It sure would be nice if Rodney Williams could actually live up to the hype this year.
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The Big Ten has long been known as college basketball’s blue-collar league, a grind-it-out conference defined by menacing defense, low scores, grit and determination. There’s no reason to believe that won’t be the case again in 2011-12.
Jared Sullinger passed on the NBA draft to return to Ohio State.
Yes, the latest edition of the Big Ten should feature a tad more star power than what we’ve seen in the recent past. Jared Sullinger and Jordan Taylor are both being hailed as probable preseason All-Americans. Tim Hardaway Jr. has the game to go along with his name. And, seriously, who doesn’t love Robbie Hummel?
Outside of Ohio State and Wisconsin, most league teams are either beginning or are in the midst of a rebuilding phase, so the conference may experience a down year overall. But again, from an individual player standpoint, the Big Ten should be entertaining.
Here are the conference’s 10 best players entering the season.
F Jared Sullinger, Ohio State, sophomore – The 6-foot-9, 280-pound Sullinger would’ve been an NBA lottery pick after averaging 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds as a freshman. But the brother of former Buckeyes standout J.J. Sullinger is determined to win an NCAA title, so he returned to school for at least one more season.
G Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin, senior – Taylor received second- and third-team All-American honors from various publications after averaging 18.1 points as a junior. Even more impressive is that he ranked among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio. Taylor averaged 4.7 assists and just 1.1 turnovers.
F Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota, junior – One of the country’s more underrated players averaged 13.9 points and 10.5 rebounds a year ago. He’ll need to post even better numbers this season to get the Gophers into the NCAA tournament. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mbakwe is considered an NBA prospect.
G William Buford, Ohio State, senior – Buford shot 44 percent from 3-point range during a junior season in which he averaged 14.4 points. He’s got an NBA frame at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. He and Aaron Craft should form one of the country’s top backcourts in 2011-12.
G Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan, sophomore – The son of the former Miami Heat star ranked second on the team in scoring last season with 13.9 points a game – not bad for a freshman. With Darius Morris turning pro, the onus will be on Hardaway Jr. to keep the Wolverines in the upper half of the Big Ten standings.
F Draymond Green, Michigan State, senior – Green was one of the few bright spots for a Spartans club that finished 19-15 last season. He averaged 12.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds but shot just 42 percent from the field. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Green will need to assume more of a leadership role on a youthful Michigan State squad.
F John Shurna, Northwestern, senior – The 6-foot-8 small forward has averaged 18.2 and 16.6 points the last two seasons. He shot 43.4 percent from 3-point range – an impressive clip considering he attempted 173 shots from beyond the arc. Shurna is hoping to lead Northwestern to its first NCAA tournament appearance in school history.
F Robbie Hummel, Purdue, senior – Hummel missed last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, but he averaged double figures in scoring the previous three years. Purdue needs the 6-foot-8 Hummel – who is also a solid rebounder – to be 100 percent to contend in the Big Ten.
F Christian Watford, Indiana, junior – Watford was one of the few consistent players for a Hoosiers squad that finished 3-15 in the Big Ten last season. He averaged a team-high 16 points a game while shooting 84 percent from the foul stripe. The addition of touted freshman Cody Zeller should help take pressure off of Watford down low.
F Rodney Williams, Minnesota, junior – Gophers coach Tubby Smith is hoping this is the year the freakishly athletic Williams explodes. The 6-foot-7 Williams averaged 6.8 points in 24 minutes as a sophomore. He’s definitely on the radar of numerous NBA scouts.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basket...YF?slug=jn-king_top_10_players_big_ten_081010
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The Big Ten has long been known as college basketball’s blue-collar league, a grind-it-out conference defined by menacing defense, low scores, grit and determination. There’s no reason to believe that won’t be the case again in 2011-12.
Jared Sullinger passed on the NBA draft to return to Ohio State.
Yes, the latest edition of the Big Ten should feature a tad more star power than what we’ve seen in the recent past. Jared Sullinger and Jordan Taylor are both being hailed as probable preseason All-Americans. Tim Hardaway Jr. has the game to go along with his name. And, seriously, who doesn’t love Robbie Hummel?
Outside of Ohio State and Wisconsin, most league teams are either beginning or are in the midst of a rebuilding phase, so the conference may experience a down year overall. But again, from an individual player standpoint, the Big Ten should be entertaining.
Here are the conference’s 10 best players entering the season.
F Jared Sullinger, Ohio State, sophomore – The 6-foot-9, 280-pound Sullinger would’ve been an NBA lottery pick after averaging 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds as a freshman. But the brother of former Buckeyes standout J.J. Sullinger is determined to win an NCAA title, so he returned to school for at least one more season.
G Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin, senior – Taylor received second- and third-team All-American honors from various publications after averaging 18.1 points as a junior. Even more impressive is that he ranked among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio. Taylor averaged 4.7 assists and just 1.1 turnovers.
F Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota, junior – One of the country’s more underrated players averaged 13.9 points and 10.5 rebounds a year ago. He’ll need to post even better numbers this season to get the Gophers into the NCAA tournament. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Mbakwe is considered an NBA prospect.
G William Buford, Ohio State, senior – Buford shot 44 percent from 3-point range during a junior season in which he averaged 14.4 points. He’s got an NBA frame at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. He and Aaron Craft should form one of the country’s top backcourts in 2011-12.
G Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan, sophomore – The son of the former Miami Heat star ranked second on the team in scoring last season with 13.9 points a game – not bad for a freshman. With Darius Morris turning pro, the onus will be on Hardaway Jr. to keep the Wolverines in the upper half of the Big Ten standings.
F Draymond Green, Michigan State, senior – Green was one of the few bright spots for a Spartans club that finished 19-15 last season. He averaged 12.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds but shot just 42 percent from the field. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Green will need to assume more of a leadership role on a youthful Michigan State squad.
F John Shurna, Northwestern, senior – The 6-foot-8 small forward has averaged 18.2 and 16.6 points the last two seasons. He shot 43.4 percent from 3-point range – an impressive clip considering he attempted 173 shots from beyond the arc. Shurna is hoping to lead Northwestern to its first NCAA tournament appearance in school history.
F Robbie Hummel, Purdue, senior – Hummel missed last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, but he averaged double figures in scoring the previous three years. Purdue needs the 6-foot-8 Hummel – who is also a solid rebounder – to be 100 percent to contend in the Big Ten.
F Christian Watford, Indiana, junior – Watford was one of the few consistent players for a Hoosiers squad that finished 3-15 in the Big Ten last season. He averaged a team-high 16 points a game while shooting 84 percent from the foul stripe. The addition of touted freshman Cody Zeller should help take pressure off of Watford down low.
F Rodney Williams, Minnesota, junior – Gophers coach Tubby Smith is hoping this is the year the freakishly athletic Williams explodes. The 6-foot-7 Williams averaged 6.8 points in 24 minutes as a sophomore. He’s definitely on the radar of numerous NBA scouts.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basket...YF?slug=jn-king_top_10_players_big_ten_081010