Big Ten Men’s Basketball Preseason Rankings: Illinois Leads a Deep League

After the conference crashed out in March again, the pressure is on to go beyond its regular season success.

As part of its 2022–23 men’s basketball preseason coverage, Sports Illustrated is rolling out previews for each of the top 10 conferences. Next up is the Big Ten.

The 2021–22 season followed an all-too-familiar script for the Big Ten, sending nine teams to the NCAA tournament but failing to get a single one to the Final Four. The league’s national title drought continues for another year. Jim Boeheim’s comments about the Big Ten having “sucked” in the Big Dance may be a bit inflammatory, but at some point the league needs to make moves in March to back up its regular season successes.

Is this the year for that March breakthrough? There’s certainly plenty of star power (especially up front), but on paper the league’s strength appears to be more in its depth rather than its top-tier teams. Still, this should again be perhaps the most competitive top-to-bottom conference in men’s college hoops.

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SI’s picks for …

Player of the Year: Hunter Dickinson, Michigan

Newcomer of the Year: Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois

Dark-Horse Team: Purdue

First-team all-conference:

Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois
Kris Murray, Iowa
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Zach Edey, Purdue

SI’s predicted order of finish:

1. Illinois

The Fighting Illini no longer have a dominant force on the interior like Kofi Cockburn, but might be even more dangerous with the roster they’ve assembled. This year’s iteration of Illinois will be far more positionless and versatile, with a skilled forward in Coleman Hawkins getting significant time at center and pulling opposing bigs away from the rim alongside a group of long, athletic wings. Transfers Terrence Shannon Jr. and Matthew Mayer have a chance to thrive in this type of system, with Shannon in particular earning rave reviews thus far after struggling with injuries at Texas Tech. Plus, young wings Ty Rodgers and RJ Melendez should be extremely impactful, especially on defense. A lot is on the plate of freshman point guard Skyy Clark to run the team, but this group is really talented top-to-bottom.

Postseason Projection: Second Weekend Upside

The Hoosiers are seeking their first conference title since 2016 :: Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports

2. Indiana

The hype train has already taken off in Bloomington ahead of Mike Woodson’s second season, which features key returners like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Xavier Johnson and a talented freshman class. Johnson’s late-season emergence keyed the Hoosiers’ trip to the NCAA tournament, averaging nearly 17 points and seven assists in the final 10 games of the season after struggling at times early. He’ll also have help in the backcourt this year with the addition of highly-touted freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino and a potential sophomore jump from Tamar Bates. If this team gets high-level guard play to complement Jackson-Davis up front, Indiana has a very real chance of winning the Big Ten.

Postseason Projection: Second Weekend Upside

3. Michigan

Having Hunter Dickinson back for a third season in Ann Arbor is as good a starting point for a roster as any in men’s college basketball. While the Wolverines underachieved most of last season before a surprise Sweet 16 appearance, the issues weren’t Dickinson’s fault, and the outstanding center is one of the nation’s 10 best players this season. The hope is that the pieces around Dickinson fit in a bit better than they did a season ago. Playing fewer minutes with two true bigs on the floor should help spacing, and excitement is high about freshmen Dug McDaniel and Jett Howard. Coach Juwan Howard was particularly effusive in his praise of McDaniel at last week’s media days, saying the diminutive point guard would earn immediate minutes—potentially even in small lineups next to another PG in Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn.

Postseason Projection: Second Weekend Upside

4. Iowa

Kris Murray isn’t the same player as his twin brother Keegan, and that’s okay! Kris was excellent in his own right last season and seems ready to explode in 2022–23. The 6'8" do-it-all forward presents all sorts of matchup problems for opposing teams thanks to his ability to score inside and out, and he’ll be the centerpiece of the Hawkeyes offense this season. Tony Perkins and Patrick McCaffery also seem primed for growth, with Perkins in particular finishing last season strong with his ability to play either guard spot. Iowa has demons to exorcise in March, but we can count on it being elite on offense. Murray may end up being the league’s best NBA prospect.

Postseason Projection: Safe to Dance

5. Ohio State

The Buckeyes have struggled defensively the past two seasons, but this year’s roster is built for major improvements on that end of the floor. Oklahoma State transfer Isaac Likekele is one of the most impactful defenders in the sport, a switchable piece capable of guarding positions one through four and occasionally even centers. Justice Sueing, back to full health after missing most of last season with a hernia injury, is also an elite defender and should be a focal point offensively. The Buckeyes might need some help on offense from youngsters Brice Sensabaugh, Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr., but the upside with this group is high.

Postseason Projection: Safe to Dance

6. Purdue

There may not be a harder player to guard in college basketball than Zach Edey, the 7'4" behemoth who is now the unquestioned alpha of this Purdue team with Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams off to the pros. But Matt Painter is open about the fact that this iteration of the Boilermakers doesn’t have an Ivey or Carsen Edwards–type player who can create his own shot at will. So will Purdue get steady enough guard play (especially at the point) to contend at the top of the Big Ten? Freshman Braden Smith is the only true floor general on the roster, though a veteran like Ethan Morton could also see some ballhandling responsibilities.

Postseason Projection: Safe to Dance

7. Michigan State

Tom Izzo nixed the transfer portal this spring and is instead betting on internal improvement to ensure the Spartans’ spot in the 2023 NCAA tournament. A few strong bets for breakouts: Tyson Walker, the skilled combo guard who showed flashes in his first season in East Lansing after transferring in from Northeastern, and Jaden Akins, a versatile guard who Izzo is extremely high on. The center spot is a bit of a question mark: Michigan State could play smaller with Joey Hauser at the pivot spot, but freshman Jaxon Kohler and unproven veteran Mady Sissoko will have to play big minutes.

Postseason Projection: Safe to Dance

8. Rutgers

Pulling off last season’s midyear turnaround and bringing the Scarlet Knights to a second straight NCAA tournament was even more proof of just how good a coach Steve Pikiell is. Can Rutgers now make it three straight trips? It’ll need more scoring from veteran glue guys Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell, though that duo should get support from gifted transfer scorer Cam Spencer (Loyola-Maryland). Another jump offensively is also in store from hulking center Clifford Omoruyi, one of the most physically impressive players in the conference who is capable of dominating at the rim on both ends of the floor.

Postseason Projection: On the Bubble

With Davis gone at Wisconsin, more responsibilities will fall on Hepburn (pictured) :: Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports

9. Wisconsin

The Badgers coming out of nowhere to win last season’s Big Ten title makes picking Wisconsin this low somewhat uncomfortable, but replacing Johnny Davis may be the hardest task any Big Ten team faced this offseason. We can expect a sophomore jump from point guard Chucky Hepburn, though he’s not the shotmaker Davis was. And while power forward Tyler Wahl is perhaps the league’s most underrated player, frontcourt depth beyond him and starting center Steven Crowl is lacking. Plus, this team really needs multiple guys to step up on the wing, though Wofford transfer Max Klesmit’s shooting ability and toughness has earned rave reviews this fall.

Postseason Projection: On the Bubble

10. Maryland

New coach Kevin Willard inherited three starting-caliber pieces in Hakim Hart, Donta Scott and Julian Reese, then bolstered the backcourt with a pair of local products transferring home in guards Jahmir Young (Charlotte) and Don Carey (Georgetown). That’s the makings of a strong, relatively balanced starting five for Willard, a group with NCAA tournament upside should Young’s skill set translate in the Big Ten. The depth here isn’t great, especially up front. But getting Maryland to the Big Dance doesn’t seem like an unrealistic expectation in Year 1 for the former Seton Hall coach.

Postseason Projection: On the Bubble

11. Penn State

Micah Shrewsberry’s squad showed promise in his first year at the helm in Happy Valley, and there’s optimism that this group could make an incremental jump this season. Veterans Jalen Pickett, Myles Dread and Seth Lundy are tough shotmakers, and they get some help in the backcourt with accomplished transfers Andrew Funk (Bucknell) and Camren Wynter (Drexel). That quintet of guards is the backbone of a Penn State team that could play in March, but the frontcourt is where major concerns lie: Freshman Kebba Njie may need to start right away at center, and that’s quite the challenge against the likes of Edey, Dickinson and Jackson-Davis in this league.

Postseason Projection: NIT Bound

12. Minnesota

For the second straight year, Ben Johnson and the Gophers have lost two potential starters to season-ending injuries before the ball is tipped. Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen were expected to be major factors in the rotation, and without them Johnson will be heavily reliant on young players who aren’t super highly-touted to play right away. However, Minnesota does have what could be the best duo in the league in returning wing Jamison Battle (17.5 ppg) and transfer Dawson Garcia, a high-upside big who struggled at North Carolina but starred as a freshman at Marquette. The Battle/Garcia duo will keep this team in games, but we’ll see if enough young role players can step up around them to get over the finish line.

Postseason Projection: Better Luck Next Year

13. Northwestern

Northwestern has now finished under .500 in five straight seasons since going to the NCAA tournament in 2017. The Wildcats didn’t feel that far off from being in the postseason mix a season ago, but a 5–12 record in games decided by single digits did them in and put Chris Collins onto the hot seat heading into 2022–23. This group will rely heavily on its veteran backcourt, headlined by senior point guard Boo Buie, who at his best is one of the top floor generals in the conference. But consistency from Buie and Chase Audige is a must, especially with a rough-looking frontcourt thanks to the early departures of Pete Nance (North Carolina) and Ryan Young (Duke).

Postseason Projection: Better Luck Next Year

14. Nebraska

Fred Hoiberg had his most talented roster yet at Nebraska last season, but that didn’t translate to the win column. In three years, Hoiberg has now accounted for all three 20-loss seasons in program history. Will this year be any different? The Huskers are excited about their size and physicality, which should help them match up better in this rough-and-tumble league. Transfers Sam Griesel (a 6'7" point guard from North Dakota State), Emmanuel Bandoumel (SMU) and Juwan Gary (Alabama) all help physically, along with returning starting center Derrick Walker. A lot is on Griesel’s plate offensively to make this team go, but the Huskers have a chance to be significantly improved on defense.

Postseason Projection: Better Luck Next Year

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