Here are Steve Deace’s 2009/2010 men’s college basketball season predictions as a special to CycloneFantatic.com.
Big Ten Standings Projection
Purdue (14-4, 25-5) Michigan State (13-5, 23-6) Minnesota (12-6, 23-7) Illinois (11-7, 23-8) Michigan (11-7, 21-9) Ohio State (10-8, 21-10) Wisconsin (9-9, 18-12) Penn State (6-12, 16-14) Indiana (6-12, 13-17) Northwestern (5-13, 15-16) Iowa (2-16, 9-20)
All Big Ten Team
Evan Turner, Ohio State Kalin Lucas, Michigan State Manny Harris, Michigan Robbie Hummel, Purdue Talor Battle, Penn State
All Big Ten Most Improved Team
Alex Legion, Illinois John Shurna, Northwestern Delvon Roe, Michigan State Andrew Jones, Penn State Laval Lucas-Perry, Michigan
Player of the Year—Evan Turner, Ohio State Newcomer of the Year—Royce White, Minnesota Impact Transfer—Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota Coach of the Year—Matt Painter, Purdue Defensive Player of the Year—Chris Kramer, Purdue Best player returning from injury or academics—David Lightly, Ohio State Player who needs to step up—Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin Coach Most Likely to be Fired—Todd Lickliter, Iowa
Double dribbles…look for the Big Ten to finally win the Big Ten/ACC Challenge for the first time…Ohio State has the toughest league schedule, playing four of its five conference games on the road…the loss of standout Kevin Coble for the season likely will extend Northwestern’s NCAA Tournament drought…one recruiting service ranks four Big Ten teams among the best 13 recruiting classes in the nation for 2010, with the Buckeyes landing the top class in the country.
Big 12 Standings Projection
Kansas (15-1, 29-2) Texas (12-4, 24-6) Kansas State (10-6, 21-9) Iowa State (9-7, 22-9) Texas A&M (9-7, 20-10) Oklahoma (9-7, 19-11) Oklahoma State (8-8, 19-11) Missouri (7-9, 20-12) Baylor (7-9, 15-14) Texas Tech (4-12, 15-15) Nebraska (3-13, 13-18) Colorado (3-13, 11-19)
All Big 12 Team
Craig Brackins, Iowa State Sherron Collins, Kansas Cole Aldrich, Kansas Damion James, Texas Denis Clemente, Kansas State
All Big 12 Most Improved Team
Obi Muonelo, Oklahoma State Diante Garrett, Iowa State Marcus Denmon, Missouri Anthony Jones, Baylor David Loubeau, Texas A&M
Player of the Year—Craig Brackins, Iowa State Newcomer of the Year—Tiny Gallon, Oklahoma Impact Transfer—Jai Lucas, Texas Coach of the Year—Greg McDermott, Iowa State Defensive Player of the Year—J.T. Tiller, Missouri Player who needs to step up—Donald Sloan, Texas A&M Coach Most Likely to be Fired—Pat Knight, Texas Tech
Double dribbles…picking a Newcomer of the Year in this league is tough, because this is probably the best combined group of newcomers in any conference in America…Rick Barnes says this is the deepest team he’s had since he’s been at Texas…Kansas State is trying to finish in the top four of the league standings for a school-record fourth straight year…Texas A&M, which had posted only six 20-win seasons in the program’s history prior to 2005, is looking for its fifth straight 20-win campaign.
NCAA Tournament Automatic Qualifiers (31)
ACC—North Carolina ATLANTIC 10—Dayton BIG EAST—Villanova BIG TEN—Purdue BIG 12—Kansas CONFERENCE USA—Tulsa MAC—Buffalo MISSOURI VALLEY—Northern Iowa MOUNTAIN WEST—San Diego State PAC-10—California SEC—Tennessee WAC—Utah State BIG WEST—UC Santa Barbara COLONIAL—Old Dominion HORIZON—Butler SOUTHERN—Citadel SUN BELT—Western Kentucky WEST COAST—Portland AMERICA EAST—Boston University ATLANTIC SUN—Jacksonville BIG SKY—Idaho State BIG SOUTH—Radford IVY LEAGUE—Cornell MAAC—Siena MEAC—Morgan State NEC—Robert Morris OHIO VALLEY—Murray State PATRIOT LEAGUE—Holy Cross SOUTHLAND—Sam Houston State SUMMIT LEAGUE—South Dakota State SWAC—Prairie View A&M NCAA Tournament At-Large Bids (34)
ACC (5)—Duke, Clemson, Maryland, Florida State, Georgia Tech ATLANTIC 10 (2)—Xavier, Richmond BIG EAST (7)—West Virginia, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Louisville, Seton Hall BIG TEN (5)—Michigan State, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio State, BIG 12 (5)—Texas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma MISSOURI VALLEY (1)—Creighton MOUNTAIN WEST (1)—BYU PAC-10 (3)—Washington, UCLA, Arizona SEC (5)—Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Mississippi
Last five in—Creighton, Richmond, Georgia Tech, Arizona, and Seton Hall Last five out—Gonzaga, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin
SYRACUSE REGION
At Providence, Rhode Island 1. Villanova vs. 16. Idaho State 8. Florida State vs. 9. UCLA
At San Jose, California 4. Kansas State vs. 13. Siena 5. Dayton vs. 12. Tulsa
At Buffalo, New York 3. Minnesota vs. 14. Citadel 6. Connecticut vs. 11. Creighton
At Jacksonville, Florida 2. North Carolina vs. 15. Jacksonville 7. Vanderbilt vs. 10. BYU SALT LAKE CITY REGION
At Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1. Michigan State vs. 16. South Dakota State 8. South Carolina vs. 9. San Diego State
At San Jose, California 4. California vs. 13. Western Kentucky 5. Georgetown vs. 12. Georgia Tech
At Jacksonville, Florida 3. Duke vs. 14. UC Santa Barbara 6. Illinois vs. 11. Arizona
At New Orleans, Louisiana 2. Tennessee vs. 15. Boston University 7. Oklahoma vs. 10. Louisville
ST. LOUIS REGION
At Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1. Kansas vs. 16. Sam Houston State/Prairie View A&M winner 8. Mississippi vs. 9. Northern Iowa
At Spokane, Washington 4. Michigan vs. 13. Old Dominion 5. Washington vs. 12. Seton Hall
At Providence, Rhode Island 3. West Virginia 14. Holy Cross 6. Iowa State vs. 11. Utah State
At New Orleans, Louisiana 2. Kentucky vs. 15. Morgan State 7. Clemson vs. 10. Richmond
HOUSTON REGION
At Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1. Purdue vs. 16. Radford 8. Texas A&M vs. 9. Xavier
At Buffalo, New York 4. Cincinnati vs. 13. Cornell 5. Mississippi State vs. 12. Portland
At Spokane, Washington 3. Butler vs. 14. Murray State 6. Ohio State vs. 11. Buffalo
At Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 2. Texas vs. 15. Robert Morris 7. Maryland vs. 10. Notre Dame
