Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Updated way-too-early rankings after the NBA Draft

By Lukas Harkins

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 04: The Michigan Wolverines celebrate after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-66 during the championship game of the Big 10 Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 4, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 04: The Michigan Wolverines celebrate after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-66 during the championship game of the Big 10 Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 4, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 31: Stevens #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 31: Stevens #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Penn State was solid last season. No doubt about it. If the Big Ten had been any better overall, it’s possible that the Nittany Lions could have reached the NCAA Tournament. However, they just did not have a strong enough resume to achieve that goal. In the NIT, though, Penn State showed just how talented they were by running through the competition and taking the title. Heading into 2018-19, though, it will be hard to repeat that same level of success. For starters, the Big Ten will be more difficult from top to bottom and reaching the 9-9 record they notched last year will be a challenge.

This gets even more difficult when you consider that the Nittany Lions lost their star player in Tony Carr to the NBA this offseason. The do-it-all guard averaged 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game last season and was the focal point of the team. In addition, third-leading scorer Shep Garner is graduating, leaving another major hole.

Still, there is enough talent on this roster to compete for an NCAA Tournament bid. Most notably, rising junior Lamar Stevens can step up as the go-to-guy this time around. At 6-foot-8, he is a dangerous scorer with the ball in his hands. A year ago, the forward averaged 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. In addition, big man Mike Watkins (12.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks) and wing Josh Reaves (10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 steals) are also returning. This trio will lead the way for head coach Pat Chambers and reaching the NCAA Tournament is an attainable goal.

Penn State is also bringing in the No. 53 recruiting class in the nation.

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