Big Ten Basketball: One big question for every team entering 2019-20
By Jacob Shames
Northwestern: Can Pete Nance and Miller Kopp take the reins?
The Wildcats finished last in the Big Ten last season and lost their top three scorers to graduation. Even as the conference undergoes a sea change, they’ll be confined to the cellar for the time being. But if they’re to escape sometime during the next couple years, Nance and Kopp will be two of the biggest reasons why.
Both were four-star recruits last season, elite for a program of Northwestern’s standing (Nance, the son of NBA stud Larry Nance, was the highest-rated signee in program history). Both fit the modern game perfectly — Nance with his lanky 6’10 frame and inside-outside skillset, and the 6’7 Kopp with his shooting and range on the wing.
While neither Nance or Kopp made much impact last year, it’s all about the potential in Evanston. The ‘Cats won’t contend for anything this season, so it would serve Chris Collins well to jump-start the future and let his potential cornerstones gain experience. If one or both Nance or Kopp makes a sophomore jump, it’d put Northwestern in an encouraging position entering 2020-2021.
Nebraska: Can Fred Hoiberg start building a winner?
The Tim Miles era ended last season after the Huskers, who returned five starters from a 22-win squad, failed to live up to high expectations. The current roster looks almost completely different from the team that took the floor last year. New coach Fred Hoiberg has a chance to build the program his way, and that’s a good thing.
“The Mayor” had massive success at Iowa State with his pace-and-space offense, reviving a program mired in a similarly sluggish state as Nebraska is in now. That offense got Hoiberg hired by the Chicago Bulls, but he never got a chance to implement it fully due to clunky rosters with little shooting.
Back in the Midwest, back in college ball and free of the Bulls’ organizational dysfunction, Hoiberg has already started to fill his roster with players that fit his system, as transfers Haanif Cheatham (36.7 career 3-point percentage), Shamiel Stevenson (39.0) and Matej Kavas (44.7) team with prized JUCO recruits Cam Mack and Jervay Green. The stage has been set in Lincoln for Hoiberg’s success — now it’s up to him to make it happen.
Rutgers: Will the Scarlet Knights modernize their offense?
Last year was Rutgers’ best as members of the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights weren’t good, but they won seven conference games and sent the message that they weren’t to be taken lightly.
That’s not to say they looked good doing it. Rutgers was 285th in the country on 2-pointers, 312th on threes and 341st at the line. If the Knights, the country’s sixth-tallest team, needed points, they got them by mucking things up down low and getting the ball to big man Eugene Omoruyi.
Omoruyi’s gone now, having transferred to Oregon. Seven-footer Shaquille Doorson is also gone. This means the Scarlet Knights might need to carve out a more creative offensive identity with a backcourt that might run eight-deep. Montez Mathis, Ron Harper Jr., Caleb McConnell and Peter Kiss all have potential, while freshman Paul Mulcahy might be the point guard of the future. Texas transfer Jacob Young and Stony Brook transfer Akwasi Yeboah will chip in, too, which should help leading returner Geo Baker improve his efficiency.
A more versatile offense with multiple perimeter playmakers might allow Steve Pikiell to guide his Knights to new heights, despite the loss of their best player a season ago.