A quick look at all 12 teams as the college basketball season gets started in earnest.
Chicago Tribune
Capsule previews of this year's Big Ten Conference men's basketball teams, in alphabetical order. Unlike football, there is no divisional setup for basketball.
Illinois Fighting Illini
2010-11 record: 20-14, 9-9 Big Ten (T-4th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 60-55 to Michigan in quarterfinals.
NCAA tournament: Lost 73-59 in Round of 32 to No. 1-seeded Kansas.
On the offensive: The Illini are tasked with replacing five of their top seven scorers, returning just 31 percent of last season's scoring. Look for freshmen like point guard Tracy Abrams and forward Mike Shaw and sophomore guard Joseph Bertrand to ease the transition. Junior guards Brandon Paul (9 ppg) and D.J. Richardson (8.4) are expected to provide leadership.
Getting defensive: Illinois has led the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense the last three seasons, including limiting opponents to 39.6 percent shooting last season. At 7-1, sophomore center Meyers Leonard must take advantage of his height and athleticism and become a rebounding ace.
The number: 11. The Illini led or were tied in the second half of 11 of their 14 losses last season.
The talk: Last season, the Illini ranked No. 13 in the preseason before vanishing from the polls. This season, as expected, they start off unranked. Despite their youth, this team appears more cohesive. Can they prove doubters wrong and become a top team in a wide-open conference (other than favorite Ohio State)?
Prediction: The Illini again will be a bubble team after showing gradual improvement through the season and finishing in the upper-middle class of the Big Ten. It's a Round of 64 NCAA tournament exit this season.
Indiana Hoosiers
2010-11 record: 12-20, 3-15 Big Ten (11th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 61-55 to Penn State in first round.
NCAA tournament: Did not play.
On the offensive: The Hoosiers return leading scorers Christian Watford (16 ppg), Verdell Jones III (12.5 ppg) and Jordan Hulls (11 ppg). The season-long loss of Maurice Creek to an Achilles injury is a serious blow. The Hoosiers are banking on an immediate return from 6-11 freshman Cody Zeller.
Getting defensive: For the Hoosiers to take steps forward, their defense needs improvement. They ranked last in the Big Ten in scoring defense (68.2 ppg) and eighth in the conference in opponent's shooting percentage (43.3 percent).
The number: 26. Zeller is the 26th Mr. Basketball of Indiana to play for the Hoosiers.
The talk: Hoosiers' fans are thrilled with coach Tom Crean's ability to land Zeller, a five-star recruit. They're hoping he can help bring Indiana back to prominence. Versatile and quick, Zeller can run the floor and shoot.
Prediction: Indiana won't be in the Big Ten basement this season, taking a leap thanks to Zeller and a developed roster.
Iowa Hawkeyes
2010-11 record: 11-20, 4-14 Big Ten (10th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 66-61 to Michigan State in the first round.
NCAA tournament: Did not play.
On the offensive: As Iowa's first-year coach, Fran McCaffrey installed an up-tempo style, and the Hawkeyes responded with late-season victories over Michigan State and Purdue. Senior point guard Bryce Cartwright had a league-high 6.8 assists per conference game. He would have had more if the Hawkeyes had not shot 31.4 percent on 3-pointers, worst in the Big Ten.
Getting defensive: Rebounding could be an issue after Iowa lost center Jarryd Cole, who averaged a team-high 4.0 boards last season. Roy Marble's son, Devyn, has the quickness to make an impact.
The number: 88. The Hawkeyes return 88 percent of their scoring -- and four starters.
The talk: The Hawkeyes will save money on gas and flights considering they won't leave the state to play any of their 13 nonconference games.
Prediction: The Hawkeyes will earn their first postseason bid since 2006, but their NCAA hopes will be derailed by a soft schedule and low RPI.
Michigan Wolverines
2010-11 record: 21-14, 9-9 Big Ten (T-4th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 68-61 to Ohio State in semifinals.
NCAA tournament: Lost 73-71 to Duke in Round of 32.
On the offensive: Tim Hardaway Jr. spent the summer working on ball handling with his father -- nice tutor there. If the 6-5 sophomore is more prolific than his 13.9 ppg last year, the Wolverines could be elite.
Getting defensive: Zack Novak, a 6-4 guard, is the leading returning rebounder (5.8 rpg). Big men Jordan Morgan (6-8), Evan Smotrycz (6-9) and Jon Horford (6-9) must offer more.
The number: 1. Number of letter winners lost from 2010-11. It's a big one -- leading scorer Darius Morris -- but the Wolverines are overloaded with experience.
The talk: Is Michigan a year away from contending for a Big Ten championship, or more, with the 2012-13 arrival of super frosh Mitch McGary? Or are the Wolverines the sleeper this year?
Prediction: No conference title, but Michigan will win double-digit Big Ten games and push for a Sweet 16 bid.
Michigan State Spartans
2010-11 record: 19-15, 9-9 Big Ten (T-4th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 61-48 to Penn State in semifinals.
NCAA tournament: Lost 78-76 to UCLA in Round of 64.
On the offensive: The Spartans lose nearly 29 points per game with the departures of guards Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers. Stud freshman forward Branden Dawson already has drawn comparisons to Jason Richardson, and guard Brandon Wood took advantage of the graduate-student transfer rule to come over from Valparaiso. Wood is a quality shooter who scored 24 for Valpo at the Breslin Center two seasons ago.
Getting defensive: Draymond Green finished third in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.6 per game) last season, and coach Tom Izzo said he has turned some "body fat" into muscle with a rigorous offseason program. Center Adreian Payne is a top-notch athlete.
The number: 14. By upsetting Purdue in the Big Ten tournament, Michigan State reached its 14th straight NCAA tournament. That's the nation's third-longest streak after Kansas (22) and Duke (16).
The talk: The spotlight will shine on Michigan State because of early-season duels with North Carolina and Duke. Izzo loves playing high-profile nonconference games.
Prediction: The Spartans will struggle early but rally for a top-three finish in the Big Ten.
Minnesota Gophers
2010-11 record: 17-14, 6-12 Big Ten (9th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost to Northwestern 75-65 in first round.
NCAA tournament: Did not play.
On the offensive: The Gophers have nice pieces but inexperience at point guard. Can touted freshman Andre Hollins efficiently run the show through the conference grind?
Getting defensive: The entire front line -- 6-11 Ralph Sampson III, 6-8 Trevor Mbakwe and 6-7 Rodney Williams -- returns. That veteran presence ought to produce stinginess on the glass and in the paint.
The number: 20. Consecutive winning seasons for coach Tubby Smith, but 2010-11 was his first sub-20-victory season at Minnesota.
The talk: Minnesota lost 10 of its final 11 games last season, a withering spiral. Another middling finish in Smith's fifth campaign could raise questions and doubts.
Prediction: The Gophers must grind just for a top-half finish and an NCAA bubble spot.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
2010-11 record: 19-13, 7-9 Big 12.
Big 12 tournament: Lost 53-52 to Oklahoma State in first round.
NIT: Lost 76-49 to Wichita State in first round.
On the offensive: Four starters return, but just one averaged double digits -- Jorge Brian Diaz at 10.5 ppg. The Big Ten is a grinding league, but the Cornhuskers need more outlets.
Getting defensive: Senior Andre Almeida (39 blocks) and Diaz (38 blocks) offer a presence in the lane, and that's a decent place to start for the maiden Big Ten voyage.
The number: 17.8. Victories per season in coach Doc Sadler's tenure, but zero plus-.500 finishes in Big 12 play.
The talk: Nebraska was a football addition, and nothing about basketball season will chance that viewpoint. It'll be a season-long adjustment for the Cornhuskers.
Prediction: The Cornhuskers won't finish last in their first Big Ten season. But they will be close.
Northwestern Wildcats
2010-11 record: 20-14, 7-11 Big Ten (8th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 67-61 in overtime to Ohio State in quarterfinals.
NIT: Lost 69-66 in overtime to Washington State in quarterfinals.
On the offensive: The Wildcats can pass and hit 3s. They tied Illinois atop the Big Ten rankings last season with 16.7 assists per game, and they return six players who drained at least nine 3-pointers. They need Drew Crawford to improve his 42.3 shooting percentage and for Luka Mirkovic to play with more consistency on the road.
Getting defensive: Northwestern did little to address its glaring issues: The Wildcats allowed a league-worst 46.8 percent from the field and were eighth in rebounding defense. Shurna needs to grab more than last season's 4.9 boards per game.
The number: 11. That's Reggie Hearn's uniform number. The former walk-on will get legit minutes this season.
The talk: NCAA bracketologist Joe Lunardi likes Northwestern to end its 0-for-eternity streak of missing the NCAA tournament. He pegs the Wildcats as an 11th seed, ahead of at least six at-large teams.
Prediction: It's no fun being a spoilsport. If the Wildcats stay relatively healthy, they will -- finally -- make the Big Dance.
Ohio State Buckeyes
2010-11 record: 34-3, 16-2 Big Ten (1st).
Big Ten tournament: Beat Penn State 72-60 in final.
NCAA tournament: Lost 62-60 to Kentucky in Sweet 16.
On the offensive: The Buckeyes revolve around All-American Jared Sullinger, who averaged 17.2 points per game as a freshman. They return guard William Buford (14.4 ppg) and point guard Aaron Craft (6.9 ppg and 4.8 assists per game), but they will miss spot-on shooters David Lighty and Jon Diebler.
Getting defensive: Ohio State ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring defense (59.7 ppg), second in rebounding margin (+4.9) and first in steals per game (7.11). Sullinger averages 10.2 rpg and Craft leads the conference with 1.97 steals per game.
The number: 7. Number of titles for coach Thad Matta in seven years at Ohio State with four regular-season titles and three conference tournament titles.
The talk: The Buckeyes are stacked with experience and talent. Hopes are higher than ever with the return of Sullinger despite the lure of the NBA. They're aiming for the NCAA tournament championship this season.
Prediction: The Buckeyes win another Big Ten title and make it to the Final Four.
Penn State Nittany Lions
2010-11 record: 19-15, 9-9 Big Ten (T-4th).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 72-60 to Ohio State in final.
NCAA tournament: Lost 66-64 to Temple in Round of 64.
On the offensive: Four of the top five scorers are gone from last season. Guard Tim Frazier (6.3 ppg, 5.1 apg) sets the table, but the Nittany Lions have zero proven ability to put up points.
Getting defensive: Anyone 6-9 or taller is a freshman or a sophomore. Frazier, 6-1, is the leading returning rebounder (3.9 rpg). It's either play fast or hope a big man matures rapidly.
The number: 7. Number of freshmen on first-year coach Pat Chambers' roster as an NCAA tournament team was gutted.
The talk: Chambers made house calls to every single player upon being hired. He has the energy the program needs but not the talent to succeed this season.
Prediction: The Big Ten cellar awaits. Anything more is a near-miracle.
Purdue Boilermakers
2010-11 record: 26-8, 14-4 Big Ten (2nd).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 74-56 to Michigan State in quarterfinals.
NCAA tournament: Lost 94-76 to VCU in Round of 32.
On the offensive: Purdue loses the bulk of scoring with NBA draftees JaJuan Johnson (20.5 ppg) and E'Twaun Moore (18 ppg). Role players like point guard Lewis Jackson and shooting guard Ryne Smith must step up. Forward Robbie Hummel's return from injury is promising for the offense. The Boilermakers will rely on a smaller, faster lineup.
Getting defensive: The 6-10 Johnson was a defensive force, averaging 8.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. The post will be manned by inexperienced 6-9 sophomores Sandi Marcius and Travis Carroll. Swingman D.J. Byrd is a dogged defender who can set the tone.
The number: 15.7. Points Hummel averaged in 2010 before the first of two knee injuries sidelined him.
The talk: Coach Matt Painter likened fans' expectations of Hummel to Superman coming to West Lafayette, Ind. While he's not a superhero, Hummel is a versatile forward who offers experience and leadership and might just save the season.
Prediction: Purdue will finish fifth in the Big Ten and make another Round-of-32 exit from the NCAA tournament.
Wisconsin Badgers
2010-11 record: 25-9, 13-5 Big Ten (3rd).
Big Ten tournament: Lost 36-33 to Penn State in quarterfinals.
NCAA tournament: Lost 61-54 to Butler in Sweet 16.
On the offensive: The Badgers generally played in the 70s last season with two exceptions -- a hideous 36-33 defeat to Penn State in the Big Ten tournament and a 61-54 loss to Butler in the Sweet 16, marked by a stunning 1-for-12 night from Jon Leuer. The red-headed Mike Bruesewitz figures to join Jordan Taylor as Wisconsin's 1-2 punch. Forward Ryan Evans also could make a leap after struggling last season.
Getting defensive: The Badgers ranked last in the league in steals (3.6 per game) last season but still finished first in scoring defense (58.6 points), thanks to their slow-down game. Bruesewitz will need to increase his rebounding numbers.
The number: 71.4. Bo Ryan's winning percentage in Big Ten games is the all-time best, edging Thad Matta (71.8) and Bob Knight (70.0).
The talk: Ryan's Chicago-area pipeline helped him land Mundelein's Ben Brust, a promising sophomore guard, and freshman guard George Marshall, a second-team All-State pick from Brooks.
Prediction: If two or three consistent scorers emerge to help Taylor, the Badgers will battle Ohio State for Big Ten supremacy.