The Big Ten tournament tips off Thursday, with the league’s top five teams angling for good seedings in the NCAA tournament, Wisconsin hoping to win enough simply to get in, and the rest of the league dreaming of winning four games in four days. It’s that time of year.
Tribune staff writers Andrew Bagnato, Neil Milbert, Skip Myslenski and Gary Reinmuth size up the teams (in order of conference seedings).
1. Ohio State
RECORD: 22-5 overall, 13-3 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Michael Redd is the Buckeye’s leading scorer (17.2 ppg). But their leader is point guard Scoonie Penn, a wise senior who can feel the tempo of a game and then orchestrate his team’s attack to fit it. Like the best of his breed, he makes those around him better, and he’ll take (and make) the big shot.
SEASON STORY: Much was expected of the Buckeyes off their Final Four appearance last spring, but they were unimpressive early while losing to Notre Dame and Kansas and beating only nondescript opponents.Then coach Jim O’Brien dropped George Reese from the starting lineup and anointed him the sixth man. The senior forward and the Buckeyes blossomed.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: They have a terrific defense anchored by center Ken Johnson, who averages better than five blocks a game. They have terrific guards in Penn and Redd, who will be invaluable in a tournament often dominated by backcourts. All of which means the Buckeyes have a good chance to duplicate their run of a year ago and return to the Final Four.
2. Michigan State
RECORD: 23-7 overall, 13-3 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Forward Morris Peterson was the coaches’ pick as Big Ten Player of the Year. He is fourth in the Big Ten rebounding (7.4 per game) and fifth in scoring (17.2 points per game). Because he runs the floor and shoots three-pointers so well, Peterson puts unusual pressure on opposing frontcourts.
SEASON STORY:The Spartans overcame Mateen Cleaves’ foot injury and a December loss to Wright State to roll to their third straight regular-season Big Ten championship. Cleaves is healthy and more confident than ever. With Cleaves in command, the Spartans can pound teams inside with Peterson and Andre Hutson or cut them up from the perimeter with Peterson and A.J. Granger.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: A year ago State nearly blew its Big Ten tournament opener to Northwestern. Paying attention this weekend might be a challenge for a team with plans to return to the Final Four. But a shot at a No. 1 seed-and a chance to play in the Midwest Regional finals in friendly Auburn Hills, Mich.-ought to be enough to motivate the Spartans.
3. Purdue
RECORD: 21-8 overall, 12-4 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Senior forward Brian Cardinal is not only the Boilermakers’ leading scorer (14.2 ppg) and rebounder (6.4 per game), he is also their heart and soul, a passionate player who stokes the fires in all those around him.
SEASON STORY: The Boilermakers lost their Big Ten opener to Michigan, which raised questions. But their senior-dominated lineup proved its worth by rebounding from that shocker and playing steadily through the rest of the schedule. Only a loss at Indiana in their regular-season finale kept the Boilermakers from sharing the conference title.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: Purdue coach Gene Keady, who concedes nothing to no one, would surely say the national title. Realistically this team is not talented enough for that, but its experience should serve it well. Purdue is talented enough to make the NCAA’s round of 16.
4. Illinois
RECORD: 19-8, 11-5 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Sophomore guard Cory Bradford has been the closest thing the Illini have to a go-to guy. Bradford struggled with his outside shot most of the season and is still below 40 percent (.375), but with 26 points against Indiana and 20 against Northwestern he appears to be back in sync.
SEASON STORY: Lack of senior leadership hurt, but the Illini bounced back from three straight last-possession losses to Wisconsin, Purdue and Michigan in early January to finish fourth in the Big Ten-just about where they were expected to finish. Depth, talent and an easy road schedule helped Illinois win 10 of its last 12.
More Top Picks Best Electric Standing Desks Under 500
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: The Big Ten tournament could be the key to No. 25 Illinois’ NCAA placement. Best bet: a No. 5 seed, but they could move higher with a good run. A No.6 seed isn’t out of the question if the Illini lose badly to Indiana.
5. Indiana
RECORD: 20-7, 10-6 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Co-Big Ten Player of the Year A.J. Guyton led the league in scoring (20.5 ppg) and three-point shooting (.434). His 34-point effort keyed critical overtime win over Michigan State that prevented the Spartans from winning the title outright.
SEASON STORY: The Hoosiers opened with 12 wins in 13 games, beating Temple, Kentucky and North Carolina. But they wobbled to the regular-season finish line, falling at Michigan State, Purdue, Minnesota and Illinois and Sunday at Wisconsin. Big wins at home over MSU and Purdue stopped the bleeding.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: Big Ten tournament matchup with Illinois will probably determine where the Hoosiers are seeded in the NCAA field.
6. Wisconsin
RECORD: 16-12 overall, 8-8 in the Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: The Big Ten tournament opener seems to bring out the best in junior forward Maurice Linton, normally not a high-profile player. As a freshman, the 6-foot-8-inch Thornwood High graduate had 12 points and five rebounds and hit the game-winning basket with 3.7 seconds to play against Penn State. In last year’s victory over Iowa he had six points, five assists and four rebounds.
SEASON STORY: This is a typical Dick Bennett team, a team without a big star. The Badgers have a balanced attack and they are giving up only 56 points per game, ranking first in the conference and fourth in the country. Forward Mark Vershaw is the scoring leader with a humble 11.9 average, and guard Mike Kelley led the Big Ten in steals. After a 1-4 start in conference play, the Badgers finished strong-Sunday’s victory over Indiana was their third straight.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: Two wins in the Big Ten tournament should send the Badgers back to the NCAA tournament.
7. Iowa
RECORD: 13-15 overall, 6-10 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Dean Oliver, averaging 13.5 points and 4.2 assists, is the Hawkeye who most often makes things happen. He can shoot and he can make plays.
SEASON STORY: The Hawkeyes’ schedule was rated the strongest in the country. At times they had difficulty adjusting from the full-court pressure defense, fast-break offense and mass substitutions of former coach Tom Davis; new coach Steve Alford favors a more conventional approach. Iowa is capable of turning into a giant-killer-the Hawkeyes’ victims include defending national champion Connecticut, conference co-champion Ohio State and perennially powerful Kansas.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: If the Hawkeyes were to win three games and advance to the title game, as unsung Illinois did last year, they’d have a hereafter in the National Invitational Tournament.
8. Michigan
RECORD: 15-12 overall, 6-10 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Forward LaVell Blanchard led the Wolverines in scoring (14.7 points per game) and rebounding (8.1 per game) and is their best player with Jamal Crawford out of the lineup. Blanchard was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year this week. But his 3-for-17 performance from the floor at Michigan State last weekend suggests he can’t carry a poor team.
SEASON STORY: When Michigan swept Purdue and Illinois early in the Big Ten season, it looked as if the Wolverines might make some noise. But the only sound they made was a thud when Crawford was suspended for accepting gifts from a Seattle businessman in high school.Michigan lost nine of its last 12 games and finished seventh in the league.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: Michigan is coming off a 114-63 loss at Michigan State, the worst loss in school history, and is headed for the NIT. Coach Brian Ellerbe was assigned university staffers to “monitor” player interviews with the media. Having figured out a way to cover reporters, Ellerbe needs to move on to opposing shooters.
9. Penn State
RECORD: 13-14 overall, 5-11 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Since he played for one of the conference’s weaker teams, forward Jarrett Stephens was not much recognized, but he put together a terrific season, averaging a team best 18.7 points and 11.2 rebounds. “In my mind he deserves to be first-team all-conference,” Ohio State coach Jim O’Brien said.
SEASON STORY: The Nittany Lions opened with six straight wins, which raised hopes. But losses to Villanova and Temple exposed them as not quite good enough to stay with the big boys; during the Big Ten season they failed to beat a first-division team.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: Only a miraculous run in the Big Ten tournament will send the Nittany Lions into the postseason, and that is unlikely.
10. Minnesota
RECORD: 12-14 overall, 4-12 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: It was 7-foot center Joel Przybilla, before he quit the team when coach Dan Monson suspended him for failing to attend class. Sophomore forward Dusty Rychart averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds as the Gophers’ fill-in leader.
SEASON STORY: A surprising 8-1 start followed by a leveling-off period followed by a nightmare. John-Blair Bickertstaff was lost for the season when he suffered a broken leg in the Gophers’ 77-75 upset of Indiana on Feb. 9. Przybilla left the team the day before the Feb. 17 Illinois game, and the Gophers lost their last five games.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: None. Minnesota’s administration declared the Gophers ineligible for postseason play in the wake of an academic fraud scandal that led to coach Clem Haskins’ departure.
11. Northwestern
More Top Picks Best Lawn Mowers
RECORD: 5-24, 0-16 in Big Ten.
KEY PERFORMER: Steve Lepore, a sophomore forward whose specialty is three-point shooting, had an outstanding conference tournament last year. He contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds in an opening-round victory over Penn State and had 11 points, five rebounds and nine assists when the Wildcats lost to Michigan State 61-59 in the quarterfinals.
SEASON STORY: This might be the worst team in Northwestern history. Blame inexperience-freshmen and sophomores have played 99.97 percent of the minutes, making the Wildcats the nation’s youngest team. Freshman guard Ben Johnson is the scoring leader with an 11.7 average.
POSTSEASON AMBITIONS: Not this year. Coach Kevin O’Neill’s master plan calls for NU to show significant improvement next season and develop into NCAA Tournament material by 2002.