Tuesday, November 7, 2017 // TIP OFF 2017
8B
Indiana has just four players
returning from last year. Senior
guard Tyra Buss and senior
forward Amanda Cahill were top
scorers last season and could be
impact players again. To find the
same success, the Hoosiers need
Buss and Cahill to help the others
find their roles.
Purdue
After a solid 2016-2017 season
— in which they played in the
Big Ten championship game,
advanced to the second round
of the NCAA Tournament and
finished with a 23-13 record —
the Boilermakers are back and
younger than ever.
Senior guard Andreona Keys
is the sole senior on a team
consisting of 10 underclassmen,
so her leadership skills will be
tested. It is unlikely that Purdue
will be as good as last year, but if
the youngsters learn their roles
quickly, the team could be strong
for years to come after brief
growing pains.
Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights are the Big
Ten’s mystery team. They return
two starters, but also have a
handful of new faces this season,
including six transfers. It’s hard
to predict how the team will do
compared to last year, as it is
very dependent on how well the
transfers fit the system.
Returning is fifth-year senior
guard Tyler Scaife, who missed
last
season
due
to
injuries.
Through her first three years,
she was one of the best players
on the team, averaging 17.2 points
per game her junior season. A
completely different style could
be helpful to Rutgers, though, as
it struggled mightily last year,
finishing with a 6-24 record.
Wisconsin
Coming
off
a
substandard
9-22 season, the Badgers are
looking to perform better this
time around. Youth caused some
issues, but this year, they return
four starters and have a chance to
improve in conference play.
Senior guard Cayla McMorris
is the player to watch. She started
in every game last season and is
talented in all areas of the game.
With many players returning,
Wisconsin should make progress
this season — though how much
is uncertain.
Penn State
The
Nittany
Lions
found
success last season, finishing
with a 21-11 record and advancing
to the third round of the WNIT. A
couple of their main contributors
are gone, but junior guard Teniya
Page and redshirt sophomore
guard Amari Carter are two
high-caliber players who return.
Page led the team in points while
Carter started at point guard the
entire season.
Penn
State
has
a
senior-
less roster, so it is building the
foundation for future years.
Illinois
The Fighting Illini are the
same team as last year in most
aspects — other than coaching.
After finishing with a lackluster
9-22 record, coach Matt Bollant
was fired.
While he is gone, all five
starters
return,
including
sophomore guard Brandi Beasley.
She had quite the impressive
freshman year and is tracking
to be one of the best players in
program history.
Hall of Fame coach Nancy
Fahey will be at the helm this
year after a long tenure with
Washington University in St.
Louis. This marks her return
to the Big Ten, as she played for
Wisconsin in college. Experience
— on both the roster and the
sideline
—
should
help
the
Fighting Illini step forward.
Northwestern
The Wildcats failed to qualify
for the NCAA Tournament last
spring, finishing with a 20-11
record. But this year is much
different.
The team lost a talented senior
class, and will now have to rely
on youth. Northwestern has four
freshmen joining the team — and
they have big shoes to fill. If they
can adjust to the speed of the
game by the time conference play
begins, the freshmen could help
the Wildcats meet the standard
set by last year’s senior class.
Nebraska
The Cornhuskers are expected
to be better this year. But that
isn’t saying much, especially
considering that they finished
with a 7-22 record last season.
Three of their starters are
returning, but they will have to
perform much better to bounce
back.
Redshirt
sophomore
forward Rachel Blackburn is one
player to look out for. She was a
starter on a much more talented
Nebraska squad at the start of
her freshman year, but midway
through the season, she faced
multiple injuries and had to sit
out her second year. If Blackburn
can get and stay healthy, she
could help the Cornhuskers find
their groove.
Outlook
Overall, the Big Ten will once
again be a strong conference.
The Wolverines need to establish
themselves in this competitive
field
to
turn
their
NCAA
Tournament dreams into reality.
But that is easier said than
done.
BIG TEN
From Page 7B
KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily
The Michigan women’s basketball team is dead set on building off its 2016-17 WNIT Championship by clinching a bid to the NCAA Tournament this year, but plenty of challenges lie ahead in the Big Ten.