, physical, and can score in different ways. Aleem Ford will man the three with the a backcourt of convict Brad Davison and D’Mitrik Trice.
Off the bench, they add top-100 forward Ben Carlson and have 7-foot sophomore Joe Hedstrom. They also have 6-10 freshman Steven Crowl and 7-foot walk-on Owen Hamilton. They also added incoming walk-on freshman Carter Gilmore, who some think will be eventually on scholarship…..he’s 6-7 and had a huge high school career (averaged 25 a game and had 49 in one game)-he’s considered a preferred walk-on and he turned down many scholarship offers to play for his dream school: Wiscy.
The Badgers also add freshmen twin brothers (both wings): Jonathan and Jordan Davis and freshman guard Lorne Bowman (top 100). They’ll be added to sophomore forward Tyler Wahl and senior guard Trevor Anderson in what should be a solid bench.
The Badgers have proven they can win this league with this group but with all the talent that will be playing in the Big Ten next year they are guaranteed nothing.
2.Rutgers
Never thought I would see the day where Rutgers was even considered a top ten team in the Big Fourteen but they are not only a contender, they will have a great chance at winning it.
First things first, they need to start winning on the road……this team is a beast at home with great crowds but this veteran squad needs to start winning big road games if they are to win the league.
Is it just me or has guard Geo Baker been in the league for 13 years???? Him and Montez Mathis will make up a very strong backcourt and they will return one of the most underrated centers in the country in junior Myles Johnson. All he does is rebound, block shots, and score on a consistent basis. At forward, they have Caleb McConnell likely starting and then we get to one of the studs of the Big Ten (along with Baker) in Ron Harper Jr…….the kid is just nasty at getting things done and he’s only a junior.
About a month ago, they landed their highest recruit in years when top 40 center Cliff Omoruyi signed……so when Johnson checks out their subbing with a beast at the five.
Super-sub (and part psycho) Jacob Young returns and guard Joey Downes will also add depth in the backcourt.
Up front they have forwards Dean Reiber, Paul Mulcahy and center Mamadou Docoure. They also add incoming freshman and Swedish star Oskar Palmquist who could have an impact right away and forward Mawot Mag.
They better not let Steve Pikiell get out of New Jersey because the guy has completely turned this program around and now is landing star recruits and really has many kids on the east coast excited about Rutgers……this program is looking like a consistent contender for years to come.
1.Iowa
Yeah…..I hate Iowa even more than Wiscy but the reality is they are going to be very good.
Garza, Wieskamp, and Frederick will all start pretty much for sure……either Joe Touissant or fifth year Jordan Bohannon will start at the other guard and the one that doesn’t start along with Chicago freshman point guard Ahron Ulis will provide outstanding depth in the backcourt.
Jack Nunge (back from ACL surgery) or one of the McCaffery brothers (Patrick and Connor) will likely start at the four and the other two guys will provide solid depth. They add freshman big man Josh Ogundele to the bench up front also……by the way….which McCaffery brother deserves to be punched in the face more?......Hmmmm……
Then there are the two freshmen that most people aren’t talking about but could have a huge impact in Iowa City over the next few years: Kris and Keegan Murray……who you say?.....these are the twin sons of former Hawkeye Kenyon Murray (circa 1996). They were good coming out of high school but then took a prep year at DME Academy in Florida and reportedly have improved greatly….both are 6-8 and can play multiple positions…….I just really hate seeing Iowa with all this talent.
This team is outstanding from top to bottom and could reach the Final Four but defensively (remember…DePaul came in and whipped their ass at Carver Hawkeye arena last year….their defense was AWFUL) they have holes and they haven’t had to deal with these type of expectations in the past. They are by no means a guarantee to win the league but they are my favorite to win. Really hope I’m wrong!!
