05-28-2013, 10:01 PM
2013-14 College Basketball Conference Snapshot:
Big Ten Conference
![[Image: trav_e_breslin03_576.jpg]](http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0124/trav_e_breslin03_576.jpg)
The college basketball calendar is getting moved up with Midnight Madness shifting from mid-October into September. The look ahead to the 2013-14 season has also been moved up as Athlon starts to take stock for the upcoming year in college basketball.
The Big Ten was the nation’s top conference in 2012-13 with four teams reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Although the league couldn’t take home a title, Michigan reached the national title game.
1. MICHIGAN STATE (27-9, 13-5, NCAA Sweet 16)
Key players gone: Derrick Nix
Top returners: Keith Appling, Branden Dawson, Gary Harris, Adreian Payne, Travis Trice, Denzel Valentine
Nix is the only one of the top seven scorers gone from a team that went 27-9. Harris considered the draft, but the smooth-shooting guard returned after averaging 12.9 points per game and 45.6 shooting from the field. Payne took his decision down to the wire, but his return gives Tom Izzo a veteran team with Final Four potential.
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-bask...y-rankings
Big Ten Conference
The college basketball calendar is getting moved up with Midnight Madness shifting from mid-October into September. The look ahead to the 2013-14 season has also been moved up as Athlon starts to take stock for the upcoming year in college basketball.
The Big Ten was the nation’s top conference in 2012-13 with four teams reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Although the league couldn’t take home a title, Michigan reached the national title game.
1. MICHIGAN STATE (27-9, 13-5, NCAA Sweet 16)
Key players gone: Derrick Nix
Top returners: Keith Appling, Branden Dawson, Gary Harris, Adreian Payne, Travis Trice, Denzel Valentine
Nix is the only one of the top seven scorers gone from a team that went 27-9. Harris considered the draft, but the smooth-shooting guard returned after averaging 12.9 points per game and 45.6 shooting from the field. Payne took his decision down to the wire, but his return gives Tom Izzo a veteran team with Final Four potential.
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-bask...y-rankings