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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 2 61 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com T op to bottom, it is hard to argue with the talent level that Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has at his dis- posal. The Spartans figure to be the stumbling block in Purdue's attempt to win consecutive Big Ten crowns. Purdue is the reigning Big Ten champion, coming off a sea- son in which it rallied from being three games back midsea- son to winning the league by two games. In order to repeat, the experience-rich Boilermakers will need to not only overcome the loss of Big Ten Player-of-the- Year and All-American Caleb Swanigan, but also one of college basketball's best teams on paper, Michigan State, and a few of the league's recent upstarts in Northwestern and Minnesota, both of them coming off NCAA Tournament appearances and due to be led this season by excellent senior guards: Bryant McIntosh and Nate Mason, respectively. There will be outstanding seniors in the Big Ten this sea- son, per usual, but this might be the year of the sophomore. Michigan State's Miles Bridges, probably the Big Ten's biggest singular star, by-passed a chance to be a lottery pick to come back for another season. Classmate Nick Ward is an emerging star, too, at center, and point guard Cassius Win- ston's future may be particularly bright as well. Minnesota's Amir Coffey is a budding star for the Big Ten's surprise team of a year ago. Purdue's Carsen Edwards stands to be one of most improved players in the league, and he was very good last season. Maryland might really be on to something with its sec- ond-year class of Justin Jackson, Kevin Huerter and Anthony Cowan, while Iowa is building around its sophomores, too — Tyler Cook, Jordan Bohannon and Cordell Pemsl. Penn State's Tony Carr and Lamar Stevens could grow into stars. Expect the postseason All-Big Ten team to be loaded with second-year players after what should be another very com- TOP HEAVY Four teams — but one in particular — stand out in the Big Ten this year PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN The following is the ballot Gold and Black submitted to the Big Ten for preseason all-conference. Miles Bridges — Michigan State* Bryant McIntosh — Northwestern* Nick Ward — Michigan State* Nate Mason — Minnesota* Ethan Happ — Wisconsin* Mo Wagner — Michigan* Justin Jackson — Maryland* Jordan Murphy — Minnesota Vincent Edwards — Purdue* Dakota Mathias — Purdue * Players formally named to the Big Ten's preseason all-conference team Maryland Justin Jackson is part of a standout sophomore class at Maryland that will have to step up now that Melo Trimble has departed.