Big Ten has high hopes

Let's just say the Big Ten will be good this year — and its coaches and players know it.

With two teams in the top four and two more in the top 14 of the Associated Press' preseason poll, the Big Ten lords over the rest of the nation's conferences.

It's only a slight exaggeration to say Big Ten interests have reserved a ton of Houston hotel rooms for early April.

That's the site of the 2011 Final Four, if you didn't know.

“This year we're, by far, the best conference in the country because we have so many returning players,” said Minnesota coach Tubby Smith. “(There are lots of reasons) why we will be competing for a national championship at the end of the year and maybe multiple teams in the Final Four.”

Michigan State junior forward Draymond Green, who knows nothing but finishing his seasons at the Final Four, thinks even bigger.

“To get into the Final Four this year is not really what we're focused on,” Green said. “Winning a national championship is our focus.”

Green, who has slimmed down to 232 pounds and 10 percent body fat, is one of four key returnees for the Spartans.

Michigan State's retained talent and its top-flight recruiting class earned Tom Izzo's bunch the media's preseason nod in the Big Ten as well as the No. 2 spot in the AP poll.

Senior point guard Kalin Lucas, who's coming off an Achilles' tendon tear, picked up the preseason Player of the Year honor for the second season in a row.

Illinois point guard Demetri McCamey, Purdue center JaJuan Johnson, Purdue shooting guard E'Twaun Moore and Wisconsin forward Jon Leuer round out the all-senior top five.

Ohio State opens at No. 4 nationally thanks to four returning starters and a six-man freshman class that ranks among the nation's best.

Center Jared Sullinger and combo forward Deshaun Thomas are McDonald's All-Americans who'll make an instant impact.

Purdue edged Illinois for the third spot in the Big Ten media poll, but the Illini edged the Boilers for No. 13 in the AP balloting.

Illinois has its best ranking since the end of the 2005-06 season and its highest preseason number since the 2004-05 squad that ended the year in the NCAA title game.

Bruce Weber has reveled in the opportunity to add three elite freshmen to his five returning starters and potential starters such as sophomore Brandon Paul.

Weber indicated Paul has joined McCamey, freshman Jereme Richmond and senior forward Mike Davis as his top four players in practice to date.

“We have a lot of competition in practice,” Weber said. “We've had little scuffles in practice just going hard, competing. That's very positive. We haven't had that the last couple of years.”

Lucky No. 7

Judging by the AP preseason poll and overall sentiments in the Big Ten, Northwestern stacks up as No. 7 in the league.

Of course, this is a year when the Big Ten could equal its previous best and send seven teams to the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats feature junior John Shurna, senior point guard Juice Thompson and much-improved sophomore swingman Drew Crawford, but freshman guard JerShon Cobb could be the X-factor.

NU coach Bill Carmody wouldn't be surprised if Cobb, the slender 6-foot-4 guard who led his team to a Georgia state title, plays as many minutes this year as Crawford did last year.

“He gets around his guy and he makes that 14-footer,” Carmody said. “This kid can stop and make that pullup very nicely.

“Strength is going to be a factor. He's got to get stronger, but he's not afraid. I don't worry about guys who (are skinny). Jordan was pretty thin, too. If you're not afraid, that's the most important thing.”

Carmody was referencing Michael Jordan there, just in case you're new to the sport.

Local greats

New Iowa coach Fran McCaffery had good things to say about sophomore Cully Payne, the Schaumburg High School graduate who'll play as many minutes as he can stand at both guard spots.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan thinks freshman shooting guard Ben Brust (Mundelein) might play a role right away.

The No. 26 Badgers have four players, including Brust, chasing the minutes that graduated guards Tre'von Hughes and Jason Bohannon provided.

“Ben moves away from the ball even better than Jason Bohannon did, as far as knowing how to get open and how to read things,” Ryan said. “I'm not saying he's a Jason Bohannon.”

Brust would be wise to emulate or exceed Bohannon's contributions at the other end of the court.

“The guys that are going to get the other minutes that were vacated at the guard spots,” Ryan said, “are going to be the better defensive players.”