CHICAGO — Massive Ten Media Days offers a golden alternative to pepper the who’s who concerning the urgent points in faculty athletics. Non-public fairness in faculty sports activities? NCAA Match growth? The 5-in-5 eligibility snafu? Switch portal guidelines? Income sharing? It was all mentioned advert nauseam.
Misplaced within the sauce is perhaps … the hoops.
“Can I hit you with an precise basketball query?” I requested Thursday.
“Yeah,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo says with fun. “Hell of a principle!”
This is what we gleaned.
Michigan State’s SG competitors is a three-man race
Jeremy Fears Jr. is Michigan State’s place to begin guard, and Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper will kind an intimidating, bodily frontline trio. But it surely’s a three-man race for the final beginning spot between veteran Samford switch Trey Fort, returning sophomore Kur Teng and rising freshman Jordan Scott.
“That is the one lacking hyperlink proper now,” Izzo stated. “That two-guard is fairly essential each offensively and defensively. It’ll be our greatest query mark.”
Fort entered preseason as the favourite for the gig. He is a high-volume sniper from downtown who thrives in transition — lengthy a staple of Izzo Ball — and he is already 24 years previous. Defensively, although, is a serious work in progress and was one of many causes he fell out of the rotation the final time he was at a high-major program (Mississippi State in 2023-24).
“It is, uh, getting there,” Izzo stated. “However his offense is there.”
Teng and Scott is perhaps younger, however they’re itching for an opportunity. Teng’s taking pictures stroke is legit, and he is had a full offseason to grasp this method and stand up to hurry. He will play. Michigan State appears poised to try to get Scott on the ground much more now that prized FAU switch Kaleb Glenn will miss your entire season with a devastating torn patellar. Scott, who ranked simply outdoors the top-50 within the Class of 2025, is all of 6-foot-7 with oodles of taking pictures and playmaking in his bag. His time is coming, perhaps ahead of Michigan State even initially anticipated.
Newest on the Muss Bus at USC
Massive Ten foes shot a horrifying 70% on the rim towards USC final season. That rated within the third percentile nationally, per CBB Analytics, and it proved to be an unbelievable hurdle for a Trojan membership that completed 5-17 towards top-100 groups final season.
Eric Musselman went all-in on addressing that in free company and early returns have been optimistic. Auburn switch Chad Baker-Mazara and Robert Morris switch Amarion Dickerson have buffed up USC’s wing protection. Ezra Ausar, Jacob Cofie and Gabe Dynes are three extra transfers who ought to assist USC’s inside protection rework from a foul unit into a superb one.
“Our lack of rim safety final 12 months was, you recognize, I do not know what phrase to make use of,” Musselman stated. “However we’re lots totally different, you recognize, blocking photographs on the wing place. We’re lots totally different blocking photographs on the energy ahead spot after which on the heart spot, clearly, with Gabe Dynes’ means to change photographs. We now have a lot totally different size than we had final 12 months.”
Musselman has lengthy coveted positional measurement, however do not be stunned if 5-foot-11 level guard Jordan Marsh will get loads of burn. Earlier than five-star Alijah Arenas suffered a knee damage (he can be re-evaluated in January), Musselman had visions of Arenas working the present at level guard and USC having the tallest beginning lineup in faculty basketball with 6-foot-5 Rodney Rice being the shortest participant on the ground. Now, he is pressured to pivot and Marsh, a UNC Asheville switch, has shined.
“Jordan is perhaps the most important shock that we have had,” Musselman stated. “We’ll want him to play a big minutes. He alters the tempo of the sport for us. He can rating on the level guard place. He is been an actual, actual nice shock for us.”
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Damage opens the door for Washington’s Hannes Steinbach
Washington ahead Jacob Ognacevic will miss “about three months” with a foot damage, per UW coach Danny Sprinkle. Translation? Extra minutes are on the best way for prized German freshman Hannes Steinbach, who has even earned some first-round buzz after a powerful exhibiting on this summer season’s FIBA U19 World Cup.
“He’s an excellent participant,” Sprinkle stated. “There’s occasions the place you are still adjusting and being a freshman, too. We now have to let him develop at his personal tempo. I do not need undue expectations on him. Like, he has expectations for himself, however I do not assume everyone telling him he is a first-rounder getting drafted. Like, that is not honest, and I’ve informed him that, I simply want him to be Hannes as a result of being Hannes is nice sufficient, and it may assist our staff be one of the best we could be.”
Wisconsin’s John Blackwell a bootyball menace
Offensive guru Kirk Penney selected to depart the Wisconsin workers to spend extra time along with his household in New Zealand, however the Badgers haven’t any plans on slowing down offensively after constructing back-to-back top-20 offenses for the primary time within the Greg Gard period. Over 48% of Wisconsin’s photographs final 12 months had been 3-pointers, however star junior guard John Blackwell hinted that the quantity could be even greater in 2025-26. Wisconsin’s entrance line of Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp might mix for 10+ makes an attempt from past the arc each evening, and each guard within the Badgers’ rotation (Blackwell, Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde, Jack Janicki and Braeden Carrington) is a harmful taking pictures menace.
However you’ll be able to’t ignore the paint. With floor-stretching huge males getting loads of tick, do not be stunned to see the Badgers attempt to invert the ground with Blackwell as a bootyball menace. John Tonje was an elite post-up hub final 12 months, and Blackwell plans to observe swimsuit.
“I like post-ups,” Blackwell stated. “I do not care how tall you’re. I like posting guards or bigs up. It is only a means I can add to my sport, as a result of clearly, you recognize, guys examine my sport now, and I am on the high of the reviews. You have to add totally different layers to your sport. I can confidently say I’m among the finest back-to-the-basket guards within the nation.”
UCLA’s offense was effective (thirty seventh nationally, fifth in Massive Ten play) final 12 months, regardless of score within the first percentile nationally in photographs on the rim, per CBB Analytics. That is going to alter dramatically with star New Mexico switch Donovan Dent within the fold.
“That is one of many issues I really feel like this staff has been lots higher at is getting the paint,” UCLA senior guard Skyy Clark stated. “Even when it isn’t for a shot, simply drawing the protection and kicking out for a 3. We have grown lots within the space, and Donovan being there was very useful.”
Ohio State freshman turning heads
There aren’t fairly as many freshmen sensations within the Massive Ten this 12 months after Dylan Harper, Derik Queen, Ace Bailey, Kasparas Jakucionis, Jase Richardson and Will Riley all grew to become first-round picks. This iteration of Massive Ten basketball is grizzled and filled with stud veterans, and there are solely a handful of true freshmen anticipated to be rotation gamers on one of the best rosters.
However keep watch over Ohio State freshman A’mare Bynum, who has an actual path to a serious function for the Buckeyes. Ohio State wants extra defensive thump and physicality, and Bynum has each in spades. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound ahead is competing with Wright State switch Brandon Noel for minutes on the 4.
“A’mare is a particular younger man, and he’ll be a particular participant,” Ohio State coach Jake Diebler stated. “We’re anticipating him being actually impactful for us. He is obtained a pair issues going for him. He is obtained elite maturity. He desires to be coached, and I believe the opposite factor is, he is obtained the bodily instruments to be impactful. I imply, he is obtained some actual physicality to him as a freshman, and the consistency at which he operates and retains coming again and asking for extra work. It has been spectacular. I believe he’ll be prepared to assist us from Day One once we begin video games.”
Wealthy Janzaruk/Herald-Instances
Dusty Could intrigued by three-big lineup
Michigan coach Dusty Could is a tinkerer, by means of and thru. No lineup mixture is off the desk. Michigan loaded up within the switch portal, touchdown three of one of the best obtainable frontcourt items: Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara. Do not be stunned if Could tries to play all three of them collectively in his quest to dominate the paint on each ends of the ground. Lendeborg’s versatility ties all of it collectively, plus he is clearly going to shoot far more treys on this scheme.
“I assumed earlier than we signed Yax that it might be a tall process and that we would have to essentially match some issues collectively,” Could informed CBS Sports activities. “After teaching Yax this summer season and fall, he is a guard. He is performed some level guard duties. He is guarded level guards. He truly guards level guards higher than he does 5 males, in my view. He is obtained an actual distinctive talent set, and he likes to cross and he overpasses. Normally, that helps with chemistry.”
It isn’t a coincidence that each Could and Florida‘s Todd Golden — two of probably the most analytically-tilting head coaches — are experimenting with getting as a lot expert measurement onto the ground as bodily doable. The reigning champion Gators are primed to begin Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu collectively. If the Basketball Gods reward us a Michigan-Florida tilt in March, Could can have his personal model of a three-big lineup able to roll.
Minnesota was picked sixteenth within the Massive Ten’s preseason media ballot, which is a special neck of the woods for brand spanking new coach Niko Medved, who led Colorado State to the NCAAs in three of the previous 4 seasons.
Medved must revive UNC switch Cade Tyson if Minnesota desires to smell a Massive Dance look in 12 months 1. Tyson was a stud at Belmont and a complete no-show at North Carolina. On paper, Tyson-to-Minnesota appears like a switch portal match made in heaven, however can it come collectively?
He works,” Medved stated. “He actually cares. He is an elite shooter. Match issues. To not say he could not slot in at North Carolina or something, however I am hopeful that his function right here, what we’ll ask him to do, even the type of play that we now have, goes to place him in positions the place he can actually play to his strengths.
“Up to now, I’ve seen that this summer season. He is that man you take a look at, and you are like, ‘What place is Cade?’ I do not know, however he could make photographs. rating across the basket, he is obtained much more pop athletically than folks assume, and he is obtained a toughness and competitiveness about him. Had he not gone within the switch portal, I imply, he may need been Participant of the 12 months within the Missouri Valley. We’re actually enthusiastic about Cade.”
NCAA rule giving gamers a fifth 12 months of eligibility will not be authorised in time to assist present seniors
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Information & notes
- Purdue, who was the no-brainer decide to win the league, appears prefer it has the whole lot it wants within the cooker to compete for one of the best offense within the nation. Do not overlook All-American hopeful Trey Kaufman-Renn‘s transition to the 4 and the way totally different Purdue’s 5-man tandem of Daniel Jacobsen and Oscar Cluff is. Jacobsen is extra of a pick-and-pop menace, whereas Cluff is that prototypical low-post, bulldozing scorer. A few of Kaufman-Renn’s scorching spots can be totally different relying on which heart is on the ground. “Our scheme could also be a little bit bit totally different, however we’re nonetheless going to strive a number of the identical actions,” Kaufman-Renn stated. “However they each have distinctive talent units and do various things.” The nice factor for Purdue is that Matt Painter is aware of what he is doing, and Braden Smith is one of the best level guard in America. Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg gushed about Smith at each alternative and dubbed him, ‘one of the best pocket passer I’ve ever seen.”
- Talking of the Huskers, Hoiberg has collected critical frontcourt depth. A wholesome Rienk Mast is the massive man on campus, however Nebraska has Berke Buyuktuncel, Ugnius Jarusevicius, Leo Curtis and Jared Garcia. who can sop up minutes. Nebraska’s defensive schemes restrict paint touches in addition to anyone within the Massive Ten, and with this cavalry of bigs, that ought to be sticky in 2025-26.
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Illinois‘ presumed beginning lineup of Mihailo Petrovic, Kylan Boswell, Andrej Stojakovic, Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic nonetheless has not gotten actual preseason reps collectively. That is an Illinois squad that appears to be among the finest within the league, however the lack of cohesion is a trigger for concern. Petrovic obtained on campus proper earlier than the autumn semester began and nonetheless has not been cleared by the NCAA. Stojakovic suffered a knee sprain. Ivisic missed Massive Ten Media Days on account of a tonsillectomy and can be sidelined for a couple of weeks.
“I have never seen ’em all collectively,” Underwood stated, by way of Illini Inquirer’s Jeremy Werner. “I like this staff. I like our measurement, I like our versatility. I believe that my questions come up as a result of I have never seen Andrej Stojakovic with Mihailo and the 2 bigs collectively. There’s a number of issues I have never seen but. I like what we now have the power to be, particularly offensively. We’re extra gifted offensively than we had been a 12 months in the past. Defensively, we obtained to proceed to develop. I believe that is at all times the slowest and the toughest factor to develop. However I do like our measurement. I do like our means to guard the rim. However we’re making an attempt to win a nationwide championship each time we begin a season, and that is our normal. No totally different this 12 months.”
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New Iowa coach Ben McCollum has no plans of making an attempt to get star level guard Bennett Stirtz extra relaxation and is making an attempt to develop a number of secondary choices (like Isaia Howard) who can play on the ball and provides Stirtz extra alternatives to work as an off-ball weapon. “(Stirtz) is nice on and off the ball, simply is determined by what we’d like that sport,” McCollum stated. “And he offers him a relaxation, if you’ll, to the place he would not should convey it up perhaps one possession, as a result of the 30 seconds that I give him a break for typically is not sufficient.” Stirtz, who performed 39.4 minutes per sport final 12 months, would be the Massive Ten’s Iron Man in 2025-26.