The 2023-24 guide to Big Ten men's basketball
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A referee during the Big Ten Tournament last year. Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 2023-24 men's college basketball season is already underway, but the fun is just beginning.
- Big Ten conference play starts this week and several schools are vying to dethrone Purdue for this year's title.
Here's a quick breakdown of all the Big Ten squads, written by Axios Local staff across the Midwest and beyond.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Coach Brad Underwood's squad is built for March Madness, Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann writes.
Context: The team returns several starters, including Terrence Shannon, who snagged first-team All-Big Ten honors last year.
- All eyes are on sophomore Ty Rodgers, who will run the point this season. Forward Coleman Hawkins also returns.
Of note: Underwood has taken his teams to three straight NCAA Tournaments.
Yes, but: They've never made it past the second round.
Indiana Hoosiers
It feels like every year a cloud of optimism hangs over IU men's basketball, writes Axios' Lindsey Erdody.
- This will be the year.
Yes, but: It's never "the year" — IU hasn't survived beyond the Sweet Sixteen since 2002 — and if the beginning of this season is any indication, this isn't "the year" either.
State of play: Coach Mike Woodson returns for his third season with a lot of new faces on the team. Star Trayce Jackson-Davis is gone, but Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway return.
- In the first two games of this season, three-point shooting was bad and turnovers were high.
My prediction: The season will be the typical roller coaster that Hoosier fans are used to riding — some unexpected, thrilling wins mixed with some disappointing, frustrating losses, all making it impossible to know until the end whether the team is going dancing.
Iowa Hawkeyes
For the first time in years, Iowa enters this season without a National Player of the Year candidate or obvious future NBA talent, writes Axios' Everett Cook.
- Gone are stars like Luka Garza and the Murray brothers and in are a few interesting transfers and relative unknowns.
Driving the news: This might end up being a transition year for longtime head coach Fran McCaffery. The Hawkeyes were picked No. 9 in the Big Ten preseason media poll and didn't have a player receive more than four votes for first or second team All-Big Ten.
What we're watching: Iowa brought in two small-school forwards from the transfer portal, Even Brauns and Ben Krikke, and have a returning backcourt of Payton Sandfort and Tony Perkins.
- All four should be solid players — but can one of them develop into a star this season and help Iowa outperform expectations?
Maryland Terrapins
The Terrapins return with head coach Kevin Willard after his first season netted a 22-13 overall record, writes Axios D.C.'s Cuneyt Dil.
What we're watching: The squad is bullish on its freshmen class, including area natives DeShawn Harris-Smith, Jamie Kaiser and Jahnathan Lamothe. Willard also landed 7-foot big man Braden Pierce from Georgia.
Michigan Wolverines
Not much is expected from a young Wolverines team after Jett Howard and Kobe Bufkin left for the NBA, writes Axios Detroit's Joe Guillen.
- A return to March Madness — U of M missed the tournament last season for the first time since 2015 — would likely make this season a success.
Michigan State Spartans
Coach Tom Izzo had preseason dreams of a second national championship, but the Spartans stumbled out of the gate by losing their season opener to little-known James Madison, writes Axios' Joe Guillen.
What we're watching: Veteran guards A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins must step up for MSU to reach its potential.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Gophers are coming off a last-place finish in the Big Ten last year and are predicted to finish in the cellar again this year, writes Axios Twin Cities' Nick Halter.
Player to watch: Dawson Garcia. The junior big man was picked to the preseason All-Big Ten team.
- Beyond him, the roster is dicey.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
It's the fifth year for head coach Fred Hoiberg and the Cornhuskers are hoping this one counts, Axios' Justin Kaufmann writes.
Context: Last season, Nebraska had some moments, finishing .500 overall and 9-11 in conference.
Yes, but: They lose three of their top scorers, including Derrick Walker.
What we're watching: Keisei Tominaga's return as a high-energy scorer. He proved last season that he is one of the best guards in the Big Ten and could make a leap.
Northwestern Wildcats
The experienced Wildcats return to Big Ten play with a chip on their shoulder, Axios' Justin Kaufmann writes.
Context: Northwestern finished tied for second in the conference last season and lost a close second-round NCAA Tournament game to UCLA.
- They also return most of their starters, including star guard Boo Buie.
Yes, but: That wasn't enough to get a nod in the preseason AP Top 25 rankings.
The bottom line: The 'Cats are a confident bunch and look to wreak havoc in the Big Ten once again, hoping to return to the NCAA Tournament with back-to-back bids for the first time in school history.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes hope to rebound from last year's 16-19 finish that saw the team's worst conference record since Michael Jordan still played for the Bulls, writes Axios Columbus' Tyler Buchanan.
Player to watch: Jamison Battle, a fifth-year senior transfer from Minnesota, brings experience and a sweet name to a starting lineup full of sophomores.
Penn State Nittany Lions
It was exit stage left for the Nittany Lions after last season's second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Texas, writes Axios Philly's Isaac Avilucea.
Flashback: Former head coach Micah Shrewsberry left for Notre Dame, and several players graduated or entered the transfer portal.
- New head coach Mike Rhoades brought in nine transfers, including guards Ace Baldwin Jr. and Nick Kern Jr., who followed Rhoades from VCU.
What we're watching: The Nittany Lions, led by top scorer Kanye Clary, are off to a strong start but are still expected to finish in the bottom tier of the "top-heavy" Big Ten.
Purdue Boilermakers
The Boilermakers won the Big Ten regular season and tournament last year and seemed poised for a deep Final Four run before being upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Fairleigh Dickinson, writes Axios' Lindsey Erdody.
State of play: Purdue starts this year near the top of the AP rankings — and will likely stay there, thanks to 7-foot-4 National Player of the Year Zach Edey deciding to return for his fourth season.
The intrigue: Early predictions suggest the team will again be a Final Four contender, but Purdue will have to overcome an unfortunate streak — the Boilermakers have lost to lower-seeded teams for three years straight in the NCAA Tournament.
My prediction: Purdue will dominate the Big Ten, but March Madness will continue to be a gamble.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a mediocre season where they missed the NCAA Tournament and lost in the first round of the NIT, Axios' Justin Kaufmann writes.
- To make matters worse, the team lost two starters to the transfer portal this offseason.
Zoom in: Still, Rutgers returns Clifford Omoruyi, who averaged a double double last year. They also bring in point guard Noah Fernandes from UMass, who averaged over 13 points per game.
Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers are looking to rebound from an uncharacteristic losing season, where they finished 11th in the Big Ten, Axios' Justin Kaufmann writes.
Context: Greg Gard's team was actually 11-4 against nonconference opponents, but were trounced in the Big Ten, finishing with a 9-11 record.
Yes, but: The perennial favorites are returning most of their starters and added AJ Storr, who transferred from St. John's.
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