A final look at who’s coming and going in the Big Ten
With the start of the fall semester underway on several Big Ten campuses, it’s time for our final look at who’s coming and going in the Big Ten for the 2016-2017 season. (Note: In most instances, only scholarship players are included.)
Illinois (15-19, 12th place tie)
· Returning: Malcolm Hill, Aaron Jordan, Tracy Abrams (granted medical hardship waiver), D.J. Williams, Jalen Coleman-Lands, Leron Black (suspended for six games), Jaylon Tate, Maverick Morgan, Michael Finke, Mike Thorne (granted medical hardship waiver), Alex Austin, Kipper Nichols (Tulane transfer becomes eligible)
· Arriving: Te’Jon Lucas
· Departing: Kendrick Nunn (dismissed), Khalid Lewis (graduation), Mike LaTulip (transfer)
Notes: John Groce has the piece in place to put a better team on the floor, but how much better? The loss of Nunn was significant, but hardship waivers for Abrams and Thorne will help with experience.
Indiana (27-8, Big Ten champion, NCAA Sweet Sixteen)
· Returning: Thomas Bryant, James Blackmon Jr., Robert Johnson, OG Anunoby, Juwan Morgan, Collin Hartman, Josh Newkirk (Pittsburgh transfer becomes eligible), Tim Priller
· Arriving: De’Ron Davis (247Composite top 100), Curtis Jones (247Composite top 100), Devonte Green, Grant Gelon, Freddie McSwain
· Departing: Yogi Ferrell (graduation), Max Bielfeldt (graduation), Nick Zeisloft (graduation), Ryan Burton (graduation), Harrison Niego (transfer), Troy Williams (NBA early entry)
Notes: Indiana has its full roster on campus now after Davis and McSwain missed the summer finishing up academic requirements. This could be the deepest frontcourt rotation Tom Crean has ever in Bloomington.
Iowa (22-11, 3rd place tie, NCAA tournament round of 32)
· Returning: Peter Jok, Ahmad Wagner, Nicolas Baer, Dom Uhl, Brady Ellingson, Christian Williams, Isaiah Moss, Dale Jones
· Arriving: Tyler Cook (247Composite top 100), Cordell Pemsl, Ryan Kriener, Jordan Bohannon, Maishe Dailey
· Departing: Brandon Hutton (transfer), Andrew Fleming (transfer), Jarrod Uthoff (graduation), Mike Gesell (graduation), Anthony Clemmons (graduation), Adam Woodbury (graduation)
Notes: Iowa lost a ton of experience from a group that looked like it might win the league in early February. Jok will be one of the Big Ten’s best players, but who will step up to replace the four starters that graduated?
Maryland (27-9, 3rd place tie, NCAA Sweet Sixteen)
· Returning: Melo Trimble, Jared Nickens, Dion Wiley, Jaylen Brantley, Michael Cekovsky, Damonte Dodd, Ivan Bender
· Arriving: Micah Thomas, Anthony Cowan (247Composite top 100), Kevin Huerter (247Composite top 100), L.G. Gill (graduate transfer from Duquesne), Justin Jackson (247Composite top 100), Joshua Tomaic
· Departing: Jake Layman (graduation), Varun Rum (graduation), Rasheed Sulaimon (graduation), Diamond Stone (NBA early entry), Robert Carter (NBA early entry)
Notes: The Terps added two recruits late in Jackson and Tomaic and with a favorable league schedule, could be a sleeper to contend for the Big Ten title.
Michigan (23-13, 8th place, NCAA tournament round of 64)
· Returning: Derrick Walton, Zak Irvin, Mark Donnal, Duncan Robinson, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, Moritz Wagner, D.J. Wilson
· Arriving: Xavier Simpson (247Composite top 100), Jon Teske, Ibi Watson, Austin Davis
· Departing: Caris LeVert (graduation), Aubrey Dawkins (transfer), Ricky Doyle (transfer), Spike Albrecht (transfer), Kameron Chatman (transfer)
Notes: Michigan lost four players to transfer, including Albrecht to Purdue. The good news for John Beilein is that he returns one of the league’s better perimeter units with Walton, Irvin, Robinson and Abdur-Rahkman.
Michigan State (29-6, 2nd place, NCAA tournament round of 64)
· Returning: Eron Harris, Matt McQuaid, Gavin Schilling, Alvin Ellis, Lourawls Nairn, Kenny Goins, Kyle Ahrens
· Arriving: Miles Bridges (247Composite top 100), Cassius Winston (247Composite top 100), Josh Langford (247Composite top 100), Nick Ward (247Composite top 100), Ben Carter (graduate transfer from UNLV)
· Departing: Denzel Valentine (graduation), Bryn Forbes (graduation), Matt Costello (graduation), Colby Wollenman (graduation), Javon Bess (transfer), Marvin Clark Jr. (transfer), Deyonta Davis (NBA early entry)
Notes: The Spartans welcome the Big Ten’s best recruiting class and also have some experience on the roster with guys like Harris, Schilling and Carter, a grad transfer from UNLV.
Minnesota (8-23, 13th place)
· Returning: Nate Mason, Jordan Murphy, Dupree McBryer, Ahmad Gilbert, Bakary Konate, Stephon Sharp, Gaston Diedhiou, Davonte Fitzgerald (Texas A&M transfer becomes eligible), Reggie Lynch (Illinois State transfer becomes eligible)
· Arriving: Amir Coffey (247Composite top 100), Eric Curry, Michael Hurt, Akeem Springs (graduate transfer from Milwaukee)
· Departing: Joey King (graduation), Kevin Dorsey (transfer), Carlos Morris (dismissed/graduation), Charles Buggs (transfer)
Notes: It appears that Lynch will play this season after some legal issues in the offseason and his addition, along with Coffey and Fitzgerald, should provide a much needed infusion of talent.
Nebraska (16-18, 11th place)
· Returning: Tai Webster, Glynn Watson, Jack McVeigh, Ed Morrow, Nick Fuller, Michael Jacobson, Anton Gill (Louisville transfer becomes eligible), Malcolm Laws
· Arriving: Isaiah Roby, Jeriah Horne, Jordy Tshimanga, James Palmer (Miami transfer, must sit out), Evan Taylor
· Departing: Shavon Shields (graduation), Jake Hammond (transfer), Johnny Trueblood (transfer), Benny Parker (graduation), Bakari Evelyn (transfer), Andrew White (transfer)
Notes: The Huskers lost White in June after it appeared he would return to Lincoln for his final season. He’ll play his senior season at Syracuse, which leaves Nebraska with a huge hole to fill on the perimeter.
Northwestern (20-12, 9th place)
· Returning: Bryant McIntosh, Nathan Taphorn, Scottie Lindsey, Vic Law, Dererk Pardon, Gavin Skelly, Jordan Ash, Sanjay Lumpkin, Aaron Falzon
· Arriving: Rapolas Ivanauskas, Barret Benson, Isiah Brown
· Departing: Alex Olah (graduation), Tre Demps (graduation), Joey Van Zegeren (graduation), Johnnie Vassar (transfer)
Notes: Northwestern loses Olah and Demps, but returns a solid nucleus that includes McIntosh and Law, who sat out last season with a shoulder injury.
Ohio State (21-14, 7th place, NIT second round)
· Returning: Keita Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate, Kam Williams, JaQuan Lyle, Marc Loving, David Bell, Trevor Thompson
· Arriving: Derek Funderburk (247Composite top 100), Micah Potter, Andre Wesson, C.J. Jackson
· Departing: A.J. Harris (transfer), Daniel Giddens (transfer), Mickey Mitchell (transfer), Austin Grandstaff (transfer)
Notes: Ohio State had a ton of turnover as four of its five freshman transferred. However, the Buckeyes do return most of their core and if they can develop some depth, this group should improve on last season’s finish.
Penn State (16-16, 10th place)
· Returning: Shep Garner, Josh Reaves, Payton Banks, Isaiah Washington, Julian Moore, Deividas Zemgulis, Mike Watkins, Terrence Samuel (Connecticut transfer becomes eligible)
· Arriving: Tony Carr (247Composite top 100), Lamar Stevens (247Composite top 100), Nazeer Bostick, Joe Hampton, Satchel Pierce (Virginia Tech transfer, must sit out)
· Departing: Brandon Taylor (graduation), Donovan Jack (graduation), Devin Foster (graduation), Jordan Dickerson (graduation)
Notes: This should be the most talented group Pat Chambers has put on the court in State College with a pair of top 100 recruits arriving in Carr and Stevens to pair with Garner, one of the league’s better guards.
Purdue (26-9, 3rd place tie, NCAA tournament round of 64)
· Returning: Isaac Haas, Vincent Edwards, Caleb Swanigan, Dakota Mathias, Ryan Cline, P.J. Thompson, Jacquil Taylor, Basil Smotherman
· Arriving: Carsen Edwards, Spike Albrecht (graduate transfer from Michigan)
· Departing: A.J. Hammons (graduation), Rapheal Davis (graduation), Grant Weatherford (transfer), Kendall Stephens (transfer), Johnny Hill (graduation)
Notes: Purdue will have one of the nation’s best frontcourts, but can they get reliable point guard play out of Thompson, Edwards and Albrecht? If so, the Boilermakers will be dangerous.
Rutgers (7-25, 14th place)
· Returning: Corey Sanders, Mike Williams, Deshawn Freeman, Jonathan Laurent, Ibrahima Diallo, Shaquille Dorson, Nigel Johnson (Kansas State transfer becomes eligible)
· Arriving: Issa Thiam, Matt Bullock, Candido Sa, Eugene Omoruyi
· Departing: Bishop Daniels (graduation), Jalen Hyde (graduation), Omari Grier (graduation), Greg Lewis (graduation), D.J. Foreman (transfer), Justin Goode (transfer)
Notes: Steve Pikiell has a long road to make Rutgers competitive, but the program is in better hands now than the sinking ship that was the Eddie Jordan era.
Wisconsin (22-13, 3rd place tie, NCAA Sweet Sixteen)
· Returning: Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig, Ethan Happ, Zak Showalter, Vitto Brown, Brevin Pritzl, Charlie Thomas, Jordan Hill, Alex Illikainen, Khalil Iverson, Andy Van Vliet
· Arriving: Aleem Ford, D’Mitrik Trice
· Departing: Riley Dearring (transfer), Jordan Smith (graduation)
Notes: The Badgers return every notable player from a group that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last season. With a full offseason under Greg Gard, Wisconsin may enter the season as the Big Ten favorite.
(Photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)
Filed to: 2016-2017 Big Ten preview