Friday, November 11, 2016 // Tip Off 2016
7B 

see a rise in minutes.

Flying under the radar as a 

potential major contributor at 
the ‘4’ is redshirt sophomore 
forward DJ Wilson. Averaging 
six minutes per game, the 6-foot-
10 forward was used sparingly 
last season and was often seen 
as a rebounding liability. After 
a healthy offseason, Wilson is 
stronger than ever and more 
willing to crash the boards 
and get the Wolverines the 
rebounds they may desperately 
need. 
Wilson 
could 
feature 

prominently in Big Ten play as 
he matches up better with some 
of the taller teams in the league 
and is a more traditional power 
forward than anyone else on the 
roster.

Post

Sophomore forward Moritz 

Wagner’s summer in the gym 
looks like it has won him 
the starting role over senior 
forward 
Mark 
Donnal. 
The 

work the 6-foot-10 sophomore 
put in showed in his 15-point 
performance over the Pirates 
on Friday, as Wagner showed 
off his improved offensive skills 
and understanding of the system. 
Wagner still may have issues on 
the defensive end though. Last 
season he wasn’t boxing out 
and constantly found himself 

in foul trouble. Beilein hopes 
his improved strength will help 
Wagner overcome his defensive 
problems, but for now, Michigan 
will be relying on the forward’s 
offensive promise to make up for 
his defensive liabilities.

The Wolverines hope that 

Donnal can grow into a role 
as a better defensive option to 
Wagner. The 6-foot-9 forward 
was Michigan’s most efficient 
rebounder at the post, grabbing 
four rebounds per game. But 
Donnal struggled to make a 
consistent 
impact, 
especially 

when he came off the bench. 
Having Wagner ahead of him 
could potentially raise Donnal’s 
game as he battles for minutes, 
but it could also harm his 
confidence as the season wears 
on.

It won’t help Donnal that the 

competition for third in the post 
rotation has been intense as well. 
Beilein is planning on asking 
either freshman center Jon Teske 
or freshman forward Austin 
Davis to redshirt, while the 
other will feature in his plans. 
Based on minutes from Friday’s 
exhibition, Teske seems to have 
the edge on Davis. The 7-footer 
has height that will immediately 
help Michigan make up any size 
deficit they may have at center, 
while helping with shot blocking 
as well.

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Senior forward Zak Irvin has one more season to lead the Wolverines.

Big Ten Breakdown: Crowded 
race for the conference title

Caught in a precarious position 

of transition, the Michigan men’s 
basketball team is attempting 
to take advantage of its roster 
turnover both on the court and on 
the sideline by finding the perfect 
blend between old and new. 

After flipping their conference 

record from 8-10 in 2014 to 10-8 
in 2015 (returning to the NCAA 
Tournament in the process), the 
Wolverines look to be trending 
upward. Though the team lost 
four players — Spike Albrecht, 
Kameron 
Chatman, 
Aubrey 

Dawkins and Ricky Doyle — to 
transfers and one — Caris LeVert 
— to the NBA, none of them 
necessarily played major roles for 
Michigan last season.

With five teams ranked in 

the Associated Press preseason 
standings, the Big Ten seems 
poised to return to its familiar 
position as one of the strongest 
conferences 
in 
the 
country. 

While the Wolverines will likely 
face an uphill climb on their road 
back to the top, they have four 
talented freshmen additions and 
two respected new coaches to 
help them find their way back 
to competing for the conference 
crown. 

The Daily breaks down the 

teams that will provide the 
stiffest competition for Michigan 
in the Big Ten this season.

No. 9 Wisconsin

The 
Badgers 
may 
have 

finished in a four-way tie for 
third place in the Big Ten last 
season, but they seem to be the 
favorite to win the conference 
outright this year. Wisconsin 
returns 
all 
five 
starters, 

including Big Ten Preseason 
Player of the Year and first team 
All-American Nigel Hayes.

After 
opting 
out 
of 
the 

NBA Draft in favor of one last 
go-around in college, Hayes will 
lead the Badgers with help from 
senior guard Bronson Koenig 
and sophomore forward Ethan 

Happ, who were both selected to 
the Preseason All-Big Ten team. 
All three averaged over 12 points 
per game last season, while 
consensus Big Ten Freshman of 
the Year Happ also earned Big 
Ten All-Defensive Team honors. 
Along with two experienced 
seniors, forward Vitto Brown and 
guard Zak Showalter, the quintet 
started 
every 
game 
together 

except for one.

Chemistry 
might 
be 
the 

strongest suit in the cards for 
Wisconsin this year, and with 
the level of comfort these star 
players have with one another, 
the Badgers look to be the best 
team in the Big Ten.

No. 11 Indiana

The 
defending 
conference 

champions with a 15-3 record 
last year, the Hoosiers have the 
potential to continue their reign 
atop the Big Ten this season. 
Despite losing their strongest 
offensive threat in Yogi Ferrell 
and sturdiest role player in 
former Wolverine Max Bielfeldt, 
Indiana 
has 
enough 
quality 

returners to give Wisconsin a run 
for its money.

After 
a 
highly 
successful 

freshman season in which he 
averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 
rebounds as the unquestioned 
starter, 
sophomore 
center 

Thomas Bryant decided to return 
to Indiana and was subsequently 
named to the preseason first team 
All-America team as well as the 
All-Big Ten team. He will anchor 
the Hoosier frontcourt, while 
the backcourt will be manned 
by fellow Preseason All-Big Ten 
selection junior guard James 
Blackmon Jr., who has been 
cleared to play after suffering a 
torn anterior cruciate ligament 
halfway through the season.

Though Indiana missed out on 

the conference and tournament 
championship 
double 
after 

being upset by Michigan in the 
tournament 
quarterfinals, 
the 

Hoosiers played like the best team 
in the Big Ten for the majority 
of the year and could very well 

repeat the feat this season.

No. 12 Michigan State

Finishing as the runner-up 

in the conference with a 13-5 
record despite having two more 
wins and two fewer losses than 
Indiana, the Spartans proved that 
they could make a strong case for 
the top spot by capturing the 2016 
Big Ten Tournament title. Having 
to replace AP National Player of 
the Year Denzel Valentine will 
be a tall order, but if there is any 
team that can shoulder the blow, 
it’s Michigan State.

Boasting a freshman class 

made up of five-star recruits 
Miles Bridges and Josh Langford 
and four-star recruits Cassius 
Winston and Nick Ward, the 
Spartans seem eager to wrest 
the conference crown from the 
Hoosiers. Bridges and Langford 
were ranked in the top five 
nationally at their respective 
positions, while Winston and 
Ward were ranked in the top ten.

With head coach Tom Izzo — 

who was recently inducted into 
the Naismith Basketball Hall of 
Fame — guiding these budding 
stars, Michigan State looks to be 
as dangerous as ever in the Big 
Ten this season.

No. 15 Purdue

Another part of the four-way 

tie for third place in the Big Ten 
last season, the Boilermakers 
have 
jumped 
back 
into 
the 

conference 
title 
conversation 

with back-to-back 12-6 records 
after finishing in last place in 
the 2013-14 season. In his 12th 
season at his alma mater, coach 
Matt Painter looks to guide the 
program to even greater heights 
after reaching its eighth NCAA 
Tournament last year.

Though 
the 
Boilermakers 

lost star player A.J. Hammons 
to the NBA, they held onto 
another in sophomore forward 
Caleb 
Swanigan. 
Selected 
to 

the 
Preseason 
All-Big 
Ten 

Team, Swanigan led the team 
in rebounds with 6.7 per game 

Hayes, Koenig lead favorite Wisconsin; Indiana, Michigan 
State and Purdue close behind in preseason conference outlook

BETELHEM ASHAME

Daily Sports Editor

