Graduation hurts top Big Ten teams

INDIANAPOLIS -- After a season that saw the women's Big Ten place six teams into the NCAA tournament, and Minnesota into the championship game, the conference is looking to repeat the results. It is hoping the ultimate reward will be a trip to the Final Four in the heart of Big Ten country -- Indianapolis. \nThe coaches and media differed on who would come out on top during conference play this season. The media picked Purdue and the coaches picking Ohio State. \nThe Buckeyes return four starters from a team that finished third in the conference while advancing to the NCAA tournament.\nLeading in the low post for Ohio State is 6-foot-4 sophomore center Jessica Davenport. Davenport averaged 12.5 points per game, nearly six rebounds and 2.6 blocks per contest.\nThe Buckeyes won't just rely on Davenport to lead the Big Ten's best shooting team as they return three guards from last year's 21-10 team -- including senior Caity Matter, who finished the 2003-2004 season as a member of the All Big Ten second team.\nDespite being tabbed as the favorite, Buckeyes' coach Jim Foster said he feels that this team is a work in progress.\n"I think we will be evolving until we start conference play, and we will have a better understanding and an idea of who we are then," Foster said. "I think Jessica (Davenport) is one of the pieces of our puzzle, I think she is an integral piece, I can see her continuing to evolve into a good player."\nThe other preseason pick -- Purdue -- returns only one starter, but many bench players that saw extensive playing time during the Boilermakers run to the Sweet Sixteen last season.\nSophomore Katie Geralds will provide the spark to get Purdue going. Last season's Big Ten freshman of the year could be forced to play the point guard position after playing most of last season as a two-guard.\nGeralds said being named to the All Big Ten first team was a surprise, but her goal and the rest of the Big Ten's is to get back to where it all started -- Indianapolis, her hometown.\n"Getting to the Sweet 16 isn't good enough. I know for myself I want to get to Indianapolis," Geralds said.\nBoilermakers coach Kristy Curry knows she will have her hands full with more than just conference foes this season because of five incoming freshman, she said. \n"With five freshmen every day is so different. We have the chance to be as good as we want to be or as bad as we want to be," Curry said. "They will have to come in and contribute right away, early and often."\nCurry said she thinks that the upper half of the conference has the ability to get to Final Four, including Michigan State.\nSpartans coach Joanne McCallie returns all five starters from last year -- a team that tied for fourth in the Big Ten and advanced to the field of 64. \nWith a roster that is filled with mostly freshmen and sophomores, nothing is guaranteed this season, McCallie said.\n"Just because you were a starter last year doesn't mean you are a starter this year," McCallie said. "We are excited, but we have to start all over again. You can't take the chemistry of last year's team and stamp it on this year's team."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.