GBMWolverine: Michigan Basketball -- Big Ten — Should be Big

Posted at 6:00am — 1/16/2011

GBMWolverine: Michigan Basketball — Big Ten — Should be Big — The Final Four — Preview — Part I

Final Installment The Upper Crust of Big Ten Basketball

Editor’s note: Football and hockey have rightfully taken preference in recent articles. Today, finally, the predictions for the top four are released, albeit a little after the season started. Since then, these predictions were turned a little upside down, but as everything has gone through the first cycle results seem to be regressing toward the mean and the standings are settling in to expectations. What has arrived early on is the realization that even the lowest of the Big Ten brethren have fangs lethal enough to inflict harm on the unsuspecting and uncaring. GBMWolverine sticks with the final assumption at the end of the original article that the teams with the most talent and mental toughness will rise to the top. And to us that still appears to be Ohio State and Michigan State.

The final basketball review consists of short summaries of Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State.

Purdue is picked fourth and there may be little difference between the Boilers and the teams picked 5th through 8th in the cement mixer, a brutal group that needs to be on the mark to rise to 9-9 in league standings. The difference between Purdue and the others may be mental toughness and defensive consistency.

Purdue is not going to scare the Kentucky’s or North Carolina’s on a daily basis, but is still a team that will have good moments.

Purdue lost several of the league’s best players last year, but gets a small dispensation with the return of the often injured but talented Robbie Hummel. The often-injured senior is again putting up points for the Boilermakers and is a lesson in perseverance. He is what the college experience is about. Hummel’s rebounding and leadership also serve Purdue’s team well. Robbie is hitting the three-pointers at a good clip.

Senior guard Ryne Smith, from Toledo Whitmer, is providing good scoring and perhaps the best pure shooting on the Purdue team. His turnover number has been very low. The third cog to Purdue’s offense is point guard Lewis Jackson, another senior. His shooting from outside has lacked the numbers needed to be a real weapon, but he can stir the offense and get it on the move.

The sophomores/redshirt freshmen are contributing enough to be an asset to the team. These players include Anthony Johnson, Terone Johnson, and Kelsey Barlow.

Wisconsin also lost several important players from last year’s impressive team, and the 2011-2012 version make take time to gel. But odds are the team will gel. The primary problem will be replacing the scoring and athleticism of the departees. The band-aid until the Badgers get going is toughness and defense. If those two qualities fade, then the Badgers are in a little bit of trouble. The bet here is that Coach Bo Ryan would gladly take 12 league wins, and settle for 11 wins, and advance to the tournament. Wisconsin will rely on the recent home-court advantage, and a slip here will put the Badgers squarely in the 5-8 cement mixer and eliminate Wisconsin’s league championship run.
Wisconsin has the luxury of being led by senior Jordan Taylor, who will hit in double figures again. The question goes like this: can Jordan carry this Wisconsin team night after night in the Big Ten with less inside support this season?

The best chance of inside support is 6’ 10” red-shirt junior Jared Berggren and combo player Ryan Evans. Both should average in double digits and pull in enough rebounds to keep the Badger offense in the fray. Ben Brust is settling in at the second guard and adds another potential double-digit scorer.

Wisconsin has enjoyed a good turnover ratio so far this season, but the shooting has been problematical. No matter how hard a team plays and how effective it may be on defense, eventually a top team must score points. The question will be how much improvement the Wisconsin offense achieves this year. If the offense comes around “ugly” basketball will once again become a swan. If not, Shrek may temporarily take refuge in Madison.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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