Top Pick in the Big Ten: Perdue

The Big Ten always comes with some excellent basketball teams, and this year should be no exception. However, while teams like Indiana, Michigan State and Michigan have been traditional basketball powerhouses, Perdue recently was voted to be the top team in the Big Ten in the coaches’ preseason poll. Perdue was followed by Michigan State and Wisconsin, all of which made the Tournament last year. Perdue returns all five of their starters from a team that won 25 games last year. Michigan State was an Elite Eight team last season, and Wisconsin won 30 games last year, in addition to making the Sweet Sixteen.

One of the most compelling story lines in the Big Ten is Indiana, a program that has gone a complete 180 in recent months. The Hoosiers are still reeling from the aftermath of Kelvin Sampson’s disastrous coaching stint. New sideline pacer Tom Crean has gutted out the rotten innards and is starting with almost a “Crean” slate, but the road to the top is going to be a tough one. The immediate future at Indiana might not be very promising, but if Crean gets a few years to work on bringing in talent (the legal way), an maybe if a fiery old coach named Bob Knight comes back as an assistant or special consultant, the Hoosiers could be the crown jewel of the Big Ten once again.

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