Jarde Sullinger

Conference play in college basketball starts in earnest for several conferences this week, and perhaps no contender in a BCS league is as unlikely a contender as Indiana. The Hoosiers are 12-0 with an impressive win over Kentucky on the resume, along with respectable wins against Butler, N.C. State and Notre Dame. Whether you’re a doubter or a believer in Tom Crean’s resurgent program in Bloomington, you won’t have to wait long for answers as to how they’ll fare in the Big Ten. They open up with games at Michigan State on Wednesday and then on New Year’s Eve against Ohio State.

The key to Indiana’s turnaround is the arrival of freshman center Cory Zeller, and there’s two solid swingman in Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey to score and hit the boards. Christian Watford is a big man who can step outside and hit the three—he nailed the game-winner against Kentucky—and Jordan Hulls is a respectable floor leader. There’s no obvious weak point on this team, and the Hoosiers are as good a choice as any to emerge out of a crowded middle class to challenge Ohio State, the #2 team in the country and clear conference frontrunner.

Ohio State is built around sophomore standout Jared Sullinger at power forward, who can score in the post and facing the basket, and is one of the best players in the nation. Thad Matta has to be pleased with the play of fellow forward DeShaun Thomas who’s done a good job in going to the glass and providing some scoring help. Aaron Craft has ably handled his promotion from reliable sixth man to regular point guard and William Buford loosens up defenses. Ohio State has wins over Florida and Duke to their credit.

Here’s a brief look at how the rest of the conference shapes up…

THE REST OF THE MIDDLE CLASS

All of these teams have the expectation of making the NCAA Tournament, and all are credible picks to be ahead of Indiana in the race for top challenger to Ohio State…

*Wisconsin: Jordan Taylor’s is the league’s best guard, even if his December shooting has been off. Bo Ryan has found a reliable post player in Jared Berrgen and is getting consistent rebounding from Josh Gasser, Mike Brusewitz and Ryan Evans. When you add in the emergence of Ben Brust as Taylor’s running mate, you’ve got all the makings of another well-coached Wisconsin basketball team that survives on the road and is murder at home.

*Michigan State: Tom Izzo always gets his teams to rebound and this year is no different. Draymond Green’s production, both scoring and on the boards was expected. Izzo found him some help with the efforts of Branden Dawson, Adreian Page and Derrick Nix, and there’s a steady hand in the backcourt with Keith Appling. The Spartans have a great opportunity on Wednesday against Indiana to communicate that no changing of the guard is at hand.

*Illinois: Bruce Weber gets a lot of heat, but he’s got a good team coming together in Champaign. Meyers Leonard is solid at center, while Brandon Paul runs the show and D.J. Richardson provides scoring from the two-guard spot. Paul needs to shoot better, particularly from the foul line or Illinois will lose enough close games to break fans’ hearts.

*Michigan: John Belein has a well-balanced backcourt with Trey Burke distributing and Tim Hardaway Jr. scoring. Evan Smotrycz, a 6’9” sophomore has steadied the post, although he could use a little more help if the Wolverines are going to elevate to the top of this group.

THE DARK HORSES

*This is supposed to be Northwestern’s year to finally make the NCAA Tournament and it’s  still too early to tell. Wins over Tulsa, Seton Hall and Georgia Tech don’t reveal much more than that the Wildcats aren’t terrible. Losses to Baylor and Creighton are no embarrassment. The upside is that John Shurna is finally rebounding to go along with his scoring. The downside is that no adequate replacement for Michael Thompson at the point has really stepped it up.

*Purdue’s rebuilding, as losses to Alabama and Butler attest, but with a developing backcourt of Ryne Smith and Jackson Lewis to go with a healthy Robbie Hummel, don’t sleep on Matt Painter’s team. Most major conferences have a team that really finds its form around late January and surges to the bubble of the Big Dance. The well-coached Boilers are a strong candidate to do that here.

*Honorable mention as a dark horse goes to Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are another well-coached team with Tubby Smith, but the season-ending knee injury to power forward Trevor Mbkawe, easily the team’s best player is going to make 2012 a long tough road for Tubby.

BRINGING UP THE REAR

*Nebraska isn’t going dancing come March, but with a solid senior point guard in Bo Spence, who can both score and dish, the Cornhuskers can make any individual matchup interesting, especially at home. They need more rebounding from Jorge-Brian Diaz if they’re going to translate “interesting” into wins.

*Say this for Penn State—they might not be deep, but they’ve started churning out some of the best all-around guards in the conference. After four years of the dynamic Talor Battle, the league’s best player over his tenure, it’s now Tim Frazier who scores, dishes and also rebounds, even at 6’1”. He’ll make the Lions entertaining, but there’s no supporting cast.

*Iowa has some respectable wing players with Matt Gatens and Roy Devyn Marble—the latter the son of the explosive small forward who was vital to Iowa’s 1987 push to within a basket of the Final Four and a decent rebounder in Melsahn Basabe, but there’s no depth and no floor leader, meaning a lot of losses are ahead.

Conference play in college basketball starts in earnest for several conferences this week, and perhaps no contender in a BCS league is as unlikely a contender as Indiana. The Hoosiers are 12-0 with an impressive win over Kentucky on the resume, along with respectable wins against Butler, N.C. State and Notre Dame. Whether you’re a doubter or a believer in Tom Crean’s resurgent program in Bloomington, you won’t have to wait long for answers as to how they’ll fare in the Big Ten. They open up with games at Michigan State on Wednesday and then on New Year’s Eve against Ohio State.

The key to Indiana’s turnaround is the arrival of freshman center Cory Zeller, and there’s two solid swingman in Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey to score and hit the boards. Christian Watford is a big man who can step outside and hit the three—he nailed the game-winner against Kentucky—and Jordan Hulls is a respectable floor leader. There’s no obvious weak point on this team, and the Hoosiers are as good a choice as any to emerge out of a crowded middle class to challenge Ohio State, the #2 team in the country and clear conference frontrunner.

Ohio State is built around sophomore standout Jared Sullinger at power forward, who can score in the post and facing the basket, and is one of the best players in the nation. Thad Matta has to be pleased with the play of fellow forward DeShaun Thomas who’s done a good job in going to the glass and providing some scoring help. Aaron Craft has ably handled his promotion from reliable sixth man to regular point guard and William Buford loosens up defenses. Ohio State has wins over Florida and Duke to their credit.

Here’s a brief look at how the rest of the conference shapes up…

THE REST OF THE MIDDLE CLASS

All of these teams have the expectation of making the NCAA Tournament, and all are credible picks to be ahead of Indiana in the race for top challenger to Ohio State…

*Wisconsin: Jordan Taylor’s is the league’s best guard, even if his December shooting has been off. Bo Ryan has found a reliable post player in Jared Berrgen and is getting consistent rebounding from Josh Gasser, Mike Brusewitz and Ryan Evans. When you add in the emergence of Ben Brust as Taylor’s running mate, you’ve got all the makings of another well-coached Wisconsin basketball team that survives on the road and is murder at home.

*Michigan State: Tom Izzo always gets his teams to rebound and this year is no different. Draymond Green’s production, both scoring and on the boards was expected. Izzo found him some help with the efforts of Branden Dawson, Adreian Page and Derrick Nix, and there’s a steady hand in the backcourt with Keith Appling. The Spartans have a great opportunity on Wednesday against Indiana to communicate that no changing of the guard is at hand.

*Illinois: Bruce Weber gets a lot of heat, but he’s got a good team coming together in Champaign. Meyers Leonard is solid at center, while Brandon Paul runs the show and D.J. Richardson provides scoring from the two-guard spot. Paul needs to shoot better, particularly from the foul line or Illinois will lose enough close games to break fans’ hearts.

*Michigan: John Belein has a well-balanced backcourt with Trey Burke distributing and Tim Hardaway Jr. scoring. Evan Smotrycz, a 6’9” sophomore has steadied the post, although he could use a little more help if the Wolverines are going to elevate to the top of this group.

THE DARK HORSES

*This is supposed to be Northwestern’s year to finally make the NCAA Tournament and it’s  still too early to tell. Wins over Tulsa, Seton Hall and Georgia Tech don’t reveal much more than that the Wildcats aren’t terrible. Losses to Baylor and Creighton are no embarrassment. The upside is that John Shurna is finally rebounding to go along with his scoring. The downside is that no adequate replacement for Michael Thompson at the point has really stepped it up.

*Purdue’s rebuilding, as losses to Alabama and Butler attest, but with a developing backcourt of Ryne Smith and Jackson Lewis to go with a healthy Robbie Hummel, don’t sleep on Matt Painter’s team. Most major conferences have a team that really finds its form around late January and surges to the bubble of the Big Dance. The well-coached Boilers are a strong candidate to do that here.

*Honorable mention as a dark horse goes to Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are another well-coached team with Tubby Smith, but the season-ending knee injury to power forward Trevor Mbkawe, easily the team’s best player is going to make 2012 a long tough road for Tubby.

BRINGING UP THE REAR

*Nebraska isn’t going dancing come March, but with a solid senior point guard in Bo Spence, who can both score and dish, the Cornhuskers can make any individual matchup interesting, especially at home. They need more rebounding from Jorge-Brian Diaz if they’re going to translate “interesting” into wins.

*Say this for Penn State—they might not be deep, but they’ve started churning out some of the best all-around guards in the conference. After four years of the dynamic Talor Battle, the league’s best player over his tenure, it’s now Tim Frazier who scores, dishes and also rebounds, even at 6’1”. He’ll make the Lions entertaining, but there’s no supporting cast.

*Iowa has some respectable wing players with Matt Gatens and Roy Devyn Marble—the latter the son of the explosive small forward who was vital to Iowa’s 1987 push to within a basket of the Final Four and a decent rebounder in Melsahn Basabe, but there’s no depth and no floor leader, meaning a lot of losses are ahead.