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.

