Early look at next year
If we keep all our main guys and are healthy I can see us anywhere from1-6. I do not agree about Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa being as good as we are.
** I will not rate Michigan St. likely looses Bridges and Jackson. Could be in lots of trouble though with the fraud investigation. Doesn't have a great recruiting class either.
1. Ohio St. returns Jackson, Diop, and Wesson.
2. Nebraska should be good if Palmer returns joining Copeland, Watson, and Roby.
3. Maryland is young and has the best recruiting class in big ten.
4. Michigan will be good if Wagner returns. Plenty of guards and wings.
5. Mn with Murphy, Coffey, Wash, McBrayer, Curry and a very solid recruiting class.
6. Penn St returns Carr, Stevens, and Watkins.
7. '18 worst Wisconsin team in a decade; Happ is great, Davidson and Reuvers will be improved.
8. Purdue loses 4 senior starters. Carsen has to carry this team.
9. Indiana returns Morgan and DeRon but loses its backcourt.
10. Disappointing Northwestern loses backcourt of McIntosh and Lindsey. Has Victor Law.
11. Iowa had as bad of a year as we did with no injuries! No defense.
12. Rutgers returning Sanders, Baker and some other youngsters.
13.Illinois need to prove something to consider them anything but cannon fodder.
Top 4?
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin. On paper, all teams I'd expect to be at least as good as the Gophers, and/or over-perform relative to their talent level. I think 8th to 10th not yet knowing which players will leave for the NBA excluding the obvious ones (Bates-Diop, Bridges, Jackson Jr.) would be a fair placement of the Gophers heading into 2018-19.