Louisville C-J: Athlon picks IU for NIT, ninth in Big Ten
Athlon has the Hoosiers headed to the NIT — off a ninth-place finish in the Big Ten. Junior forward Christian Watford is featured on one of the regional covers, along with Robbie Hummel of Purdue and Ronald Nored of Butler.
With the start of the fall semester underway and less than six weeks until the official start of practice, it’s time to begin looking ahead to the 2011-2012 season. We continue our Big Ten preview with a look at the five freshmen, listed in no particular order, who could make the biggest impact next season.
Branden Dawson, Michigan State, Forward – The Gary, Indiana native’s hunger for rebounds — 18.6 per game as a senior at Lew Wallace — should help earn him immediate minutes in Tom Izzo’s system. At just 6-foot-6, Dawson (pictured) uses a combination of strength, instinct and pure will to dominate the offensive glass. His perimeter game is still developing, but the McDonald’s All-American is at his best when given the freedom to slash to the basket and get out on the fastbreak. Dawson might not begin the season in the starting lineup, but it’s tough to imagine him not finishing games in East Lansing.
Trey Burke, Michigan, Guard – If not for Darius Morris’ questionable decision to enter the 2011 NBA Draft, Burke probably wouldn’t be on this list. But the departure of Morris leaves at hole at point guard in Ann Arbor and the likely recipient of those minutes is Burke. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Ohio Mr. Basketball is a score-first point guard that originally committed to Penn State, but ultimately opted for the Wolverines last August. Michigan returns plenty of skilled backcourt experience with Tim Hardaway Jr., Zack Novak and Stu Douglass, but a quick acclimation to the college game by Burke will be pivotal to another top five finish in the Big Ten.
Mycheal Henry, Illinois, Forward – The graduation of four seniors and Jereme Richmond’s abrupt departure for the NBA Draft will open immediate minutes for seven newcomers in Urbana-Champaign. While transfer Sam Maniscalco might be the most important newcomer for the Figthing Illini, Henry looks like the freshman most ready to contribute. The 6-foot-6 wing went from virtual unknown prior to his junior season at Chicago Orr all the way into the top 40 of the final Rivals 150 for 2011. His mid-range game is still suspect, but Henry’s length, explosiveness and ability to get into the lane will make him a tough matchup from day one.
The fall’s first college basketball preview magazine, published by The Sporting News, is on newsstands and their editors have the Hoosiers jumping from eleventh up to sixth in the Big Ten.
The complete rundown of the projected conference finish is as follows: 1. Ohio State, 2. Wisconsin, 3. Michigan, 4. Michigan State, 5. Purdue, 6. Indiana, 7. Northwestern, 8. Minnesota, 9. Illinois, 10. Iowa, 11. Nebraska and 12. Penn State.
Also of note: Cody Zeller is mentioned as the top freshman in the Big Ten and is given hefty praise: “There’s a strong chance he’ll be the type of dominant center few programs ever see.” Sophomore Victor Oladipo is tabbed as the league’s most athletic player.
Obviously these types of predictions can be thrown out the window once the season tips off in November, but as a point of discussion in early September, does the jump from the bottom of the Big Ten up to sixth for this group of Hoosiers seem probable, possible or too optimistic?
(Photo credit: IUHoosiers.com)
With the start of the fall semester underway and just six weeks until the official start of practice, it’s time to begin looking ahead to the 2011-2012 season. We’ll begin with a Big Ten breakdown of the most significant addition as well as the most significant departure at each school.
Illinois
– Addition: Sam Maniscalco arrives in Champaign as a transfer from Bradley with immediate eligibility. The Chicago native should get the first crack at taking over the point guard reigns. The six-foot guard only played in six games last season at Bradley due to a foot injury, but averaged 13.1 points and 3.4 assists.
– Departure: For all of his inconsistent and at times erratic play, Demetri McCamey was the closest thing the Fighting Illini had to a star on last year’s disappointing team. Bruce Weber won’t miss the headaches, but he will miss McCamey’s production of 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game.
Indiana
– Addition: On a team that got next to nothing statistically from its frontcourt sans Christian Watford, the addition of Cody Zeller is easily the most significant addition of the Tom Crean era. The fundamentally sound big man is one of the country’s most polished incoming post players.
– Departure: The Hoosiers lost only one senior, Jeremiah Rivers, who was a sometimes reliable defender that brought next to nothing offensively.
Iowa
– Addition: Josh Oglesby, a top 150 guard from Cedar Rapids, could give Fran McCaffery a reliable option on the perimeter to help shore up the Hawkeyes woeful shooting (31.4 percent on 3-pointers last season).
– Departure: Melsahn Basabe will carry even more weight on his shoulders up front following the loss of Jarryd Cole, who started all 31 games and led the team in rebounds 12 times.
Michigan
– Addition: The unexpected departure of Darius Morris to the NBA means that Trey Burke, a top 100 point guard from Ohio and former high school teammate of Jared Sullinger, will likely slide in as a starter in Ann Arbor.
– Departure: The aforementioned Darius Morris was the Big Ten’s most improved and surprising player a season ago. After starting Big Ten play with a 1-6 record, it was Morris that led the Wolverines on a turnaround that ultimately ended up in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan State
– Addition: Branden Dawson is the most heralded of three arriving freshmen, but transfer Brandon Wood, who averaged 16.7 points and was an All-Horizon League selection last year at Valparaiso, will ease the loss of Korie Lucious’ dismissal in the backcourt.
– Departure: Kalin Lucas was one of the most successful guards in school history with a national championship game appearance, Big Ten Player of the Year award and 1,996 career points on his resume.
2011-2012 Big Ten Preview: Top non-conference games
We continue our 2011-2012 Big Ten preview today with a look at seven non-conference games, listed in no particular order, that you’ll want to mark on your calendars as must see.
Michigan State vs. North Carolina on Friday, November 11
Event: Veteran’s Day Carrier Classic at San Diego Bay
TV coverage: ESPN
Two of the top programs from the past decade will square off in front of 7,000 on an aircraft carrier to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Not only will it be the first game of the season broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2, it will be the most unique setting for a college basketball game ever.
Michigan State vs. Duke on Tuesday, November 15
Event: Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden
TV coverage: ESPN
After opening against what will likely be the country’s No. 1 team in North Carolina, Tom Izzo and the Spartans will head east to MSG for a meeting with top ten Duke. It’s an ambitious non-conference start for a program that struggled to meet expectations last winter, but Izzo will quickly find out what he’s working with by mid-November.
Michigan vs. Memphis on Monday, November 21
Event: Maui Invitational
TV coverage: ESPN2
The Wolverines are the Big Ten representation in Maui and you might not see a larger contrast in styles all season than in this contest. Memphis is loaded with young talent and loves to push the tempo, but failed to take care of the ball last season. Michigan, on the other hand, is far more deliberate and less turnover prone. A win for Michigan could set up a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament meeting with Duke.
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