BIG TEN HOOPS GUIDE
THE DAILY ILLINI
Big Ten Preview Guide Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
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2014-15 SCHEDULE DATE
GAME
STATS LOCATION
TIME/RESULT
11/07/14 VS. QUINCY (EXHIBITION)
STATE FARM CENTER
W (91-62)
11/14/14 VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
STATE FARM CENTER
W (80-71)
11/16/14 VS. COPPIN STATE
STATE FARM CENTER
W (114-56)
11/21/14 VS. AUSTIN PEAY
STATE FARM CENTER
W (107-66)
11/24/14 VS. BROWN
STATE FARM CENTER
W (89-68)
11/27/14 VS. INDIANA STATE
LAS VEGAS, NEV.
W (88-62)
11/28/14 VS. BAYLOR
LAS VEGAS, NEV.
W (62-54)
12/02/14 AT MIAMI
MIAMI, FLA.
L (70-61)
12/06/14 VS. AMERICAN
STATE FARM CENTER
W (70-55)
12/09/14 VS. VILLANOVA
NEW YORK, N.Y.
L (73-59)
12/13/14 VS. OREGON
CHICAGO, ILL.
L (77-70)
12/17/14 VS. HAMPTON
STATE FARM CENTER
W (73-55)
12/20/14 VS. MISSOURI
ST. LOUIS, MO.
W (62-59)
12/27/14 VS. KENNESAW STATE
STATE FARM CENTER
W (93-45)
12/30/14 AT MICHIGAN *
ANN ARBOR, MICH.
L (73-65)
01/03/15 AT OHIO STATE *
COLUMBUS, OHIO
L (77-61)
01/07/15 VS. MARYLAND *
STATE FARM CENTER
W (64-57)
01/11/15 AT NEBRASKA *
LINCOLN, NEB.
L (53-43)
01/14/15 AT NORTHWESTERN *
EVANSTON, ILL.
W (72-67)
01/18/15 VS. INDIANA *
STATE FARM CENTER
L (80-74)
01/21/15 VS. PURDUE *
STATE FARM CENTER
8:00 P.M. CT
01/24/15 AT MINNESOTA *
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
1:15 P.M. CT
01/31/15 VS. PENN STATE *
STATE FARM CENTER
12:00 P.M. CT
02/03/15 VS. RUTGERS *
STATE FARM CENTER
8:30 P.M. CT
02/07/15 AT MICHIGAN STATE *
EAST LANSING, MICH.
11:00 A.M. CT
02/12/15 VS. MICHIGAN *
STATE FARM CENTER
8:00 P.M. CT
02/15/15 AT WISCONSIN *
MADISON, WIS.
12:00 P.M. CT
02/22/15 VS. MICHIGAN STATE *
STATE FARM CENTER
6:30 P.M. CT
02/25/15 AT IOWA *
IOWA CITY, IOWA
8:00 P.M. CT
02/28/15 VS. NORTHWESTERN *
STATE FARM CENTER
6:00 P.M. CT
03/04/15 VS. NEBRASKA *
STATE FARM CENTER
9:00 P.M. CT
03/07/15 AT PURDUE *
WEST LAFAYETTE, IND.
3:30 P.M. CT
03/11/15 BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BEGINS
CHICAGO, ILL.
TBA
03/17/15 NCAA TOURNAMENT BEGINS
DAYTON, OHIO
TBA
LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois' Malcolm Hill attempts a dunk after drawing a foul during the game against Maryland at State Farm Center on Jan. 7. Nunn is one of the Illini’s top scorers.
BIG TEN STANDINGS Maryland Wisconsin Indiana Iowa Michigan Michigan State Purdue Ohio State Nebraska Illinois Rutgers Northwestern Minnesota Penn State
Points Rayvonte Rice Malcolm Hill Kendrick Nunn
17.2 13.6 10.4
Rebounds Rayvonte Rice Nnanna Egwu
6.9 5.5
Assists Ahmad Starks Jaylon Tate
3 2.9
Blocks Nnanna Egwu Maverick Morgan
1.7 0.5
Steals Rayvonte Rice Kendrick Nunn
1.8 1.3
Shooting percentage Rayvonte Rice 51.5% Mike LaTulip 50%
CONFERENCE 5-1 4-1 4-1 4-1 4-2 3-2 3-2 3-3 2-3 2-4 2-4 1-4 1-5 0-5
OVERALL 17-2 16-2 14-4 13-5 11-7 12-6 11-7 14-5 10-7 12-7 10-9 10-8 12-7 12-6
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3
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Groce focuses on conference consistency Despite ups and downs, Illini seek to grow from the good in conference play so far BY SEAN NEUMANN STAFF WRITER
Bringing his players out to his family swimming pool on a summer day, John Groce knew one of the Illinois basketball team’s biggest problems was its consistency. The Illini head coach experienced a lack of it in his two previous years in Champaign, falling flat in conference play both years after a pair of strong starts. It was an issue the Illini were working to avoid since dipping their feet in the water. “I made them take their shoes off and put all 10 toes in the water,” Groce remembered. “I said, ‘I’m not interested in seven or eight or nine digits. I want all 10 of them in the water.’” Groce’s message was simple: His Illini players should know exactly what’s expected of them on and off the court. And with 11 of 15 players returning to the team this season, Groce’s expectations are higher than ever for the Illini — especially when it comes to closing out the season. Illinois has gone 15-21 in Big Ten play under Groce, failing to make the NCAA Tournament last year after a 1-10 stretch in conference play sank the team. And Illinois was far from pleased in settling for a second-round NIT Tournament exit. “You’re certainly grateful for the opportunity to be in postseason play last year, but all of us would have rather been in the other postseason tournament,” Groce said. “When you miss that by the hair of your chinny-chin-chin, you feel that.” The Illini went 24-3 in nonconference play during Groce’s first two seasons, but still managed to lose 28 games in those seasons as a result of a losing record in Big Ten play — what Groce hopes to avoid this year as conference play picks up. “There comes a time when winter will ask, ‘What did you do last summer?’ ” Groce said. Winter won’t ask the Illini players how many toes they put into the Groce family pool that summer day, but to Groce, it will remember the effort they put in during practice. Groce’s wake-and-grind mentality is hoped to have bled over into his Illinois players, with the program trying to end the season with a winning conference record for the first time in since 2010-11. Ahmad Starks reflected his coach’s workhorse personality and said he made more than 13,000
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois' head coach John Groce stresses a “10 Toes In” mentality to his players — they are expected to remain competitive all the time. shots this summer, preparing for the 2014- sitting on a 2-4 conference record with 12 games remaining. 15 season. While Groce, who’s in an all-important But Illinois already had its share of ups third year as the team’s head coach, tries and downs early on in Big Ten play. Just a few days after to push the Illini into the NCAA Tournament starting the conference schedule 0-2 with a heartafter missing the dance breaking overtime loss last season, his players’ to a struggling Michigan consistency remains team and another firstthe key to their success. half lead slipping away at The record-breaking offense Illini fans No. 20 Ohio State, Illinois bounced back with a 64-57 saw at the beginning upset over No. 11 Maryof the season has hid land. Most impressively, away behind a 38.2 the Illini did so without field goal percentage, leading scorer Rayvonte which is elevated after Rice, who is sidelined with averaging 96.2 points a broken hand. JOHN GROCE per game following the MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH first five tune-up games Rice said it’s important against nonconference to stress the “10 Toes In” motto to make sure each opponents. player is reminded of the level of competiStarks has experienced one of the bigtiveness to come with every day. And in the gest offensive drop-offs for Illinois, startleading scorer’s absence, it’s important for ing the season with three straight doubleIllinois’ depth to come into play, already digit efforts and then not reaching that
“We want to be better than we were yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow.”
mark until a 13-point performance against Missouri on Dec. 20 and then struggling for nearly another month later until a 10-point game against Northwestern. “We understand the point behind (‘10 Toes In’),” Starks said. “We have to be in from the start of the season all the way through the end. No matter what you do, there’s going to be ups and downs, so we have to be all in from start to finish.” And with all the ups and downs Illinois has experienced already this season — losing captain Tracy Abrams, Rice’s broken hand, a Las Vegas Invitational Tournament title, a buzzer-beater victory over rival Missouri — the Illini are looking to build on the good and forget the bad. “My mindset is very much about growth,” Groce said. “Our goal was always to play our best late in the year. We want to be better than we were yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow.”
Sean can be reached at spneuma2 @dailyillini.com and on Twitter @Neumannthehuman.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
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FOLAKE OSIBODU THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois’ Rayvonte Rice broke his hand in practice on Jan. 5. The senior guard, who is projected to be out of play for 4-6 weeks, is currently ranked No. 3 on ESPN’s Player Efficency Rating system.
It’s ‘sink or swim’ without Rice Illini look to other players to replace star’s contributions BY ALEX ROUX BASKETBALL COLUMNIST
“When things don’t go your way, how are you going to stand up to it?” Flanked by reporters, Illinois senior center Nnanna Egwu posed the question a day after star teammate Rayvonte Rice broke his hand in practice. Egwu and his teammates had just
found out that the injury would sideline senior Rice for roughly 4-6 weeks. The next evening, Egwu was the anchor of a defensive performance that helped dismantle then-No. 11 Maryland, as the Illini won 64-57 in their first game without Rice in the lineup. Following the win, Egwu said that he and his teammates drew inspiration from
the way Rice handled misfortune, and Egwu answered his own rhetorical question as he and his teammates stood up to the challenge on the court. But what happens when the reality of losing your leading scorer, rebounder and 3-point shooter begins to set in? Four days after the Maryland win, the Illini traveled to Nebraska, where they played like a team was missing its senior leader. Illinois shot 27 percent from the field and
But what happens when the reality of losing your leading scorer, rebounder and 3-point shooter begins to set in?
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six of 29 from 3-point range, looking anemic offensively all night long. Rice, a plus-defender, would have likely guarded Nebraska’s Terran Petteway. Instead, Petteway scored 18 points as Rice watched helpless on the sideline, and the Huskers won, 53-43. “It’s hard to see your team struggle, but I just help out any way that I can,” Rice said. His contributions are now limited to off the court, and he acts like another assistant coach on the bench, offering encouragement and advice to his teammates. To understand how big of a blow losing Rice was to Illinois, a quick look at the numbers helps one comprehend the 6-foot-4 senior’s contributions to his team. When Rice went down, he was averaging 17.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He was also ranked No. 6 in the entire country in ESPN’s Player Efficiency Rating system. His 15 games played is still enough to qualify for the ranking, and he’s actually moved up to No. 3 in the country during his period of inactivity. Rice now trails only Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor — two Naismith Award candidates — in terms of efficiency. Rice was the player the Illini deferred to — for better or worse — when the team needed to score. He was the hero against Missouri, hitting a game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the Tigers. He was also the subject of some criticism in an overtime loss to Michigan, when he badly missed a three (and a wide-open Malcolm Hill) that would have won the game for Illinois in regulation. But no matter how the team performs in Rice’s absence, it’s hard to argue with his
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois’ Rayvonte Rice attempts a shot during the game against Kennesaw State at State Farm Center on Dec. 27. A hand injury during practice has put Rice on the bench.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
5 numbers. Rice’s mammoth amount of production on both ends of the floor is a lot to replace over an extended period of time. But Illinois head coach John Groce won’t make excuses, even if he was dealt a bad hand. He stressed a “next man up” mentality to his team, and it’s become a sink or swim situation for an Illini squad
“It’s hard to see your team struggle, but I just help out any way that I can.” RAYVONTE RICE SENIOR GUARD
that is desperately trying to reach the NCAA tournament for the second time in Groce’s three years in charge. “Not one guy can replace Ray,” Groce said. “It’s got to be a collective effort.” The majority of that effort will have to come from Hill, who scored 28 points in the Maryland win, and fellow sophomore Kendrick Nunn, who dropped 25 against Northwestern. Transfers Aaron Cosby and Ahmad Starks are also being relied on to pick up the scoring slack. This seemed like a tall order, as both have seen their share of shooting struggles, shooting under 33 percent from the field on the year. But both Starks and Cosby have begun to come around as of late, as both scored in double-digits against Northwestern. The hope for Illinois fans is that the Illini’s collective scoring effort — complemented by a revived defensive intensity — can keep them afloat until Rice returns. Rice had never been seriously injured in his playing career before he went down this year. And now, he’s forced to look on as his teammates try to keep their NCAA dreams alive. This is Rice’s last chance at the Big Dance — he’s never made it as an active member of a team — and his injury now serves as added motivation to get back on the court and lead his team to the tourney. “It just motivates me even more,” Rice said. “I was part of the (2012-13) team that went but (as a redshirt) I didn’t get to play. Nnanna’s been there, he’s thirsty to get back. We’re all just going to do what we can to try and get back.” Rice’s expected return date is still unclear. His doctor told him that “the hand will tell” Rice when he’s able to come back, meaning Rice will be able to feel when he’s able to play above a certain pain threshold. With or without their star player, Groce and the Illini will march on. A day before Rice’s surgery, Groce made it clear how his team will respond to the situation: “We’re not going to shut down the season. We’re going to play.”
Alex is a junior in AHS. He can be reached at roux2@dailyillini.com. Follow him on Twitter @aroux94.
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Tuesday, January 20, 2015
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6
Nunn steps into the limelight Guard a constant for Illini in season plagued by inconsistency BY NICHOLAS FORTIN STAFF WRITER
Kendrick Nunn has been here before. It’s the reason he is so calm and collected despite the on-court situation. Whether Nunn is knocking down clutch free throws at the end of the game, starting over a senior in his freshman year, or draining three
“(Nunn is) unflappable. He’s been in so many big games in his career and so many big moments and big stages.” JOHN GROCE
MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH
after three, he only exudes confidence on the court. While he’d like to start, Nunn knows that whether he is the first person called in the starting lineup or the last man off the bench, he’ll be able to adapt his game to fit the situation. This season, that confidence, flexibility and previous big stage experience has translated to 10.4 points per game and the task of being the Illini’s most consistent scorer in a season plagued with inconsistency. “He’s unflappable,” head coach John Groce said. “He’s been in so many big games in his career and so many big moments and big stages.” For Nunn, his transition from unknown Chicago kid to confident Illinois star started in high school. At Simeon Career Academy, Nunn learned how to affect the game in
all aspects. Despite the fact that Nunn would mature into a four-star recruit, the now sophomore shooting guard didn’t start his first two years at Simeon. Nunn graciously accepted his role as a sixth man and helped Simeon win two state titles in his first two years. In his last two seasons at Simeon, Nunn started and helped his team win two more. By the time Nunn arrived in Champaign, he was accustomed to winning and playing well for winning teams. In his first season with the Illini, Nunn was forced to deal with losing. The Illini lost eight straight Big Ten games last season and eventually missed out on the NCAA tournament because of their conference shortcomings. Although Illinois struggled in his first year with the team, Nunn didn’t. Nunn averaged 6.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game during his freshman year and played well enough off the bench that Groce gave him a chance to start over senior Joseph Bertrand down the stretch. Nunn didn’t disappoint. As a freshman starter his numbers jumped to 10.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. After the season, Nunn continued to work on his game with both the Illini and Jaylon Tate individually. Tate and Nunn have been teammates since their days at Simeon and still have a close bond. As Nunn’s game has grown, so has his confidence. “Obviously he’s more confident,” Nnanna Egwu said. “Being able to play more, gaining experience. What he’s really done is understand the system especially without the ball. Boxing out setting screens.” This year the Illini have needed
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois’ Kendrick Nunn loses possession of the ball after driving to the basket during the game against Missouri at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri on Dec.20. Nunn’s high level of play more than ever. With Tracy Abrams out for the season and Rayvonte Rice sidelined for at least part of the season with injury, Nunn has been looked to to provide offensive stability for the Illini. Although he’s battled a minor knee injury of his own, especially toward the start of the year, Nunn hasn’t disappointed once on the court. “I feel pretty confident,” Nunn said after the Northwestern game. “At the beginning of the season, I was just getting back in rhythm (after) a couple injuries and things like that. So I’m in a pretty good rhythm now.” While touted transfer Aaron Cosby floundered early on this season at starting shooting guard, Nunn transitioned effortlessly from sixth man to everyday starter.
“I’m a competitor,” Nunn said. “Being a starter, you’ve got to bring it.” Nunn tallied 16 points in his second start of the season against Hampton and hasn’t looked back since. Although he has proven he can be effective coming off the bench, it’s hard to argue with his improved offensive numbers as a starter. In the Illini’s first nine games, in which Nunn came off the bench, he averaged 8.7 points per game. In Illinois’ next nine games, in which Nunn started nine times, his average jumped to 10. “When shots are falling,” Nunn said. “It just gives you more confidence so I attack more.” Shots have been falling quite frequently this year for Nunn. So far he’s shooting 42.9 percent from long
distance and 45.1 percent from the field. He’s also averaging 9.7 points per game, 3.0 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists per game on the season while helping Illinois to a 12-7 record through 19 games this season. Nunn saved his most notable offensive output for the end of break. In Evanston, Illinois, in front of many family members and friends Nunn had a career-high 25 points and knocked down two pairs of clutch free throws to give the Illini a 72-67 win over Northwestern. “(I’ve played) pretty good (as a starter so far this season),” Nunn said. “We’ve got more to build on though.”
Nicholas can be reached at fortin2@dailyillini.com and on Twitter @IlliniSportsGuy.
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7
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Illini face difficult journey ALEX ROUX Basketball columnist
B
ig Ten Network’s featured show during conference play is called “The Journey,” and it’s aptly named. Conference play is a grind, a haul, a marathon — it’s whatever gritty adjective you can think of. It’s 18 games where any team top to bottom can win on any given night. Lowly Rutgers beat Wisconsin two weeks ago, in case you needed any extra convincing. Road wins should count as double, because escaping a hostile Big Ten arena is a rare occurrence, even for conference contenders. As Illinois has seen so far, conference play truly is a journey, and it’s one with highs and lows. The Illini schedule was front-loaded with four road games in its first five, with the lone home matchup coming against then-No. 11 Maryland. Dan Dakich, the former Indiana player and coach who now regularly calls Big Ten games on ESPN, said he had never seen anything like the Illini’s scheduling misfortune to begin the season. As if Big Ten play wasn’t challenging enough, the basketball gods dropped a bombshell on the Illini two games into the conference season: leading scorer Rayvonte Rice would miss several weeks with a broken left hand. The news came just as Illinois’ season was flirting with major disappointment, when a team with high expectations was struggling to find its way. Illinois head coach John Groce did some impressive things in Champaign in his first two seasons, but his Big Ten record of 15-21 in that time was not something he’d put at the top of a resume. A huge contributor to the conference woes was a combined 3-12 record in the month of January, which is when the Big Ten season kicks into gear. Rice’s injury came in early January, at a time when his team was already 0-2 to begin Groce’s third Big Ten season. The “freak accident” of an injury seemed like a death sentence for the team. But the hallmark of Groce’s teams has always been resiliency, and they knocked off the 11th-ranked Terps two days after Rice went down. The win may have saved their season, as they now sit at 2-4 six games into conference play, still very much
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Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky and Kentucky Wildcats center Dakari Johnson battle for a rebound last season on April 5. In the Big Ten, conference play is a grind, a haul, a marathon — it’s whatever gritty adjective you can think of. It’s 18 games where any team top to bottom can win on any given night. alive for an NCAA tournament bid. Unlike Groce’s first two seasons, Illinois will almost certainly have to finish above .500 in the Big Ten this year if they want to receive an at-large bid to the Big Dance. So the Illini will need a minimum of 10 Big Ten wins, and they currently have eight to go. How will their path play out the rest of the way? Wisconsin is the favorite to finish at the top, but the rest of the conference seems wide open. Maryland, Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana have all shown flashes of brilliance so far, but where the chips fall in the end is anyone’s guess. When it comes to those six teams, the Illini face only Michigan State twice, and the rest just once. They play weaker foes such as Purdue,
Penn State and Northwestern twice each. But conference play is so unpredictable. Wisconsin’s talented point guard Traevon Jackson suffered a broken foot that will sideline him for at least six weeks, which could have significant implications on the Big Ten race. Not many people saw Maryland’s rise coming, and it currently sits at 17-2, 5-1 Big Ten. Upsets have become the norm; Illinois could beat Wisconsin then lose to Northwestern, and it would pretty much be par for the course. Rice’s injury and murky timetable for a return just adds an extra layer of uncertainty to what promises to be an intense and stressful next two months. And with the winner of the Big Ten tournament in March receiving an automatic NCAA bid, no team’s
season is truly dead. Groce likes to use boxing metaphors during press conferences while articulating his team’s performance. Basketball games are described as fights, heavyweight boxing matches where teams take swings at each other until only one is left standing. Rice’s injury could have been a knockout blow, but Groce won’t make any excuses for his team’s fate the rest of the way. I think it’s appropriate to assume that when March rolls around, Illini coaches, players and fans expect to have a puncher’s chance at the Dance.
Alex is a junior in AHS. He can be reached at roux2@dailyillini.com and @aroux94.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
8
Round up Compiled by Sam Sherman
Minnesota
Here’s an updated look at how teams are faring across the Big Ten this season. Illinois Head Coach: John Groce Record: 12-7, 2-4 Big Ten Analysis: Expectations were high for the Illini coming into the season in what seemed to be a crowded middle of the conference. Well into the season, the Illini have greatly underperformed. They have had some nice wins against Baylor and Maryland but have struggled on offense. Transfers Aaron Cosby and Ahmad Starks have been cold on the offensive end. Their tournament hopes are still alive, but they need more quality wins.
Indiana Head Coach: Tom Crean Record: 14-4, 4-1 Big Ten Analysis: Coming into the season, Tom Crean’s seat was getting warmer. Another losing season would have made things very interesting in Bloomington. That being said, the Hoosiers have been surprisingly successful halfway through the season. They have quality wins against Butler and Ohio State. With a consistent finish to the season, Crean may have done enough to buy more time at Indiana.
Maryland Head Coach: Mark Turgeon Record: 17-2, 5-1 Big Ten Analysis: So far, there have been no “welcome to the Big Ten” moments for the Terrapins this season. Other than losses to Virginia and Illinois, Maryland has had a great opening season in its new conference. Much of their success can be attributed to Melo Trimble, one of the nation’s top freshmen, who’s averaging 16 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Michigan Head Coach: John Beilein Record: 11-7, 4-2 Big Ten Analysis: The Wolverines lost almost all of their impact players from last year to the NBA, and it’s shown. Early in the season they suffered losses to the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan. They’ve collected a few wins in the Big Ten, but it’s going to take a huge second half to revive any tournament hopes.
Head Coach: Fran McCaffery Record: 13-5, 4-1 Big Ten Analysis: Senior Aaron White is averaging almost 16 points and seven rebounds this season. I would have guessed the loss of last year’s leading scorer Roy Devyn Marble would have hurt the Hawkeyes, but they continue to play solid basketball. With wins against North Carolina and Ohio State, Iowa looks to stay competitive in the Big Ten.
Nebraska Head Coach: Tim Miles Record: 10-7, 2-3 Big Ten Analysis: Nebraska was the darling of the Big Ten last year with a combination of quirky head coach Tim Miles and a strong season. Many thought they would emerge as one of the conference’s top teams. While Terran Petteway has been one of the nation’s top scorers, it hasn’t been enough to take the Cornhuskers to the next level, as they stand near the bottom of the conference.
Northwestern Head Coach: Chris Collins Record: 10-8, 1-4 Big Ten Analysis: Northwestern fans have been waiting quite a while for their team to make its NCAA tournament debut. This season doesn’t appear to be the one for the Wildcats. That being said, head coach Chris Collins has done a nice job of recruiting effective playmakers to the program. Freshman guard Bryant McIntosh has been a pleasant surprise and looks to be a player to build around going forward.
Head Coach: Pat Chambers Record: 12-6, 0-5 Big Ten Analysis: Penn State opened up the season on fire, heading into conference play with a 12-1 record. Then the Big Ten happened, and things haven’t looked so happy in Happy Valley. On the bright side, senior D.J. Newbill has had a great season, averaging over 20 points per game.
Purdue Head Coach: Matt Painter Record: 11-7, 3-2 Big Ten Analysis: It seems like head coach Matt Painter has been on the hot seat since Robbie Hummel suited up for the Boilermakers. While Painter has been able to pull in some nice talent through recruiting, he just hasn’t been able to coach his players to their fullest potential. Freshman Isaac Haas has been very solid in his first season, and looks to be a major problem in the future for opposing teams.
Rutgers Head Coach: Eddie Jordan Record: 10-9, 2-4 Big Ten Analysis: The good news? Rutgers beat Wisconsin this year in what was the biggest upset in the conference so far this season. The bad news? That’s really the only good news in Rutgers’ first season in the Big Ten. The Big Ten growing pains have been rough for the Scarlet Knights.
Wisconsin Michigan State
Iowa
Head Coach: Richard Pitino Record: 12-7, 1-5 Big Ten Analysis: It has been a hugely disappointing season for the Golden Gophers. They won the NIT last year, and many had high hopes for Richard Pitino’s squad, but it appears they have taken a major step back after last season’s strong finish. At this rate, Minnesota may miss the tournament they won a season ago.
Penn State
Head Coach: Tom Izzo Record: 12-6, 3-2 Big Ten Analysis: These are no longer the days of Michigan State dominating the Big Ten. While they don’t have any major wins, the Spartans have started out conference play on a strong note. In his senior season, point guard Travis Trice seems to have finally broken through as he’s averaging 14.3 points per game.
Ohio State Head Coach: Thad Matta Record: 14-5, 3-3 Big Ten Analysis: This year’s Ohio State team isn’t as dominant as the Buckeyes have been in the past, but the future looks scary. Highly touted freshman D’Angelo Russell has lived up to his billing. He’s averaging 18 points, four rebounds and five assists. The Buckeyes aren’t at the top of the conference, but don’t be surprised if they wind up near there by the season’s end.
Head Coach: Bo Ryan Record: 16-2, 4-1 Big Ten Analysis: Many people had no idea how the Big Ten was going to play out this year. It seemed like for the most part, the conference was up for grabs, but the Badgers were the exception. They were going to be at the top, while the rest of the conference would be up for grabs. Wisconsin has been as strong as ever and should continue its strong play for the rest of the season.