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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 27, Digital 2

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VOLUME 27, ISSUE 2 59 because it doesn't have a whole lot in the post. Northwestern: Coming off a winning season, Northwestern hopes the needle continues to move upward under Coach Chris Collins. A setback comes this season in the loss of scorer Tre Demps and big man Alex Olah, but the Wildcats take great comfort in the return of point guard Bryant McIn- tosh and forward Vic Law. McIntosh is one of the Big Ten's best guards and shouldn't have an issue taking on more of a scoring role this season with Demps gone. This could be his break- out season, and he's been pretty good to this point al- ready. Law missed last season due to a shoulder injury, but figures to be a critical piece this year. The athletic 6-7 forward was a freshman starter two seasons ago who shot 44 percent from three-point range in Big Ten play. Filling Olah's void around the basket should be under- sized sophomore center Derek Pardon, who was pulled out of redshirt mid-season and promptly went for 28 and 12 in the Wildcats' Big Ten-opening win at Nebraska. He may be one of the conference's better rebounders already. He averaged more than 10 of them over 40 min- utes as a true freshman, playing in just 20 games. ROUNDING THINGS OUT These teams are also members of the Big Ten. Minnesota: Richard Pitino is in job-saving mode, too, after a dreadful 8-24 season. Hoping to lead some measure of a turn- around will be forward Jordan Murphy — he averaged about 12 points and eight rebounds as a freshman — and point guard Nate Mason, but newcomers will have to loom large, also. Wing Amir Coffey is the state's Mr. Basketball and the Gophers' best recruit in years. He will have to live up from Day 1. And Illinois State transfer Reggie Lynch figures to be an impact player in the post after a troubled beginning to his Gopher career. He was accused of sexual assault, but faced no charges. Lynch was an excellent shot-blocker at ISU. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers' prospects for this coming season suffered a crushing blow in the off-season after leading scorer Andrew White passed on the chance to en- ter the NBA draft, then decided to transfer instead. He wound up at Syracuse, his third school. Without White, who might have led the Big Ten in scoring had he remained in Lincoln, Nebraska might be painfully short on offense. It has high hopes for Louisville transfer Anton Gill, who'll join senior Tai Webster and sophomore point guard Glynn Watson in the backcourt. Webster is a solid offensive player, but limited. Wat- son showed flashes as a true freshman starter at a chal- lenging position, but his shooting struggles hold him back. Nebraska needs — and can reasonably expect — improvement in the frontcourt, where youngsters Jack McVeigh and Michael Jacobson took a pounding at times last season, but should be better off for it now. Rutgers: Steve Pikiell comes to Piscat- away to coach the Scarlet Knights, offering a fresh start for a program that simply hasn't been close to competitive in the Big Ten since it joined the conference. If Rutgers reaches that level this season, Pikiell might be Coach-of-the-Year. The Scarlet Knights' only chance is Corey Sanders, the unabashed gunner who averaged 16 points per game as a freshman last season. j

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