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50 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 25, ISSUE 2 f a great indicator, not the only indicator, but a great in- dicator how conferences are going to do. So I think it's important for us to be able to pull our weight and help our league. "(Wisconsin) earned the right (to be picked to win) with their success last year. I think we have a lot of other schools and teams that are going to be fighting to get to that top and compete." Here's a look at Gold and Black's predictions on how the league might shake out with the team's record in 2013-14. WISCONSIN 30-8 OVERALL, 12-6 BIG TEN T he Badgers have most of their key pieces back from a Final Four appearance and third 30-win season in program history, returning 82 percent of their scoring, 86 percent of their rebounding and 89 percent of their assists. The loaded roster includes first- and second-team All- Big Ten picks, the Sixth Man-of-the-Year, All-Freshman Team selection and two All-Defensive Team picks. Senior forward Frank Kaminsky (13.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg) probably is the star, but junior forward Sam Dekker is a special talent, forward Nigel Hayes had a big-time fresh- man season and senior Josh Gasser is a weapon on the perimeter. And none of that includes point guard Traevon Jack- son, the senior who runs the show and also averaged double-digit points while leading the team with 151 as- sists. Ryan needs only three conference wins to become the school's all-time leader. MICHIGAN 28-9 OVERALL, 15-3 BIG TEN T he Wolverines made another deep run in the NCAA Tournament last season, reaching the Elite Eight one year after playing for a national championship, but John Beilein will have a bit of a different makeup in 2014-15 with players leaving early for the NBA. The veteran coach will need to mold a winner from a roster that is 75 percent underclassmen. There's only one senior and two juniors, but at least two of those have potential to be all-conference players, meaning Michigan won't have to rely solely on youngsters. Guards Caris LeVert and Spike Albrecht have made considerable strides in the offseason, Beilein said, and they're going to need to provide a scoring boost as well as a presence on defense. Albrecht will be counted on to be the "pulse of this team," too, Beilein said. After those two players, though, Michigan will count on largely inexperienced players to raise their games. Sophomore Derrick Walton Jr. will be the point guard now, and look out for freshman Kameron Chatman, a 4 who can play on the perimeter. Michigan State With Michigan State losing three pivotal pieces to its Elite Eight run, Branden Dawsen's time is now. He'll need to stay healthy for the Spartans, and he can control games on the boards.