A final look at who’s coming and going in the Big Ten
With the fall semester underway on many Big Ten campuses, it’s time for our final look at who’s coming and going in the Big Ten for the 2014-2015 season.
Illinois (20-15, 8th place tie, NIT second round)
· Arriving: Aaron Cosby (Seton Hall, eligible this season), Ahmad Starks (Oregon State, eligible this season), LeRon Black (247Composite Top 100), Michael Finke
· Departing: Jon Ekey (graduation), Joseph Bertrand (graduation), Darius Paul
Notes: After Darius Paul was suspended for the 2014-2015 season in early June, he opted to leave the program for junior college at Lamar State rather than serve out his suspension in Champaign.
Indiana (17-15, 8th place tie)
· Arriving: James Blackmon Jr. (247Composite Top 100), Jeremiah April, Max Hoetzel, Robert Johnson (247Composite Top 100), Tim Priller, Emmitt Holt, Nick Zeisloft (Illinois State, eligible this season)
· Departing: Austin Etherington (transfer), Evan Gordon (graduation), Jeff Howard (graduation), Jeremy Hollowell (transfer), Noah Vonleh (NBA), Will Sheehey (graduation), Peter Jurkin (transfer)
Notes: Indiana added two players since our last update in June in 2014 forward Emmitt Holt and Illinois State transfer Nick Zeisloft. Both are expected to be contributors this season.
Iowa (20-13, 6th place, NCAA First Four)
· Arriving: Brady Ellingson, Dominique Uhl, Trey Dickerson
· Departing: Darius Stokes (transfer), Devyn Marble (graduation), Kyle Meyer (transfer), Melsahn Basabe (graduation), Zach McCabe (graduation)
Notes: The only offseason updates of note in Iowa City were the arrests of Peter Jok and Josh Oglesby. Jok was suspended indefinitely, but appears to be back in the fold and Fran McCaffery said he has no plans for suspending Oglesby.
Maryland (17-15, 7th place tie in ACC)
· Arriving: Dion Wiley (247Composite Top 100), Jared Nickens (247Composite Top 100), Melo Trimble (247Composite Top 100), Michael Cekovsky, Richaud Pack (North Carolina A & T, eligible this season)
· Departing: Nick Faust (transfer), Roddy Peters (transfer), Seth Allen (transfer), Shaquille Cleare (transfer), Charles Mitchell (transfer)
Notes: The Terrapins had arguably the most turbulent offseason of any Big Ten program as five players transferred and incoming Trayvon Reed was dismissed, but Mark Turgeon hopes to soften the blow with a solid recruiting class and Pack, who is eligible immediately and averaged 17 points last season at North Carolina A & T.
Michigan State (29-9, 2nd place tie, NCAA Elite Eight)
· Arriving: LouRawls Nairn (247Composite Top 100), Javon Bess, Marvin Clark, Eron Harris (West Virginia), Bryn Forbes (Cleveland State, eligible this season)
· Departing: Adreian Payne (graduation), Gary Harris (NBA), Keith Appling (graduation), Kenny Kaminski (dismissed), Alex Gauna, Russell Byrd (transfer)
Notes: Since our last update, the Spartans added a pair of transfers in Forbes and Harris. Forbes will be eligible this season after the NCAA granted a waiver request. The program also dismissed Kenny Kaminski, Alex Gauna is unlikely to return for his senior season and Byrd transferred.
Michigan (28-9, 1st place, NCAA Elite Eight)
· Arriving: Aubrey Dawkins, Austin Hatch, D.J. Wilson, Kameron Chatman (247Composite Top 100), Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman, Ricky Doyle, Duncan Robinson (Williams College)
· Departing: Glenn Robinson III (NBA), Jordan Morgan (graduation), Jon Horford (transfer), Mitch McGary (NBA), Nik Stauskas (NBA)
Notes: The Wolverines completed their offseason tour of Italy with a 4-0 record and recently added Division III transfer Duncan Robinson, who will sit out this season and become eligible for the 2015-2016 campaign.
Minnesota (25-13, 7th place, NIT Champion)
· Arriving: Bakary Konate, Carlos Morris, Josh Martin, Nate Mason Jr., Zach Lofton (Illinois State)
· Departing: Austin Hollins (graduation), Malik Smith (graduation), Maverick Ahanmisi (graduation), Oto Osenieks (medical), Wally Ellenson (transfer)
Notes: Since our last update, freshman Gaston Diedhiou was denied admission by the university, which deemed him unprepared for academic success.
Nebraska (19-13, 4th place, NCAA round of 64)
· Arriving: Jacob Hammond, Moses Ayegba (Georgetown), Tarin Smith, Andrew White (Kansas)
· Departing: Deverell Biggs (transfer), Nathan Hawkins (transfer), Ray Gallegos (graduation), Sergej Vucetic (transfer)
Notes: The big offseason news in Nebraska was the loss of Leslee Smith, who tore his ACL in early July. More recently, Tim Miles announced the addition of Andrew White, who transferred from Kansas and will sit out next season.
Northwestern (14-19, 10th place tie)
· Arriving: Bryant McIntosh, Gavin Skelly, Jeremiah Kreisberg (Yale, eligible this season), Johnnie Vassar, Scott Lindsey, Victor Law (247Composite Top 100)
· Departing: Drew Crawford (graduation), Kale Abrahamson (transfer), Nikola Cerina (graduation)
Notes: Welsh-Ryan Arena is getting an offseason makeover with a new floor design and a new video board.
Ohio State (25-10, 5th place, NCAA round of 64)
· Arriving: Anthony Lee (Temple, eligible this season), Dave Bell, D’Angelo Russell (247Composite Top 100), Jae’Sean Tate (247Composite Top 100), Keita Bates-Diop (247Composite Top 100), Trevor Thompson (Virginia Tech)
· Departing: Aaron Craft (graduation), Amedeo Della Valle (Europe), LaQuinton Ross (NBA), Lenzelle Smith Jr. (graduation)
Notes: Trevor Thompson’s waiver for immediate eligibility was denied by the NCAA earlier this month and the Buckeyes also completed a tour of the Bahamas in early August.
Penn State (16-18, 10th place tie, CBI quarterfinals)
· Arriving: Devin Foster, Shep Garner, Isaiah Washington
· Departing: Graham Woodward (transfer), Tim Frazier (graduation)
Notes: The only offseason updates of note from State College appear to be walk-on Kevin Montminy receiving a scholarship for his final season and Julian Moore being granted a medical hardship waiver for last season.
Purdue (15-17, 12th place)
· Arriving: Dakota Mathias, Isaac Haas (247Composite Top 100), Jacquil Taylor, P.J. Thompson, Vince Edwards
· Departing: Errick Peck (graduation), Jay Simpson (medical), Ronnie Johnson (transfer), Sterling Carter (graduation), Terone Johnson (graduation), Travis Carroll (graduation)
Notes: In a recent offseason update, Matt Painter told the media that he plans to implement a zone defense this season.
Rutgers (12-21, 7th place in AAC)
· Arriving: Bishop Daniels (Miami), D.J. Foreman, Ibrihima Diallo, Mike Williams, Shaquille Doorson
· Departing: Craig Brown (transfer), D’Von Campbell (transfer), Jerome Seagears (transfer), J.J. Moore (graduation), Wally Judge (graduation)
Notes: The Scarlet Knights announced the addition of the 6-foot-11 Doorson, the No. 2-ranked 2014 prospect in Europe according to ESPN, in July.
Wisconsin (30-8, 2nd place tie, NCAA Final Four)
· Arriving: Ethan Happ, T.J. Schlundt (preferred walk-on)
· Departing: Ben Brust (graduation)
Notes: The Badgers got a boost of depth with the addition of Schlundt, a former AAU teammate of Bronson Koenig and Luke Fischer, who chose to walk-on in Madison over offers from St. Joseph’s, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, Drake, Wofford and Northern Kentucky.
Filed to: 2014-2015 Big Ten preview