The Big Ten is undergoing significant changes for the upcoming 2024-25 college basketball season, with the addition of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington to the league. These new West Coast-based programs will bring the total number of teams in the conference to 18, making it one of the largest power conferences in the nation alongside the ACC. Due to this expansion, the upcoming Big Ten Tournament will feature a 15-team bracket, leaving out the bottom three teams from the regular-season standings.
Purdue, led by Braden Smith, the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, is expected to be a strong contender for the conference title, narrowly edging out UCLA. Despite reaching the NCAA Tournament title game last season, Purdue fell short to UConn, extending the Big Ten’s national title drought to 24 years. The last program from the Big Ten to win a national championship was Michigan State in 2000.
While Purdue is favored to win the regular-season title for the third year in a row, other teams like Indiana, UCLA, and Illinois are also popular picks to finish at the top of the standings. The conference is wide open, and there is a possibility of seeing double-digit bids to the NCAA Tournament due to the expected parity in the newly expanded league.
In addition to Braden Smith, who is expected to play a significant role for Purdue after the departure of Zach Edey to the NBA, there are other standout players to watch in the Big Ten. Dylan Harper from Rutgers is the Big Ten Preseason Freshman of the Year, bringing high expectations to the program. Rutgers also boasts Ace Bailey, another top freshman, adding depth and talent to the team.
Washington’s Great Osobor, Indiana’s Myles Rice, and UCLA’s Kobe Johnson are also players to keep an eye on in the upcoming season. These players bring a mix of experience, talent, and potential that could impact their respective teams’ success in the Big Ten.
As experts predict the order of finish in the Big Ten, Purdue remains a strong favorite, but the conference’s unpredictability leaves room for surprises. With the influx of new teams and talent, the 2024-25 season promises to be an exciting and competitive one in the Big Ten, with teams vying for the conference title and a chance to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The addition of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington to the Big Ten brings a fresh dynamic to the conference, setting the stage for a season filled with intense competition and thrilling matchups. Fans can expect to see a new era of Big Ten basketball unfold, with teams and players looking to make their mark on the national stage.
