1. Penn State: The Nittany Lions have already grabbed the attention of the national media with their 12th place ranking in the AP preseason poll. With four returning starters, Penn State will have one of the most experienced teams in the Big Ten. That, along with six other returning letter winners, will give them a huge depth advatage off the bench. The Nittany Lions will be led by junior point guard Alex Bentley, the coaches’ and media’s prediction for Big Ten player of the year.
2. Purdue: Besides Penn State, the 17th ranked Boilermakers were the only other team to crack the Top 25 in the AP preseason poll. With all five starters returning, Purdue is the only team that can claim an experience advantage over Penn State. Expect the Boilermakers to get of to a strong start in non-conference play because of their familiarity with one another.
3. Iowa: Not only is Iowa returning four starters, they also have the strongest freshmen class in the Big Ten, and according to ESPN, the 11th best in the nation. The Hawkeyes lost one of the best point guards in the Big Ten last year in Kachine Alexander, but freshman Samantha Logic is good enough to fill that role. She is the tenth ranked freshmen recruit and will most definitely be a threat right away.
4. Michigan State: The Spartans won the Big Ten tournament last year but lost four starters, making a repeat fairly unlikely. Head coach Suzy Merchant has been able to create a consistently competitive team, however; if the Spartans have no issues with a new roster, they should stay near the top of the Big Ten rankings.
5. Ohio State: The Buckeyes have created one of the most dominant basketball teams in the country but maintaining that status will be difficult with the loss of one of the best centers in the country, Jantel Lavender. On the bright side, the Buckeyes have one of the most loyal fan bases in the country, giving them a huge home court advantage.
6. Michigan: The Wolverines lost their top scorer Veronica Hicks but they return their other four starters. Head coach Kevin Borseth said at Big Ten Media Day he is not worried about the losing Hicks, because his team is not star-driven. This team should go above .500 in Big Ten play, but they will have difficulties competing with the likes of Penn State or Purdue.
7. Northwestern: Amy Jaeschke is gone, but the Wildcats landed the 14th best recruiting class in the country, according to ESPN. Freshmen guard Morgan Jones is a McDonald’s All-American and will contribute right away, while senior forward Brittany Orban and junior guard Kendall Hackney will be the leaders on the court. The ‘Cats have a lot of potential to pull off upsets against top teams but they have had problems in the past with consistency.
8. Illinois: Although they had a 2-14 record in the Big Ten, the Illini found their way to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament last year. The confidence from that strong finish and the fact that they are returning all five starters means they have potential to go .500 or better in conference play.
9. Minnesota: Coming off of a 12-18 record last year, the Gophers do not have a ton of major personell changes; thus, it could be another long season for head coach Pam Borton. But one personnel change, incoming freshman Rachel Banham, might be able to change that. She was ranked as the fifth-best point guard recruit by ESPN and has been compared to Lindsay Whalen, one of Minnesota’s most best all-time players.
10. Wisconsin: The Badgers finished above .500 last year with a 16-15 record, but with the loss of three starters and a new coach coming in, this looks to be more of a rebuilding year. The Badgers won’t have much experience on the floor, either. Only one returning starter is a senior and the team has four new freshmen.
11. Nebraska: In their first year in the Big Ten, the Cornhuskers may be in for a rude awakening. Last year, the Huskers only won three conference games. The Big 12 arguably has a stronger conference with powerhouses like Baylor and Texas, but the Big Ten is a much more physical conference and may cause trouble with Nebraska’s style of play.
12. Indiana: The Hoosiers won three conference games last year and most signs seem to signal little improvement. This young team will struggle to compete with the size and experience of a Penn State or Purdue and they lack the star power necessary to pull off upsets.