The BIg Ten Season

Every year around this time the leaves begin to fall from the trees and the temperatures begin to plummet below freezing. The snow starts to fall and snowman and snow angels begin to form and the men in the Big Ten start to do battle on the hardwood. College football begins to unwind and boys of winter start to make their presences be known as they take center stage in the nation on their respective campuses.

Many teams try to improve from last years successes and others try to rebuild as they were devastated by graduation. Some like Purdue return all of their starters and look to take the next step and win the Big Ten outright and make a deep run in the NCAA's. Michigan State returns many of their main components from last year even after losing a great leader in Drew Neitzel, return with a young and promising Kalin Lucas. He has the skills and ability to become an all conference player this season. Wisconsin returns several players as well like Trevon Hughes, Marcus Laundry, Joe Krabbenhoft and Jason Bohannon.

Several teams with first and second year coaches that have their program's believing and buying into their system and philosophy. Tuby Smith has the Gophers improved and will fight for a bid into the big dance. Tom Crean at Indiana has a new strut in Bloomington for the Hoosiers to get on with. After Kalvin Sampson's debackle of a season last year and a disappointing run in the Big Ten with the talent they had last year will make Indiana fans upset if a big year is not in their near future.

In the conference this year look for Purdue, Michigan State, and Wisconsin to be the creame of the crop of the Mid West. Purdue for their experience of all 5 starters returning from a 13-3 Big Ten record in conference last season. The Spartans have a young and experience blend of talent with Lucas in the backcourt along with Raymar Morgan and Sutton in the front court. The Badgers return veteran players like Laundry, Krabbenhoft in the front line and a three point specialist in Jason Bohannon and a skilled setted point guard Trevon Hughes. Led by Coach Bo Ryan the Badgers won both the regular season and Big Ten Tournament Titles last season.

All three of these teams will do battle as Wisconsin will pull out in the end having to only play Michigan State once this year and Purdue finishing second place. Michigan State will be third in a heated conference run. Tom Izzo will be disappointed but will make a deep run in March as they can very well win the Big Ten Tourney. Following the elite of the Big Ten Michigan will be very improved as entering their second season under Jim Beilein and a talented young guard in Manny Harris will cause some chaos in the conference. Penn State has some good solid players in Talor Battle, Stanley Pringle, and Jamelle Cornely that may cause match up problems in the Big Ten.

The conference will get at least three teams into the dance but like most seasons will likely get somewhere between 4-6 teams. The others may include Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State.

Some of the key games in the conference that very well may determine who is going to win the championship are Wisconsin at Purdue on January 11, Purdue at Wisconsin on January 27. Wisconsin at Michigan State on February 22 and on the final day of the regular season as Purdue plays at Michigan State on March the 8th.

Player of the year in the conference will likely go to Kalin Lucas. Other contenders include Marcus Laundry, Trevon Hughes, Raymar Morgan, Manny Harris, Robbie Hummel, and E'Twaun Moore. All in all this should be a great season of college basketball as well a great season in the Big Ten alone. So sit back and relax as the Big Ten basketball is back.