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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 2

Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.

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VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 59 imposing collection of bigs that should give the Boil- ermakers an advantage on the backboard against anyone they play this season and insulate Purdue to some extent from the effects of foul trouble. In the backcourt/on the wing, Rapheal Davis is the league's reigning Defensive Player-of-the-Year and a borderline all-conference candidate and Dako- ta Mathias and Kendall Stephens should — should — make Purdue the improved three-point shooting team it was supposed to be last season, but was not. Purdue has to make jump shots and free throws, and limit its turnovers, to be good as it can be, and the jury remains out on those things based on last season's results. And point guard is a question until proven other- wise. Wisconsin: Yes, Player-of-the-Year Frank Kaminsky and NCAA Tournament star Sam Dekker are gone, among other key contributors from the one of the best teams in the country. However, in what might be his final season or what might not be, Bo Ryan does have back high-end All- Big Ten-level players in Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig and a culture that pumps out big winners ev- ery single year. Again, overlook at your own risk. THE SECOND TIER These teams have potential to be contenders but have to be considered a notch below some other teams until they prove otherwise. Iowa: Aaron White will be missed — badly — but Iowa returns four starters otherwise, including 7-1 center Adam Woodbury and a wealth of shooting threats. Senior forward Jared Uthoff is a preseason All-Big Ten pick after averaging 12-and-a-half points and six-and-a-half boards a year ago. White's departure moves him into the Hawkeyes' leading role. Small ball will reign in Iowa City. Michigan: The Wolverines have their key players back from a lost season that can be stricken from the record due to in- jury, most notably Caris LeVert, Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr. Returning those players alone, though, may not be enough by itself to launch the Wolverines back to the league's upper crust. Rather, Michigan's core must take a step forward. Even before injuries hit full-bore around the time of Purdue's win in West Lafayette, Michigan had gone 7-5 in non-conference, a run that included losses to NJIT and Eastern Michigan. John Beilein has earned benefit of the doubt, how- ever, and so the Wolverines are largely considered a preseason top-25 team and conference darkhorse. We'll see. Ohio State: The Buckeyes are always talented and will be again this season, but they'll also be extremely young, a freshman-heavy team that projects to need big things from rookies JaQuan Lyle and Austin Grandstaff in the backcourt. Up front, Jae'Sean Tate is a standout in the mak- ing, and fellow sophomore Keita Bates-Diop has a high ceiling. Center Trevor Thompson, a transfer from Virginia Tech, will have to play a leading role from Day 1 and the Buckeyes may need shooter Marc Loving to put big numbers. The potential of this group is awesome, but these guys look like a total wild card. ALSO-RANS We'll see about these teams. Illinois: The Fighting Illini's season got thrown off track months before it even began. First, point guard Tracy Abrams suf- fered his second season-ending injury in as many years, denying John Groce's team a player it needed badly this season. Then, touted freshman guard Jalen Coleman-Lands suffered a stress fracture in his leg and sophomore

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