Basketball Showcase 2015

THE DAILY ILLINI

KENDRICK NUNN AND THE SIMEON CREW Out for the first month, the junior from Chicago is itching to get back on the court

Page 8C A “BIG” TRANSFER Mike Thorne ready to step into Illini frontcourt

Page 4C MALCOLM HILL’S TIME TO LEAD Junior coming out of his shell and into his own

Page 4C

November 3, 2015

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com

2

2015-16 SCHEDULE NOV 8

2 P.M.

VS. ILLINOIS-SPRINGFIELD (EXHIBITION) | *PRAIRIE CAPITAL CONVENTION CENTER*

DEC 12

1 P.M.

AT UIC | UNITED CENTER

FEB 3

5:30 P.M.

AT RUTGERS | PISCATAWAY, N.J.

NOV 13

7 P.M.

VS. NORTH FLORIDA | *PRAIRIE CAPITAL CONVENTION CENTER*

DEC 19

2 P.M.

VS. SOUTH DAKOTA | STATE FARM CENTER

FEB 7

12 P.M.

VS. IOWA | STATE FARM CENTER

NOV 15

2 P.M.

VS. NORTH DAKOTA STATE | *PRAIRIE CAPITAL CONVENTION CENTER*

DEC 23

6 P.M.

AT MISSOURI | ST. LOUIS

FEB 13

7 P.M.

AT NORTHWESTERN | EVANSTON, ILL.

NOV 18

6 P.M.

VS. PROVIDENCE | PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

DEC 30

2 P.M.

VS. MICHIGAN | STATE FARM CENTER

FEB 16

8 P.M.

VS. RUTGERS | STATE FARM CENTER

NOV 21

7:30 P.M.

VS. CHATTANOOGA | *PRAIRIE CAPITAL CONVENTION CENTER*

JAN 3

4 P.M.

AT OHIO STATE | COLUMBUS, OHIO

FEB 21

TBA

AT WISCONSIN | MADISON, WIS.

JAN 7

TBA

AT MICHIGAN STATE| EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN

FEB 25

8 P.M.

VS. INDIANA | STATE FARM CENTER

JAN 10

TBA

VS. PURDUE | STATE FARM CENTER

FEB 28

TBA

VS. MINNESOTA | STATE FARM CENTER

JAN 16

1:30 P.M.

VS. NEBRASKA | STATE FARM CENTER

JAN 19

6 P.M.

AT INDIANA | BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA

MAR 3

6 P.M.

AT MARYLAND | COLLEGE PARK, M.D.

JAN 23

TBA

AT MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

MAR 6

11 A.M.

AT PENN STATE | UNIVERSITY PARK, PENN.

JAN 28

8 P.M.

VS. OHIO STATE | STATE FARM CENTER

MAR 9

TBA

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BEGINS | INDIANAPOLIS, IND

JAN 31

6:30 P.M.

VS. WISCONSIN | STATE FARM CENTER

MAR 15

TBA

NCAA TOURNAMENT BEGINS | DAYTON, OHIO

NOV 23

7 P.M.

VS. CHICAGO STATE | *PRAIRIE CAPITAL CONVENTION CENTER*

NOV 27

8:30 P.M.

AT UAB | NICEVILLE, FLORIDA

NOV 28

TBA

AT NICEVILLE, FLORIDA

DEC 2

8:15 P.M.

VS. NOTRE DAME | STATE FARM CENTER

DEC 5

2 P.M.

VS. WESTERN CAROLINA | STATE FARM CENTER

DEC 9

7 P.M.

VS. YALE | STATE FARM CENTER

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Tuesday, November 3, 2015

3

2015-16 ROSTER

PORTRAITS BY TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

0 D.J. WILLIAMS

12 LERON BLACK

25 KENDRICK NUNN

YEAR: Freshman POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Simeon HEIGHT: 6-foot-7 WEIGHT: 200

YEAR: Sophmore POSITION: Forward HOMETOWN: Memphis, Tenn.

LAST SCHOOL: White Station HEIGHT: 6-foot-7 WEIGHT: 220

YEAR: Junior POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Simeon HEIGHT: 6-foot-3 WEIGHT: 190

1 JAYLON TATE

13 TRACY ABRAMS

33 MIKE THORNE JR.

YEAR: Junior POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Simeon HEIGHT: 6-foot-3 WEIGHT: 170

YEAR: Graduate POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Mount Carmel HEIGHT: 6-foot-2 WEIGHT: 185

YEAR: Graduate POSITION: Forward/Center HOMETOWN: Fayetteville, N.C. LAST SCHOOL: Trinity Christian HEIGHT: 6-foot-11 WEIGHT: 270

3 KHALID LEWIS

21 MALCOLM HILL

43 MICHAEL FINKE

YEAR: Graduate POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Trenton, NJ LAST SCHOOL: Trenton Catholic HEIGHT: 6-foot-3 WEIGHT: 185

YEAR: Junior POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Fairview Heights, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Belleville East HEIGHT: 6-foot-6 WEIGHT: 220

YEAR: Redshirt-Freshman POSITION: Forward HOMETOWN: Champaign, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Centennial HEIGHT: 6-foot-10 WEIGHT: 230

5 JALEN COLEMAN-LANDS

22 MAVERICK MORGAN

44 ALEX AUSTIN

YEAR: Freshman POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Indianapolis, Ind. LAST SCHOOL: La Lumiere HEIGHT: 6-foot-3 WEIGHT: 180

YEAR: Junior POSITION: Center HOMETOWN: Springboro. Ohio LAST SCHOOL: Springboro HEIGHT: 6-foot-10 WEIGHT: 245

YEAR: Redshirt-Junior POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Mount Carmel HEIGHT: 6-foot-4 WEIGHT: 185

10 MIKE LATULIP

23 AARON JORDAN

45 CAMERON LISS

YEAR: Senior POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Arlington Heights, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Prospect HEIGHT: 6-foot-1 WEIGHT: 175

YEAR: Freshman POSITION: Guard HOMETOWN: Plainfield, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Plainfield East HEIGHT: 6-foot-5 WEIGHT: 190

YEAR: Sophmore POSITION: Forward HOMETOWN: Northbrook, Ill. LAST SCHOOL: Glenbrook North HEIGHT: 6-foot-6 WEIGHT: 215

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

4

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Thorne hoping to cause issues for opposing defense

BY ELI SCHWADRON STAFF WRITER

Mike Thorne Jr. stood in the mid-post with his knees bent and right arm raised high, calling for the rock.

Aaron Jordan lobbed the ball over Thorne’s right shoulder. In one fell swoop, the man affectionately known as “Big Mike” to his teammates caught the ball on the block, power-dribbled to the middle of the paint and flushed with authority over Maverick Morgan.

And-one, count the bucket.

The one-handed rim-rattler was just one of many impressive plays Thorne made Oct. 25 at the ILLINI ALL-IN basketball scrimmage. Through three eight-minute periods, the 22-year-old graduate transfer from University of North Carolina-Charlotte displayed an array of moves that make up his polished post-game.

Drop-steps. Left-handed mini-hooks. Offensive boards.

Big Mike had everything going en route to 15 points and 15 rebounds on 6-for-10 shooting in front of 300 people at Ubben Practice Facility.

Perhaps the most dangerous weapon in Thorne’s arsenal is his ability to use either hand around the basket. Fellow front-courter Michael Finke said Thorne’s ambidextrous tendencies are going to cause problems for opposing players.

“A lot of guys you can cut them off left shoulder,” Finke said. “But Big Mike, you cut off his left shoulder and he just turns around (over his right shoulder) and uses his left hand. It’s a nightmare for defenders.”

At 6-foot-11, 270 pounds, Thorne adds a physical presence that’s been lacking at the center position during head coach John Groce’s first three seasons with the program. He possesses a unique combination of finesse and power down low; his quick feet allow him to re-position for a better shot, and then he uses his strength to finish with contact.

Groce said the team will play inside-out, looking to get Thorne the ball early and often. He’ll demand double

teams and different defensive schemes, opening up the floor for other players to spot up or penetrate. In the past, Groce’s Illinois teams have relied first and foremost on the outside shot.

“Offensively, he gives us a little bit of a different dimension down there in the post,” Groce said. “He’s unlike anyone we’ve had over the four years.”

That’s high praise for a newcomer.

Thorne played three seasons at UNC-Charlotte. Last season, the Fayetteville, North Carolina, native played the best basketball of his collegiate career, putting up 10.1 points per game and 7.3 rebounds on 53 percent shooting. Big Mike averaged 26.1 minutes per game and posted nearly one block per outing.

Playing well in Conference USA is one thing. Thorne is well-aware that the Big Ten is a different animal.

“Coaches have stressed increasing my IQ of the game and increasing my conditioning level,” Thorne said. “Basically just keeping up with the pace and adjusting to a higher level of play in the Big Ten.” Thorne is preparing to take on the steepest competition of his life, and his touches are increasing.

“This is probably the most I’ve gotten the ball in my life, and I came from a mid-major, so it’s surprising that I’m getting the ball more here than I did in the past,” he said. “I’m happy about it. You can’t complain about that if the coach is getting you the ball.”

Off the court, Thorne said he’s adjusting nicely to the new school and the new surroundings.

“There’s so much love around here,” he said. “I get love from my teammates and coaches. It’s a really closeknit family.”

Big Mike is now officially a part of the Illinois basketball family, which extends across the state’s 60,000 square miles and beyond. When Thorne first arrived on campus, starting shooting guard Malcolm Hill told his new roommate about the importance of putting on an Illini

uniform.

“I don’t think he realizes how many Illinois basketball fans there are in the area,” Hill said. “I tried to tell him literally everywhere you go, somebody’s watching, or they know who you are.”

Thorne was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes at the age of five. He said the disease affects his ability to train properly at times, but he has never used diabetes as an excuse.

“It’s not that hard to control ... you just have to check (your blood sugar) before you work out,” he said.

Thorne is expected to fill the void at the center position left by Nnanna Egwu, who earned All-Big Ten Defensive honors as a senior in 2014-15.

Egwu went undrafted in June but latched on with the Orlando Magic for summer league, only to be waived after playing in five preseason games.

Egwu’s starting spot will go to Thorne, but their styles are completely different. Egwu was a defensive stopper who could guard multiple positions; he was more of a power forward in a center’s body.

Egwu showed flashes in the low post, but his best offensive attribute was a consistent midrange jumper, which stretched the floor.

Thorne’s jump shot is suspect, and he may struggle from the free throw line. But he has exhibited a much more advanced back-to-the-basket skillset.

“Egwu and Thorne are two totally different players — in Egwu, you had a really good defensive player. And with Thorne you have a monster inside on the offensive end,” Finke said. “So adding Big Mike to the lineup helps us a ton. He’s a threat down low that we can really use.”

Even Egwu, who was on hand for the Orange and Blue scrimmage, has taken notice of Thorne’s proficiency around the rim.

“They’ve got to doubleteam him. One-on-one, no one’s going to guard him. No one’s going to stop him. The only way you can stop him is he misses a shot,” Egwu said.

“You’re going to have to dou-

PORTRAIT OF MIKE THORNE BY TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

ble-team him, and if you have a team full of great shooters and slashers, that’s going to open up the game for him.”

But there is still work to be done.

“We’re trying to teach (Thorne) the defensive system, because in comparison to Nnanna, (Egwu) knew Groce’s system for way longer,” Hill said. “Thorne is new to it. But I think he’s getting better with it.”

Thorne will be tasked with guarding some of the most talented big men in the country, including Maryland’s Diamond Stone, Indiana’s Thomas Bryant and Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan — assuming he gets cleared to play by the NCAA. As a result, Thorne will need his conditioning to be up to par so he can sustain his high-energy play throughout an entire season. According to Hill, Thorne has been

doing extra running and cardiovascular drihlls to sustain his high-energy play throughout the season. “(Thorne) works out probably just as hard as me,” Hill said. “He’s not lazy at all. He knows the hard work it’ll take to be a good basketball player, and I think he’s accomplishing that.”

hschwadr2@dailyillini.com @eschwad

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5

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Groce dealt bad hand in crucial season ALEX ROUX

Illini hoops columnist

I

magine you have a test coming up soon.

It’s a math test, and it’s an important one. In fact, your livelihood could depend on how well you perform on it. You’ve been preparing all summer for this test, spending countless hours getting ready.

A couple weeks before the test, you’re informed that you can’t use two of your three shiny No. 2 pencils on the test, and if your last remaining pencil breaks, you’re pretty much screwed. You also can’t use a calculator.

You wouldn’t feel very good about your chances on said test, would you?

Now use this extremely simplified metaphor and imagine how Illinois head coach John Groce feels heading into his fourth season in Champaign. On the heels of backto-back NIT appearances, it’s a crucial year for him and his team.

Illinois basketball hasn’t missed three straight NCAA tournaments in over 35 years. Although I wouldn’t say his job was on the line, this was supposed to be a year of intense evaluation of the direction Groce is leading the program.

But with injuries to four key players and the dismissal of Darius Paul, the idea of a true “evaluation year” is now out the window.

Senior Tracy Abrams is out for a

second consecutive year. Junior guard Kendrick Nunn — out eight weeks with a thumb injury — and sophomore forward Leron Black — out for up to four weeks with a torn meniscus — are each expected to miss a handful of games, and freshman Jalen Coleman-Lands is recovering from a stress fracture in his leg. All five of them were expected to compete for starting positions.

What’s left of the 2015-2016 Illinois basketball team for opening night on Nov. 13? Junior small forward Malcolm Hill, who is an allaround stud, will be the go-to guy.

Fellow junior Jaylon Tate will play heavy minutes at the point guard position. Maverick Morgan, another junior, figures to get a good amount of minutes in the post.

The rest of the roster, including a gimpy Coleman-Lands, has never played a minute of basketball for Illinois.

Think about that. At least the fi rst few games of the season will be in the hands of three juniors and a remaining team of total question marks. Groce’s incoming freshmen, Aaron Jordan, D.J. Williams and Coleman-Lands, are talented, and redshirt freshman Michael Finke will have a major chance to fi ll in for Black and contribute right away.

Fifth-year senior transfers Khalid Lewis and Mike Thorne will be relied upon to help steady the ship until Nunn and Black are able to return, but they’re both unknown quantities at the high-major level.

With so much uncertainty, it’s hard to blame fans for giving up on the

season before it even begins.

Maybe this series of unfortunate events will motivate the Illini. Hill is already drowning out the groans, scoffi ng at the notion that this season is a throwaway.

“To be honest, I don’t really care what everybody thinks,” Hill said.

“Everybody always thinks we’re going to be bad. We know we’ll be all right within the locker room.

We don’t really worry what other people say about us. It’s just their opinion.”

It’s a good mindset to have, but it remains to be seen if added motivation alone can keep Illinois afloat with so much talent in street clothes.

Injuries struck the Illini last year as well, making it difficult to evaluate if Groce was to blame for a late-season collapse that sunk the spirits of players and fans. The only way Groce is truly evaluated this year is if he leads his team to unexpected success against heavy odds.

It’s unfair for Groce and it’s unfair for the fans that Year Four has a black cloud hanging over it before it even begins. This was supposed to be Groce’s biggest test, but it’s looking like the results could be nearly impossible to grade.

He won’t make excuses and his players won’t either, even though they probably should be allowed to.

The only thing they can do now is roll the ball out and play.

Alex is a senior in AHS. Roux2@dailyillini.com @aroux94

PORTRAIT OF JOHN GROCE TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

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MALCOLM’S IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL

BY ALEX ROUX STAFF WRITER

Like many freshmen on the first day of college, Malcolm Hill was lost.

It was more than two years ago that 17-year-old Hill had wandered the halls of Krannert Art Museum before giving up his hopeless search for his first class. He stopped to ask for directions.

It was just minutes before the first 9 a.m. Monday classes of the year were set to begin, and the 6-foot-7 Illini basketball player was told that he was in the wrong building. Hill’s face sunk. It was a classic “welcome to college” moment for Hill, at the time a freshman from the St. Louis suburb of Fairview Heights, Illinois.

It wasn’t his first rude awakening, and it wouldn’t be his last.

“I had so many ‘welcome to college’ moments way before that,” Hill said as he recalled the memory with a chuckle. “My freshman year was pretty rough, just like any freshman.”

Hill arrived on campus before the start of Illinois head coach John Groce’s second season in Champaign; he was a member of Groce’s first Illini recruiting class.

At just 17, he was a baby compared to some of the grown men on the team at the time. In practice, Hill had to go up against upperclassmen like Rayvonte Rice, Joseph Bertrand and Tracy Abrams, and they quickly let him know that high school ball was over.

“They were just dogging me,” Hill said. “(I was) skinny me, trying my best to guard them. I had to talk to my (high school) coach; I was like, ‘I don’t even know why they recruited me.’”

Hill was concerned that Groce would redshirt him during his freshman season. He was a wing in high school, but with Rice and Bertrand holding down his position in the starting lineup, Groce wanted to have Hill play the four spot.

A long-armed, lanky slasher in high school, Hill tried his best to put on as much weight as possible so he could bang with the big boys in the post. He wasn’t thrilled about playing in the frontcourt, but he knew it would be his best chance of seeing the floor as a freshman.

At times, Hill looked like Bambi on ice in the paint, trying to adjust to his new role and body. He scuffled through the first half of his first season, going scoreless over a four-game stretch and only cracking double figures once. His budding talent was apparent, but he was struggling to put it all together.

He finally began to break through when Groce inserted him and fellow freshman Kendrick Nunn into the starting lineup on Feb. 9, 2013, at Penn State.

PORTRAIT OF MALCOLM HILL BY TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

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Hill scored 11 points, Nunn dropped 19 and the Illini snapped an eight-game losing streak that day.

It was Hill’s first true breakout game at Illinois. The second came during his sophomore season against Maryland.

By the time his sophomore campaign got underway, Hill’s jumper had smoothed, his handles had tightened and his self-assurance had soared. He also beefed up to 235 pounds.

Having already established himself as one of the best players on the 2014-15 team, Hill was called upon to play an even bigger role when Rice went down with a wrist injury before Illinois hosted Maryland. He answered with an eye-popping performance against the No. 11 Terrapins, scoring 28 points and snagging seven boards in a 64-57 win.

“That game probably gave me the most confidence in myself,” Hill said. “That’s one thing the coaches told me, you’ve just got to be more consistent like that every game.”

That level of dominance would be nearly impossible to replicate on a nightly basis, but Hill still had a phenomenal sophomore season. He averaged 14.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game (an increase from 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game his freshman season) and was an All-Big Ten Third Team selection.

He failed to reach double figures in scoring just four times.

Now a junior, Hill’s transformation from overmatched freshman to the face of the Illini program is nearly complete. But he cringes when the media or fans say that the 2015-16 version of Illinois basketball is Hill’s team. He thinks if he were to say that, it would sound selfish, especially when his teammates are grinding alongside him.

But a thumb injury that will sideline Nunn for up to eight weeks has left no doubt; this is Hill’s team, like it or not.

Nunn, who says Hill is like a brother to him, was supposed to be the other half of the two-headed scoring monster. But with Nunn, Abrams and sophomore Leron Black also injured, Hill knows he might have to have a Maryland Game almost every game to keep the Illini above water. He believes he can do it, too.

Hill’s faith isn’t blind. His hard work has strengthened his personal conviction, and he hopes it can take his game to an even higher level.

“I think my work ethic is just a little bit different,” Hill said. “I think every basketball player works hard. It’s just, ‘what separates the basketball players that work hard?’ I think I can separate myself from just the typical, hard-working basketball player.”

Hill’s offseason routine includes twice-a-day workout sessions with team graduate assistants James Haring and Walter Offutt, who push Hill to exhaustion. He says he wants his workouts to make him feel dead afterwards, and even then, it isn’t enough. Hill exercises to the point that his coaches have to tell him to stop.

“I don’t ask Hill to live in the gym,” Groce said.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

7

“I tell him he needs to take a day off. You know, it’s 6:30 in the morning and facilities guys are telling me that he’s running on the track.”

Hill has lost nearly 15 pounds since last season, slimming down to 221 pounds as a result of his workouts and a change in his eating habits. He didn’t like the bulked-up version of himself, which he said made him feel sluggish on the court.

While it’s a challenge for coaches to keep Hill out of the gym, they’ve been even harder on him at times in an attempt to coax him out of his eventempered demeanor.

“I thought there were times in the first two years when I needed him to not be so laid-back, to be aggressive, to attack, to turn the switch on,” Groce said of Hill. “And I think now his habits are so good that that switch is on every day right now.”

Groce knows Hill’s game is now at an all-

“I don’t ask Hill to live in the gym. I tell him he has to take a day off.”

JOHN GROCE

ILLINOIS HEAD BASKETBALL COACH

conference level, but still wants more out of him from a leadership standpoint. His cool, relaxed temperament that is now constantly on display in media interviews tended to to betray him on the court and in practice. But he’s taken Groce’s wishes to heart.

“Anything I see that I feel needs to be pointed out, I’ll speak it out,” Hill said. “As a freshman, I would see things but stay quiet. (Now) if somebody does a good thing or messes up, I speak on it or give them a pat on the back. I didn’t really do that my first two years.”

Illini newcomer Mike Thorne noted that along with Nunn and Abrams, Hill was one of the team’s established leaders when he joined the squad last spring. Thorne credited those three for helping him learn the Illinois playbook and the nuances of the campus. That’s exactly the kind of influence Groce

is looking for out of his upperclassmen.

But despite Hill’s maturity on the floor, the fifthyear transfer from Charlotte has recognized that his younger roommate has some goofy tendencies.

“He’s a big kid,” Thorne said. “He plays Nintendo 64, I look at him, he’s playing Super Mario Brothers every day for hours outside of the basketball court.

In his free time he’s always playing video games, he has the humor of a kid, he’s just a big child. On the court he’s a man.”

Hill’s influence in the newcomer’s acclimation process wasn’t always squeaky clean.

“Malcolm’s a great roommate,” Thorne said, then broke into a grin. “But he’s a little dirty.”

Luckily for Hill, he might be able to afford a cleaning service in the near future. Draftexpress. com has him going as high as the No. 51 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, with two seasons of eligibility remaining to raise his stock. Former Flyin’ Illini Stephen Bardo told reporters at Big Ten Media Day that Hill is going to be a pro, and Groce agrees.

Groce sees the resemblance between Hill and Evan Turner, who he coached as an assistant at Ohio State.

Turner, currently a member of the Boston Celtics, could play any position on the floor as a Buckeye and is regarded for his size and versatility, even in the NBA. Even though Hill admits it’s hard to tune out NBA chatter, he brushes the discussion away. Again, he doesn’t want to be selfish, he says. He’s just worried about the team.

Somewhere along the path from anxious freshman to poised junior, Hill reached a state of supreme comfort and confidence both on and off the court.

He attributes a big part of his maturation simply to settling in at Illinois.

“To be honest, I think that’s why I’m playing really well right now,” Hill said of his comfort level. “I’m happy. I don’t really have any problems with anybody or anything. School’s going well.”

His mom even gets upset when he visits her and the rest of his family back home because he talks about Champaign like he grew up there.

“I tell her, ‘I’m about to go back home,’” Hill said.

“I don’t refer to Fairview Heights anymore. I refer to Champaign as home.”

With the season fast approaching, the just-turned20-year-old Hill gives the impression that the Illini’s fate is well within his control.

Despite the fact that the walls are already caving in around him in an avalanche of injuries, he holds firm when proclaiming that the Illini will weather the storm.

When Hill says the Illini will be fine, he says it like he believes it. He has to believe it. That unwavering confidence has helped get him to this point, far removed from that wide-eyed freshman lost in the halls on his first day of college.

roux2@dailyillini.com @aroux94

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

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8

Nunn fueled to begin leading Illinois

BY ELI SCHWADRON STAFF WRITER

It’s late October, about two weeks away from Illinois basketball’s regular-season opener, and junior shooting guard Kendrick Nunn is already cashing game-winners.

Not on the basketball court. On the pingpong table.

After mounting a four-point comeback, Nunn takes the lead by one point. We’re playing overtime rules, win-by-two. He’s holding the paddle his off-hand, because his left hand is in a cast due to a recent thumb injury.

“Game point,” he says. And then Nunn finishes the game like he finishes reverse layups in traffic.

It’s no surprise that Nunn’s competitive nature extends beyond basketball. His toughness and drive helped Simeon High School reach four straight state title games, helped USA Basketball win a gold medal at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championships and helped him land a starting shooting guard spot at Illinois.

Nunn said he spent the offseason fine-tuning his jump shot and ball handling. He said he studied game film to figure out which moves could’ve worked better in certain situations.

Nunn also emphasized the extra time he spent on strength and conditioning over the summer.

So it was a major blow when Nunn found out his thumb, which he injured during preseason practice, would require surgery to repair a ligament. He’s expected to miss at least the first month of the season.

The injury bug has hit the Illini hard as the team gears up for the season. Jalen ColemanLands suffered a stress fracture in his leg, Leron Black tore his meniscus and Tracy Abrams will miss the season with an Achilles injury.

But head coach John Groce said he isn’t too concerned about the rash of injuries plaguing the Illini. Players like Michael Finke, Aaron Jordan and Alex Austin will need to rise to the occasion.

“It’s the ‘next man up’ philosophy,” he said.

“It means increased opportunities and reps for other guys. When that door opens for those guys, we want them to sprint through that door and knock that door down.”

Nunn’s thumb predicament is the most recent addition to the unfortunate collection of Illinois injuries. But Nunn said he’s been taking his medication, and the prognosis is good – his thumb is feeling better every day.

And when he finally hits the floor as expected mid-to-late December, Nunn will look to assert himself as an offensive force in the Big Ten. He averaged 11.1 points per game as a sophomore in 2014-2015, but according to Groce, he’ll be asked to carry even more of the load as an upperclassman.

“The four guys in the junior class have basically played in every game,” Groce said. “My standards for (the juniors) are a lot different than for the newcomers. I want them to set a bar that’s really, really high.”

Nunn dropped 20-plus points in four games

last year, and he said he wants to become more consistent. “Sometimes I start the season off kind of slow, and then pick it up during Big Ten play and then towards the end of the season it dies down a little bit. So that’s one of my biggest goals. I just wanna stay consistent throughout all spurts of the season.”

He said he’s been getting advice from Rayvonte Rice, Illinois’ scoring leader last season at 16.5 per game, who now plays for Tezenis Verona in Italy’s Serie A2 league.

“Ray always told me that it’s kinda my team now, and I gotta bring that scoring, that offensive side to the game,” Nunn said. “He’s been telling me that since he’s been here, too.”

Rice isn’t the only former teammate Nunn looks to for words of wisdom. Nunn said he speaks with his old Simeon teammate, Jabari Parker, about once a week about basketball and life.

Though Nunn is a South Side, Chicago native and Bulls fan for life, he admitted that he instantly became a Milwaukee Bucks fan when they drafted Parker with the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Nunn said he and Parker have had a strong bond since high school and Parker is “like a brother” to him.

Simeon was recently in the news, because the Nike brand basketball program added a gigantic LeBron James logo on the outside of the school building. Nunn said he didn’t know what to think of the move, pondered for a bit, then he came to a conclusion.

“I think that’s disrespect to my man D-Rose,” he said. “I don’t know if it should be there. But at the same time you can’t say that, because D. Rose is with Adidas and Simeon’s a Nike school. So I can see how that happened.”

Rose, a fellow Simeon alum, also happens to be Nunn’s favorite NBA Player.

Nunn is one of three Simeon Wolverines on the Illinois roster — along with fellow guards Jaylon Tate and D.J. Williams. Groce said Simeon players bring a different level of motor to the program.

“The biggest thing is they have a competitive toughness about them,” Groce said. “And they’re used to working. Winning is important to them. Competing – whether it’s a drill, a practice, or a game – is important to them ... They get that maybe a little bit more than most. So they’re at an advantage with that.”

Groce added that the Simeon alumni are determined to represent the state of Illinois to the best of their abilities. “A lot of those guys take pride in playing at Illinois, for their state school, being from the city,” he said. “I know that’s important to Kendrick.”

The fourth-year Illinois coach also pinpointed Nunn and Malcolm Hill as vocal leaders for the upcoming season. It’s a transition that Nunn said hasn’t been the easiest.

“I wouldn’t say (becoming a vocal leader) was an easy challenge, but I’ve definitely been taking it as one of my things that I’ve been trying to get better at – having that energy level to the max during practice. Having guys more

PORTRAIT OF KENDRICK NUNN BY TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

focused and getting ready to play.”

“Me and Malcolm, being upperclassmen, we’ve been here playing the most minutes, and we’ve definitely been taking the leadership roles,” Nunn said. “Getting guys to do things the right way and learn good habits.”

Off the court, one of Nunn’s favorite hobbies is sneaker collecting. He said lately, he’s gotten into designer kicks such as Balenciagas and Pradas. But he also owns a wide variety of sought-after Jordan Retros. Among his favorites are the IXs, IVs and the VIIIs, the latter of which he saves for special occasions.

“I kinda keep the VIIIs hidden. I don’t like to bring ‘em out too much,” Nunn said.

When he’s not at practice, doing schoolwork or figuring out which sneakers to rock, Nunn likes to unwind by listening to music.

Drake, Future, Rick Ross, The Weeknd and PARTYNEXTDOOR are some of his favorite artists. His current go-to album is Drake and Future’s collaboration, “What A Time To Be Alive.”

Nunn is also likes to relax by playing video games including NBA 2K, FIFA and Madden.

And, of course, he’s always accepting challenges on the ping-pong table.

schwadr2@dailyillini.com @eschwad

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Tuesday, November 3, 2015

9

Injuries won’t stop freshman

BIRDS OF A

BY JOEY FIGUEROA STAFF WRITER

It has been four years since the Illinois men’s basketball team has finished in the top5 in the Big Ten in three-point shooting. Since head coach John Groce took over in 2012, two Illini — current juniors Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn — have posted top-20 three-point percentages in the Big Ten. The last time an Illini finished within the top-10 in three-point shooting was 2011.

Jalen Coleman-Lands is here to change that.

“He is a ridiculous shooter,” Groce said.

“He’s about as good as any freshman shooter I’ve recruited as a freshman coming in.”

Coleman-Lands is the highest-rated recruit Groce has secured since Greg Oden at Ohio State — when Groce was an assistant. He is a national consensus top-50 recruit and has been ranked as high as No. 33 in his class by 247Sports and ESPN. Along with fellow fourstar wings, D.J. Williams and Aaron Jordan, Cole-man-Lands’ commitment gave Illinois the second best recruiting class in the Big Ten, as well as a top-20 national ranking.

At La Lumiere High School, Coleman-Lands averaged nearly 15 points per game and shot a scorching 47 percent from downtown. He is widely considered to be the best shooter in his recruiting class, and his teammates have already taken notice.

“Over the summer when he first started playing, he was a straight lights-out shooter,” Nunn said. “That’s what I see in him. He works hard and he’s got a nice offensive game to him.”

In four of the last five seasons, the team that led the Big Ten in made threes has also been a top-5 scoring team in the conference.

The type of floor spacing Coleman-Lands can provide could potentially open up the Illinois offense, especially in the pick-and-roll sets Groce runs often. At 6-foot-3, ColemanLands possesses the ball-handling skills to get the Illini into their sets at the top of the key, as well as the length to see minutes in threeguard small ball lineups in which he can thrive as a cutter and spot-up shooter.

Groce likes his players to be able to play multiple positions, and Coleman-Lands’ versatility will be valuable to the constantly rotating Illinois lineups.

“We have guys that are learning multiple positions who have the ability from the basketball perspective to play small or play big to give you different looks within positions,” Groce said. “Our versatility is something that I really like about our team.”

Unfortunately, the prized combo guard hasn’t been able to confirm his hype right away.

Coleman-Lands kickstarted what has become a preseason full of injuries for the Illini when he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his leg in early July. His rehabilitation has gone smoothly, though, and after being cleared for gradually increasing amounts of basketball activity in the beginning of October, it isn’t too far-fetched that Coleman-Lands could be ready for the season opener.

“If he’s ready to go well before we play our first game, which we anticipate, awesome,”

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Groce said. “If he’s not, am I going to play a guys who’s hurt or injured? No. I’m stating the obvious, but believe me, I want him playing yesterday.”

Coleman-Lands didn’t see any time on the court during the ILLINI ALL-IN scrimmage a few weeks ago, but unlike his other injured teammates, Coleman-Lands was dressed to play. He has taken his time away from basketball in stride and has a refreshingly auspicious outlook on the experience.

“With basketball, you don’t really realize what it does for you and how much you love it until it’s taken away,” he said.

Coleman-Lands said he’s never missed this amount of time because of injury. Although he hasn’t been able to fully take part in team drills and scrimmages, he has been soaking in the system and has appreciated the bonds he’s already been able to make off the court.

A large part of that came during the Illini’s four-game stretch in Europe over the summer.

“I was thankful to go,” Coleman-Lands said.

“That was an experience I’ll never forget. I feel like I benefitted from it chemistry-wise and I got closer with my teammates.”

He may have to shake off some rust, but it appears Coleman-Lands will be ready to make an instant offensive impact for Illinois.

Along with Hill and Nunn — when he returns to health — Coleman-Lands will have a good chance to be the Illini’s third top-20 threepoint shooter in the Big Ten — or even better.

With his undying positivity intact throughout a bumpy offseason, Coleman-Lands believes he and his fellow newcomers can bring some stability to a program that sorely needs it.

“I like the guys coming in,” Coleman-Lands said. “I feel like they’ll be a tremendous help to our success and winning. It’ll be a good year.”

jfiguer2@dailyillini.com

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Tuesday, November 3, 2015

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10

Finke ready to impress after sitting out last season

BY JOEY FIGUEROA STAFF WRITER

As the old saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. For the Illinois men’s basketball team, roster upheaval has swung plenty of doors wide open.

By now, it’s no secret that Illinois is banged up. Following a 2014-2015 season ravaged by injuries — players combined to miss a total of 80 games — this year’s preseason has been no different.

Sophomore forward Leron Black will miss the first few weeks of the season with a torn meniscus that he may have been playing on for a while. Junior guard Kendrick Nunn had surgery on his thumb and isn’t expected back until the end of November. Prized recruit Jalen Coleman-Lands has yet to fully participate with the team because of a stress fracture in his leg.

And perhaps the most unfortunate of all, senior guard Tracy Abrams suffered his second consecutive season-ending injury with a torn achilles in July.

Illinois will likely be without three of their five projected starters to begin the season. Junior for-

ward Malcolm Hill was the lone man representing his team at this year’s Big Ten Media Day and wasn’t too opposed to the idea of wrapping his often-injured teammates in bubble wrap.

“We need to fi nd something, because this is getting ridiculous,” Hill said. “We’re not going to hang our heads or be sad about it, it’s the next man up. If we hang our heads, that’s when we’re defeated.

It’s just a challenge we have to face, and I’m happy it happening before the season.”

“Next man up” has been the Illini’s preseason mantra, and head coach John Groce wants the next man to blow those open doors off their hinges.

“We can control what we can control,” Groce said. “It means increased opportunities and reps for other guys, and when that door opens for those guys, you want to sprint through that door and knock that door down. That’s all you can do.”

Heading into his fourth year at Illinois, Groce has overseen a drastic roster overturn and has plenty of young, intriguing pieces ready

to step up.

The 6-foot-11, 270-pound gorilla in the room is graduate-transfer from Charlotte, Mike Thorne Jr., who has only impressed and is expected to step right into the starting center spot. However, it was redshirt-freshman Michael Finke whom Groce raved about when asked about Illinois’ front court depth.

“He’s stronger, he weighs more, he’s more skilled, he’s become an even better shooter, and he can really pass” Groce said. “He poses matchup problems offensively and is really working hard to become a better defender and impact the game on the backboard with his size.”

Finke played a good portion of his minutes alongside Thorne during the ILLINI ALL-IN scrimmage, and their respective games seem to complement each other well. Finke fi nished the scrimmage with 12 points, five boards and two assists.

Former Illini Nnana Egwu made a surprise appearance at the scrimmage to show some support for his old teammates and noticed Finke’s improvement right away.

“He’s gotten a lot better,” Egwu said. “I was here the whole year when he working his freshman year, and he really worked hard to improve his game. One thing I did notice is how much he talked. He’s talking a lot more, he’s more vocal out there defensively, and I heard that a lot.”

Finke averaged close to 20 points and nine rebounds during his senior year at Champaign Centennial High School and was named to the Class 3A All-State first team by the Associated Press. Despite redshirting all of last season, he was dubbed Illinois’ most improved player and said the year on the sidelines led to his development.

“It helped a ton,” Finke said. “It was tough at times, obviously, not being able to be out there when you go from high school playing every minute to not playing a single second. But going against Nnana every day and even just watching him and learning from him was an amazing opportunity.”

As a player who possesses an all-around, dynamic game, Finke points to his passing vision as an underrated aspect of what he can

PORTRAIT OF MICHAEL FINKE BY TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

bring to the table.

Grace needs his redshirt freshman to step up and thinks Finke is up the challenge.

“He’s a completely different player than he was last year at this time.”

jfiguer2@dailyillini.com @joeyfigueroa3

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Tuesday, November 3, 2015

11

Bollant wants his voice to be louder than ever this season

BY JOHN JOFFE STAFF WRITER

While Matt Bollant is about to start his fourth straight season heading the Illinois women’s basketball team, top-to-bottom, he anticipates the dynamic of the team’s leadership will be different this season.

In the midst of player mistreatment allegations surrounding his team — resulting in the departure of Bollant’s top assistant, Mike Divilbiss — Bollant finds himself with a retooled roster and the need for change.

The change, for Bollant, starts at the top. In the past, the Illini coach has allowed his assistants — especially Divilbiss — to have the largest voice from time to time. There was no clear leader on the sidelines. That will no longer be the case, according to the head coach.

“Moving forward, it’s going to be my voice, which if anybody knows me, I’m really positive, upbeat and optimistic,” Bollant said to reporters during Illinois basketball media day.

“That’s how our players are going to play, and they’re going to have great belief in themselves and one another, and a great belief in our staff.”

In the spring, Bollant led all of the workouts with players and claims that they were “off-the-charts good.”

The coach pointed to the progression of star center Chatrice White, who went from initially not having a workout with USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Championship team, to making the team and having a significant impact on the court.

“We’re definitely hearing coach Bollant more vocal in practice,” White said. “It’s definitely more his, as well as our program this year, and we’re really excited about that.”

In addition to the spring workouts, Bollant met with the players he hopes will lead his team. In the meeting, the coach laid out the foundation of leadership that he expects from here on out.

The coach told his players that great teams hold each other accountable when they make mistakes. But Bollant foresees the Illini’s onthe-court performance this season will also be a direct reflection of his personality. For those that are unfamiliar with the coach’s demeanor, he provides a moment of self-description.

“Anybody that knows me knows

that I am extremely optimistic,” Bollant said. “I get up every day excited to go to work, excited about life.”

That is exactly the mindset that the fourth-year coach wants his players to have. He wants them to have fun and live in the moment and establish mutual trust.

It all starts at the top, with their coach.

Bollant already sees that trust developing in his players, and says that it has affected on-court performances during the spring.

“I was talking to (redshirt senior) Kyley (Simmons), and she was shooting the ball so well, and she said ‘Why do you think? Because we know that you believe in us. We know that you think we can be great,’ and that is starting to transfer to all of the players,” Bollant said.

Bollant is the Illini’s dominant voice, and for that reason, it’s his vision that his team will be looser, without tension.

Again, Bollant shared a bit about himself.

“I think when I’m angry, I’m slow to speak, which is a really good quality, because sometimes when you’re angry, you don’t say the right

things,” he said. “In four years here, I don’t think you’d ask any player ‘Did coach Bollant ever say something that was out of line, over the top?’ They’d say no.”

Simmons elaborated on this topic, and explained that the players react to Bollant as they would to a stern father figure. While Bollant holds his team accountable, he does not yell when mistakes are made; the coach just gives his players “that look.”

“Every coach is different, and coach Bollant is a very positive coach,” Simmons said. “He lets you figure out the wrong before he says it.

For Simmons, that means everything for a player. She is a big fan of the freedom that Bollant gives her and the rest her team, and loves how she can get mad at herself and correct mistakes before her coach interjects.

And there’s no doubting Bollant’s spirits are high.

He feels that he has one of the best post players in the country in Chatrice White, along with three freshman — Alex Wittinger, Cierra Rice, and Jaelyne Kirkpatrick – who had strong showings during the team’s

PORTRAIT OF MATT BOLLANT BY TYLER COURTNEY THE DAILY ILLINI

summer trip to France.

“You know, I have a great job. I’m the head coach at Illinois,” Bollant said. “I get to coach kids that are passionate about the game of basketball, kids that do it the right way. Our cultures and our practice ethics are strong as they’ve ever been, and so it’s an exciting time to be an Illini.”

joffe2@dailyillini.com @Jonny_Joffe

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Preview Illinois

Head Coach: John Groce Record: 19-14, 9-9 Big Ten Postseason Finish: Lost in first round of NIT Key Rayvonte Rice, Nnanna Returners: Egwu, Tracy Abrams Malcolm Hill, (injury: torn achilles) Kendrick Nunn Mike Thorne Jr., Jalen Coleman-Lands Analysis: The Illini lost two starters — Rice and Egwu — to graduation but return their second and third top scorers in Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn, respectively. Groce’s team will rely mostly on its young talent to carry out the season.

Penn State

BY LAUREN MROZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Iowa

Head Coach: Fran McCaffery Record: 22-12, 12-6 Big Ten Postseason Finish: Lost in round of 32 Aaron White, Key Returners: Gabriel Olaseni Mike Gesell, Andrew Fleming, Aaron White, Brandon Hutton Adam Woodbury Analysis: The Hawkeyes are returning four of last year’s starters, including Jarrod Uthoff, who was the only player in the nation to register more than 50 blocks, 50 3-pointers and 35 steals last year.

Michigan State

Head Coach: Tom Izzo Record: 27-12, 12-6 Big Ten Head Coach: Pat Chambers Postseason Finish: Lost in Final Four Key Returners: Record: 18-16, 4-14 Big Ten Branden Dawson, Denzel Valentine, Postseason Finish: N/A Travis Trice John Johnson, Key Returners: Lourawls Nairn Eron Harris, D.J. Newbill Brandon Taylor, Deyonta Davis Josh Reaves, Shep Garner Analysis: The Spartans lost only two players Mike Watkins, this offseason but they were two major Analysis: Penn State will look to freshman components: Branden Dawson and Travis Josh Reeves to make an impact in scoring Trice. The Spartans still have senior leader that the Nittany Lions are in desperate need of Denzel Washington and this year they will add with D.J. Newbill gone to graduation.

Deyonta Davis, who should add depth to the low post.

Maryland

Head Coach: Mark Turgeon Record: 28-7, 15-4 Big Ten Postseason Finish: Lost in round of 32 Key Dez Wells, Evan Returners: Smotrycz Melo Trimble, Diamond Stone, Jake Layman Rasheed Sulaimon Analysis: Maryland is the Big Ten team to watch this year with little argument. Not only is it returning one of the best guards in the country in Melo Trimble, but the Terps are adding the No. 6 2015 recruit in Diamond Stone. Rasheed Sulaimon will be eligible after he was dismissed from the Duke midway through the 2014-2015 season.

Rutgers

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12

Ohio State

Head Coach: Thad Matta Record: 24-11, 11-7 Big Ten Postseason Finish: Lost in round of 32 Key Amir Williams, Shannon Returners: Scott, D’Angelo Russell Jae’Sean Tate, Jaquan Lyle, A.J. Harris Marc Loving Analysis: The Buckeyes might seem to have lost a lot when D’Angelo Russell went to the NBA. But Thad Matta’s team is not starting over. Russell’s show-stopping performance in the 2014-2015 season overshadowed some of his teammates talent — like that of Keita Bates-Diop and Jae-Sean Tate.

Head Coach: Eddie Jordan Key Returners: Greg Kadeem Jack, Myles Mack Record: 10-22, 2-16 Big Ten Lewis, Bishop Daniels Ibrahima Diallo, Deshawn Freeman, Postseason Finish: N/A Justin Goode Analysis: The Scarlet Knights are looking for any sort of improvement they can get. Eddie Jordan’s team looks to do so with the talent it added in the offseason. Deshawn Freeman transferred from junior college and will start at forward.

Big Ten is set to come back strong after successful campaign; Maryland enters season as favorite

Michigan

Head Coach: John Beilein Record: 16-16, 8-10 Big Ten Postseason Finish: N/A Max Bielfeldt Key Returners: Caris Moritz Wagner LeVert, Zak Irvin Analysis: Michigan did not lose much in the offseason but gained two key players back.

Senior Caris LeVert and junior Derrick Walton Jr. return to the Wolverines’ lineup after they were each sidelined last year with seasonending foot injuries.

Minnesota Head Coach: Richard Pitino Record: 18-15, 6-12 Big Ten Postseason Finish: N/A DeAndre Mathieu, Andre Key Returners: Hollins Joey King, Kevin Dorsey, Ahmad Bakary Konate Gilbert, Darin Haugh Analysis: The success of the Gophers’ year will likely depend on what kind of season Bakery Konate can produce. The 6-foot-11 sophomore is the only player on the team above 6-foot-9 and is the anchor in terms of Minnesota’s success.

Northwestern Head Coach: Chris Collins Record: 15-7, 6-12 Big Ten Postseason Finish: N/A Key Jershon Cobb, Returners: Johnnie Vassar Tre Demps, Joey van Zegeren, Alex Olah Aaron Falzon Analysis: Though the 2014-2015 season brought little to be desired in Evanston, this season could spark hope for Collins’ team.

The Wildcats return their entire starting lineup and add another talented recruiting class.

Don’t count Northwestern out too early this year.

Wisconsin

Indiana Head Coach: Tom Crean Record: 20-14, 9-9 Big Ten Postseason Finish: Lost in round of 64 Stanford Robinson, Key Returners: Max Hoetzel Yogi Ferrell, Max Bielfeldt, Thomas James Bryant Blackmon, Jr. Analysis: With the added experience of a year in college, James Blackmon Jr. is bound to have a breakout season this year. Add the experience and leadership of Yogi Ferrell and the Hoosiers are likely headed back to the top half of the Big Ten standings.

Nebraska Head Coach: Tim Miles Record: 13-18, 5-14 Big Ten Postseason Finish: N/A Key Walter Pitchford, Terran Returners: Petteway Shavon Ed Morrow, Jack Shields, Tai McVeigh, Michael Webster Jacobson Analysis: Andrew White is eligible to play for the Cornhuskers this year, which is going to be huge for Nebraska. The Kansas transfer should pick up a good amount of rebounds.

The Huskers will miss Terran Petteway, who led the team in scoring the last two seasons.

Purdue

Head Coach: Matt Painter Record: 21-13, 12-6 Big Ten Postseason Finish: Lost in round of 64 Key Returners: Jon Octeus, A.J. Hammons, Bryson Scott Raphael Davis Caleb Swanigan, Ryan Cline Analysis: During the offseason, Matt Painter picked up Caleb Swangian, a top-15 national recruit who originally committed to Michigan State. Swanigan alongside 7-footers A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas sets up a highly competitive backcourt for the Boilermakers.

Traveon Jackson, Sam Head Coach: Bo Ryan Key Returners: Dekker, Frank Kaminsky Record: 37-4, 16-1 Big Ten Nigel Hayes, Alex Illikainen, Brevin Pritzl Postseason Finish: Lost in National Bronson Koenig Championship Analysis: The Badgers are not going to be the same dominant team that they were last year before losing to Duke in the National Championship. Kaminsky (18.8), Dekker (13.9) and Hayes (12.4) were the only players to average double-figures for Wisconsin last year and were the top rebounders for the team.