TBBC conference previews: The B1G

Like most other seasons, the Big Ten has a ton going for it. It’s a mixture of playmaking guards and dominant post men that will be the trademark of the league…and that’s just in the state of Michigan. But there’s a ton of talent from Happy Valley to Lincoln.

Preseason All-Conference team

G-Aaron Craft, Sr., Ohio State – 2012-13 stats: 10 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.1 spg. Duh, right? One of the best on-ball defenders in the nation and not to mention a totally underrated game-managing point guard. Plus he recently got engaged. Being settled down can help a man’s game, I think.

G-Gary Harris, Soph., Michigan State – 2012-13 stats: 12.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 41.1% three-point percentage. After starting his collegiate career with a foot injury, Harris assimilated to the college game with little lag time in the middle of last season. Now as a fully-healthy guard in a Tom Izzo system, Harris is expected to take a solid jump in efficiency this year.

G-D.J. Newbill, Jr., Penn State – 2012-13 stats: 16.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg. Jermaine Marshall transferred to Arizona State, so the Nittany Lions’ show is all Newbill’s. He’s on a team that isn’t expected to pull a ton of upsets this season, but that shouldn’t stop a guard with serious game from getting his numbers.

F-Mitch McGary, Soph., Michigan – 2012-13 stats: 7.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 59.8% field goal percentage. This time last year McGary was expected to be a dominant big man. He wasn’t until late in the season. Now we’re right back where we started. This time with some proof that he possesses that takeover ability.

F-Adreian Payne, Sr., Michigan State – 2012-13 stats: 10.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 54.6% field goal percentage. He’s the stud of this conference, in my opinion. A prototypical Big Ten big man with the touch around the rim and the ability to navigate in traffic for rebounds and putbacks. He’s going to have a big year, so long that he stays healthy.

Preseason Player of the Year- Adreian Payne – I don’t really see a more polished player in this conference. There might be more athletic players, but none that possess the discipline that Payne has to be as efficient as his is.

Sleeper player- Roy Devyn Marble, Sr., Iowa – Great name, great game. Marble was near the top of the conference in scoring last year and with a better team this year, he should get the publicity he deserves. Expecting a lot from this guy.

Team rankings

Michigan State – Payne anchors the post, Harris will control the ball on the perimeter and as long as he stays healthy, this could be his last season in East Lansing. Travis Trice, who averaged just 4.8 ppg last season, could become an x-factor this season. Tom Izzo knows how to put together a solid team year-in and year-out.

Michigan – It’s not a surprise here. They lose Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke to the NBA, but Mitch McGary’s surge in March last season, coupled with Nik Stauskas coming back with Jordan Morgan will still make some sizable noise. Caris LaVert could be an underrated piece this season. Watch out for freshman Zak Irvin to make an impact in his first season in maize and blue.

Ohio State – All of the Buckeyes top scorers return besides DeShaun Thomas, and they also have one more season of ball-hawking goodness from Aaron Craft. Lenzelle Smith, Jr. and his 9.2 ppg last season are expected to improve with Thomas gone, as well LaQuinton Ross, whose numbers aren’t just expected to improve, but skyrocket. OSU will definitely need more from 6-11 Amir Williams, who is the only 6-8-plus player on their roster.

Indiana – The Hoosiers will have to replace a lot of scoring. Specifically their Top 3 bucket-getters from last season in Cody Zeller, Victor Oladipo and Christian Watford. Will Sheehey and Yogi Ferrell are the obvious leaders, but Jeremy Hollowell should make a sizable jump in his sophomore year. The Hoosiers are also sporting an 8-man recruiting class led by studs Troy Williams (when he returns from injury), Stanford Robinson and Luke Fischer.

Iowa – This one is a stretch. Call it a gut feeling. The Hawkeyes return nine of their Top 10 scorers off a team that went to the NIT Final Four last season. All those players averaged at least 10 minutes per game as well. Roy Devyn Marble is going to be a steady presence that gets the national publicity he deserves this season and what’s more? Fran McCaffery finally gets the team he’s been building towards since he arrived in Iowa City.

Wisconsin – Bo Ryan will have to replace some scoring. Leading scorer Ben Brust (11.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 79 assists) does return, as does Sam Dekker (9.6 ppg, 36.1 three-point percentage)and Traevon Jackson (6.9 ppg) coming back as well. Frank Kaminsky (6.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 28 mpg) will be asked to do more in the post.

The rest

Purdue – The Boilermakers Top 3 scorers return in Terone (13.5 ppg) and Ronnie Johnson (10.3 ppg, 139 assists) with A.J. Hammons (10.6 ppg. 6 rpg). It’s going to be interesting to see who steps into the hole left by D.J. Byrd.

Minnesota – Losing Rodney Williams and Trevor Mbakwe will hurt and as of now, new coach Richard Pitino has only one freshman on his roster. He does have both Hollins’ boys (Andre 14.6 ppg, Austin 10.7 ppg) back along with big man Elliot Eliason (13.7 mpg), but a number of low-end role players will have to grow up.

Illinois – There are few teams that will rely more on transfers this season than the Fighting Illini. Drake transfer Rayvonte Rice is eligible, as is Illinois State graduate defector Jon Ekey. Tyler Griffey’s 7.2 ppg and 3.5 rpg will be much needed since he’s the top returning scorer who played at in Champaign last season.

Penn State – Losing Jermaine Marshall to Arizona State was a huge blow. Allen Roberts, a graduate transfer from Miami (Ohio) comes in to fill the spot, and leading scorer D.J. Newbill (16.3 ppg) makes it back as well. The biggest boost will come from Tim Frazier and his 16.3 ppg, though it came in four games last season before he went out for the season with a torn ACL.

Northwestern – Chris Collins will have a decent team on paper in his first season in Evanston, but no one should look at it as a litmus test for his tenure. Drew Crawford was lucky enough to get his medical redshirt and his 13.5 ppg will be needed. Dave Sobolewski (9.8 ppg, 127 assists) returns and three redshirt freshman enter the mix.

Nebraska – Ray Gallegos (12.5 ppg, 46 steals) returns, but not a ton more. Watch out for David Rivers (5.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg) to break out as a junior, as well as Shavon Shields (8.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg).

Most likely too….

…Average 20 points and 10 rebounds – Adreian Payne – He averaged 10 and 7 per game, but with Harris and Appling coming around, solid shooting on the perimeter and the fact that post play is a bit down in the B1G this season, he could beast his share of teams.

…Be a first round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft – Glenn Robinson III, Jr., Michigan – This is a given. There are a number of candidates here. McGary, Harris, Payne, etc. But he passed up first round money to come back. Another solid season locks him into the Top 10, probably.

…End up first-team all-conference after being left off the preseason team – Andre Hollins, Jr., Minnesota – He might be the most complete player in the league that no one seems to care about. Averaged 14.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game. With the right season under Pitino, Hollins could not only get onto the first team, but in the first round of the draft.

Preseason, postseason predictions

Regular Season conference champions – Ohio State – Smith, Jr., Craft, Ross. That upperclassmen trio alone can do a lot for any team. People remember that Deshaun Thomas left, but they forget that not much else did.

Conference tournament champions – Michigan State – With the best big man in the conference in the post and the leadership of Tom Izzo, there just isn’t a time that anyone should ever doubt the Spartans, especially not in March.