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INDIANAPOLIS – A preseason power ranking for a conference with four new members and a revolving door of talent seems almost futile.
Check back on this list in March and it may look futile, too. Purdue may be the consensus favorite, but four other teams received No. 1 votes in our USA TODAY Network Big Ten preseason poll.
I didn’t vote in that process, but this is my preseason take, with periodic updates to follow this season.
1. Purdue
Every preseason ratings formula says the field is hunting the Boilermakers — again. This squad still has some questions, but it may also have a lot of answers.
2. UCLA
The address may say L.A., but Mick Cronin’s system — led by certified possession thief Kobe Johnson — fits nicely in the Big Ten.
3. Illinois
Brad Underwood’s track record buys preseason respect even for a rebuild — and he pulled in transfer talent including Tipton’s Ben Humrichous (Evansville) to make it happen.
4. Michigan State
Spartans haven’t won more than 11 Big Ten games since the pandemic season? Beefed-up Cathedral grad Xavier Booker trying to fix that.
5. Indiana
The roster looks good on paper, but it’s more than fair to hang back and see whether or not it actually comes together.
6. Ohio State
Underachieving Buckeyes took off after Chris Holtmann’s firing. Can that continue now that they also brought back one of the Big Ten’s best names in Meechie Johnson?
7. Oregon
Don’t get distracted by the pine tree silhouettes on the court. Ducks have some players, too, led by sophomores Jackson Shelstad and Kwane Evans Jr.
8. Rutgers
I could look like a real dunce here if freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper live up to their top-three national rankings.
9. Michigan
In Dusty they trusty, as Hoosier alum May tries to apply his Florida Atlantic magic to the Big Ten.
10. Northwestern
Most returning minutes from a team that won 60% of its Big Ten games the past two seasons? I’ll gamble on a high floor here.
11. Maryland
Freshman center Derik Queen should never have to pay…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/big-ten-basketball-power-rankings-080101047.html
Author : Indianapolis Star
Publish date : 2024-10-28 08:01:00
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