Big Ten Basketball Preview: Michigan State Leads an Intriguing Set of Conference Contenders

Posted Nov 4, 2018
This year, the Big Ten is short on elite preseason contenders—the closest is Michigan State, which will probably start the year just inside or on the fringe of the top 10 nationally—but has the potential to be notably deeper. That could be an overall advantage for the league, which saw Nebraska go 13–5 in Big Ten play and win 22 games overall last year and yet not make the Big Dance. (Sports Illustrated)

Related: Other News

Justin Gainey vows to make toughness the foundation of NC State basketball reset
Several weeks of emotional whiplash for NC State men's basketball have steadied, thanks to a familiar figure. Justin Gainey was a dependable starter in Raleigh...
Tue Apr 7, 2026

‘A wizard in the portal’: Elliot Cadeau guides Michigan to a National Championship
As is his philosophy, Dusty May focused on the upside. The passing, the vision, the play-making. He knew Elliot Cadeau’s shrewdness could unlock what he...
Tue Apr 7, 2026

DeCourcy: As retirement from Sporting News approaches, here's my Top 10 Final Four memories
This week’s trip to Indianapolis will be the 30th I’ve worked for America’s oldest sports publication. It will be the last for me as a...
Mon Apr 6, 2026

'One Shining Moment': How the iconic song became the theme to the NCAA tournament highlight montage
David Barrett's inspiration for the song that has become the anthem for the NCAA tournament was a beautiful waitress, a clumsy pick-up attempt, and the...
Sun Apr 5, 2026