Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: 5 questions facing the conference for 2018-19

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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BOSTON, MA – MARCH 23: Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 23: Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

How will powers Purdue and Ohio State perform?

Purdue and Ohio State have been two of the best programs in the Big Ten for the last several years. Yet, as we head into this upcoming season, both teams will need to replace a ton of talent and that is definitely easier said than done. I am still not going to be the one to count either of these programs out, though, so I think that both will somehow find a way to make the NCAA Tournament.

In regards to Purdue, there might not be a better returning player in the country than Carsen Edwards. An all-around stud, the junior guard projects as a preseason All-American that might be able to single-handedly carry the team to the postseason. During this past season, Edwards averaged 18.5 points per game while shooting 40.6% from beyond the 3-point arc. The team also returns a few under-the-radar contributors including towering center Matt Haarms, who might be the next in a long line of successful Purdue big men.

Ohio State, on the other hand, will not have the luxury of bringing back its star player. Keita Bates-Diop is no longer with the program and therefore the Buckeyes will need to replace one of the best players in the conference. Still, head coach Chris Holtmann has put together another solid roster and he is already arguably a top-tier coach in the nation. Taken together, one can put together a strong argument that Ohio State will go dancing once again.

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