Big Ten Basketball 2011-12: The Best Player on Each Team in the Conference

The Big Ten may be coming off one of its worst NCAA tournament showings ever, but there’s plenty of reason for optimism entering 2011-12. Foremost among them is an Ohio State team that returns most of its key players after finishing 34-3.

The Buckeyes are led by last season’s national Freshman of the Year, power forward Jared Sullinger.  A surefire lottery pick whenever he finishes his career in Columbus, Sullinger will be one of the country’s best post players next season.

Sullinger though is far from the only star on offer in the Big Ten next year. Read on for a look at the conference’s top talent from every program.

Illinois: Brandon Paul

Graduation and the draft have gutted the Illini roster—of the seven players who averaged more than 10 minutes a game last season, five are gone. One of the two holdovers is multitalented guard Brandon Paul.

A 6’4” rising junior, Paul is the leading returnee in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Unless little-used center Meyers Leonard suddenly blossoms (unlikely in this physical conference), Paul will have a tall task trying to keep Illinois competitive next season.

Indiana: Christian Watford

It’s hard to find anything good to say about the Hoosiers’ 3-15 conference record last year, but Christian Watford’s performance does provide some hope for the future. The 6’8” power forward led the team in scoring (16 points per game) and rebounding (5.4 boards a night) in 2010-11.

The arrival of ballyhooed freshman Cody Zeller—brother of UNC star Tyler—will give defenses another post presence to worry about next year. With less pressure on him to carry the entire team, expect Watford to thrive in 2011-12.

Iowa: Bryce Cartwright

Iowa’s struggles kept him from getting the press of conference rivals Demetri McCamey and Darius Morris, but Bryce Cartwright was one of the country’s most effective point guards in 2010-11.

Cartwright leads all returning Big 10 players in assists, having averaged 5.9 a game last season.

Cartwright, who has had some issues with his shot, will need to improve on his 10.9 points per game if the Hawkeyes are going to turn last year’s 11-20 record around. Even if his team can’t hang with the Big Ten’s leaders, though, Cartwright himself will be right there with the conference’s best players.

Michigan: Tim Hardaway Jr.

Tim Hardaway Jr.’s freshman year at Michigan went a long way toward moving him out of the shadow of his famous father. The younger Hardaway is bigger and more physical than his dad, and is set to become the Wolverines’ on-court leader next season.

Hardaway averaged 13.9 points a game while playing alongside star point guard Darius Morris in 2010-11. He’ll likely need to do more playmaking with Morris gone, but don’t expect it to hurt his scoring average in his sophomore campaign.

Michigan State: Draymond Green

A welcome bright spot in a disappointing season for the Spartans, Draymond Green will get his chance to carry the team in 2011-12. The 6’7” forward is the team’s returning leader in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

With Green and Delvon Roe, Michigan State should return to their usual rebounding excellence next season. If they want to return to their usual lofty position in the standings, though, they’ll need another monster year out of Green.

Minnesota: Trevor Mbakwe

The star of the U.S. team at this summer’s World University Games, Trevor Mbakwe is ready for his close-up in Big 10 play. Even in a conference that’s perennially one of the most physical in the country, Mbakwe will be one of the strongest players and best athletes.

The 6’8” power forward averaged 13.9 points and 10.5 boards last season, his first in a Gophers’ uniform. He has an outside chance to push Jared Sullinger for Big 10 Player of the Year honors.

Nebraska: Jorge Brian Diaz

The Cornhuskers enter the Big 10 in a rebuilding mode in basketball, as they look to replace star senior Lance Jeter, who led the team in scoring and assists last season. Fortunately for them, one major piece to build around is already in place in the form of redshirt junior Jorge Brian Diaz.

The 6’11” center was second on the team in scoring with 10.5 points a game last season, while also serving as the team’s only shot-blocking threat (1.2 per contest).

If the Huskers want to reprise their spoiler role from last year’s Big 12, though, they’ll need Diaz to improve on his disappointing 4.4 rebounds per game.

Northwestern: John Shurna

Northwestern’s leading scorer each of the past two seasons, John Shurna will have plenty of chances to make history next season. With another strong year in 2011-12, Shurna could finish with a school record for career points.

Of course, the history Shurna would prefer to make is to erase Northwestern’s regrettable streak as the only power-conference team never to play in the NCAA tournament, and he’ll have his work cut out for him.

Still, after back-to-back 20-win seasons, opponents would do well to take the Wildcats seriously.

Ohio State: Jared Sullinger

One of the early favorites for national Player of the Year honors, Jared Sullinger might be the best power forward to wear an Ohio State uniform since Jerry Lucas.

As a freshman in 2010-11, he averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds a game while leading the Buckeyes to a No. 1 seed (and a two-point Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky).

With most of Ohio State’s top players returning, a Final Four trip is a reasonable target. If Sullinger can lead this year’s squad to the school’s first national title in half a century—and it’s not out of the question—he’ll be a hero in Columbus on par with, well, Jerry Lucas.

Penn State: Tim Frazier

Scoring star Talor Battle is gone, and as the Nittany Lions rebuild, his backcourt mate will be the man in the spotlight. Rising junior Tim Frazier averaged 5.1 assists a game in 2010-11, and his leadership will be key to weathering Penn State’s many losses.

With coach Ed DeChellis also gone, Frazier’s role as floor general will be more important than ever. He may not put up the same kind of numbers he did with Battle on the court, but he’ll be the most important player the Nittany Lions have next season.

Purdue: Robbie Hummel

Finally recovered from the ACL tear that cost him all of last season, Robbie Hummel is looking to pick up where he left off.

In 2009-10, the bruising power forward averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 boards a game despite sharing the spotlight with JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore.

With those two stars off to the NBA, Hummel will be the main man in West Lafayette next season. Even in a conference packed with talented big men, expect him to put up some impressive numbers in his college swan song.

Wisconsin: Jordan Taylor

Jon Leuer may be NBA-bound, but the Badgers’ offense will soldier on without him. One of the nation’s top point guards, rising senior Jordan Taylor, will make sure of that.

Taylor is a terrific scorer in his own right—his 18.1 points a game were only half a point shy of Leuer’s team high—but it’s his ability as a distributor that sets him apart.

He posted an astonishing assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.8 in 2010-11, and while anyone would be hard-pressed to match that performance, Taylor should continue to fill up stat sheets next season.