Former high school teammates Deron Williams of Illinois and Bracey Wright of IU have careers progressing in remarkably similar fashions. The pair are both juniors and both starting guards in the Big Ten. \nWhen the media announced its preseason All Big Ten team, both were members in the guard position. But one thing they don't have in common is their respective team's expectations -- Illinois is picked to win the Big Ten and compete for a national championship while the Hoosiers aren't expected to do much.\nWilliams, who sat one table away from Wright at Big Ten Media Day, said they still keep in touch.\n"Oh it's great," Williams said. "I talk to him every once in a while on the phone to catch up on some old times. We were talking in there in the meeting room."\nWilliams and Illinois are loaded with preseason expectations. Picked No. 1 in Lindy's Preseason Poll, Illinois boasts a bevy of returning starters including guard Dee Brown, center Nick Smith, and forward Roger Powell Jr.\nWilliams, who was named Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, said the team is taking on the expectations head on.\n"Go out there and play. Perform, meet them," Williams said. "That's it. We've got a lot of expectations on us this preseason. I think we're ready to step up and meet the challenges. I want to win a Big Ten championship and hopefully make it to St. Louis."\n \nMichigan State\nSeniors Chris Hill, Alan Anderson, and Kelvin Torbert return along with All Big Ten center Paul Davis to lead Michigan State. The veteran Spartans coached by Tom Izzo hope to get back to their roots by focusing on defense and rebounding in 2004, Anderson said.\n"Everyday, we don't go a day without emphasizing defense, rebounding," Anderson said. "When we get back to that, the sky is the limit."\nThe Spartans boast a tough non-conference schedule, but most of all circle Duke on their schedules. The Blue Devils pasted MSU 72-50 last season.\nMSU added a key addition to their team during the offseason with the signing of highly regarded point guard Drew Neitzel.\nAnderson said Neitzel has got a lot of responsibility.\n"You've got to know a lot," Anderson said. "We try to help him to the best of our ability, but we just know he's so smart and knows the game so good."
Wisconsin\nThe Badgers won the Big Ten tournament last season behind departed point guard Devin Harris. This year, Wisconsin returns big man Mike Wilkinson to lead the team, but Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said the team doesn't talk about replacing a player, they talk about opportunities that a player departure creates.\n"We will have two or three guys play at the one spot," Ryan said. "You like to have your guards interchangeable when possible, but you really like to have a guy run the floor and become a leader everyone rallies around."
Michigan\nAfter last season's 23-11 record that ended with the Wolverines winning the NIT in New York, coach Tommy Amaker returns for his fourth year in Ann Arbor with their eyes on big things. The team is also rebuilding after probation riddled the program prior to last season.\n"We are very optimistic and hopeful," Amaker said. "Those are two great words to have, whether it is in life or in basketball. We are very proud of what we have gone through to revamp."\nThe Wolverines return a talented group of players including junior guard Daniel Horton and sophomore Dion Harris as well as frontcourt players Courtney Sims, Lester Abram and Graham Brown.
Northwestern\nWildcat coach Bill Carmody returns a talented team to Evanston, Ill., this year. The former Princeton coach boasts returnees Vedran Vukusic and T.J. Parker to lead the Wildcats heading into the upcoming season.\nExpectations are higher this year in Evanston than they've been in a long time, Carmody said, and there is pressure to one-up last year's 8-8 record in the Big Ten.
Iowa\nFormer IU player Steve Alford is feeling a little hot in Iowa City, and it's not from the weather. Alford has been mentioned to be on the proverbially hot seat coming into his sixth year at Iowa.\nThe Hawkeyes finished 16-13 overall last season and 7-9 in the Big Ten. Iowa features strong leadership from its three captains in Pierre Pierce, Jeff Horner and Greg Brunner.
Purdue\nIt has been a long road for Gene Keady in his 25th and final season as the Boilermakers head coach. Keady will be replaced after this season by associate head coach Matt Painter.\nKeady said he'll miss a lot of things after this season.\n"I am going to miss going on the road and trying to win in front of an opposing crowd," Keady said. "I am going to miss the challenge of winning and I am going to miss practice and working with my players."\nThe departing coach is the last of the legacy of Big Ten coaches that included IU's Bobby Knight Michigan State's Jud Heathcoat and Illinois' Lou Henson.
Ohio State\nThere's a new face on Ohio State basketball and it's in the form of head coach Thad Matta. Matta traveled north from Cincinnati and Xavier to take over the reigns in Columbus. \nMatta will hope to get the Buckeyes back to the NCAA tournament in 2004 behind power forward Terence Dials and swingman J.J. Sullinger.
\nMinnesota\nAfter the departure of Kris Humphries to the NBA, the Golden Gophers look to be a little shorthanded this season. \nGopher coach Dan Monson is concerned more with forming a foundation than wins and losses.\n"I think a successful season for us would be for us to get better and better each game this season," Monson said.
Penn State\nNittany Lions fans shouldn't hope their football pains to go away during basketball season. Jan Jagla and Marlon Smith tied for the team lead in scoring last season, but only Smith returns this season.\n"We only have three seniors and honestly, none of them have a lot of minutes," DeChellis said. "We need those guys to step up and throughout their careers they just have not been in the position to play a great deal of minutes."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
