An Illustration Of Improvement

As I mentioned last night, no confernece has done more for their national reputation than the Big Ten. People will look at their struggles in football and slow pace in basketball as a measuring stick for how well they do, but it isn't very fair in my mind. Check this out:

This is a list of every team with their record last year compared to this year. It shows how much the conference has improved, from top to bottom:

Illinois
2008 Record: 16-19
2009 Record: 24-10
Synopsis: After a horrible 2008 season, the Fighting Illini bounced back in a big way this season, returning to the NCAA Tournament where they were a permanent fixture the few years prior. Bruce Weber reorganized things with tremendous sophomore seasons from Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and Demetri McCamey.
2010 Outlook: Good.

Indiana
2008 Record: 25-8
2009 Record: 6-25
Synopsis: Polar opposites for the Hoosiers this season compared to 2008, but it wasn't anything that wasn't expected. Everybody expected Indiana to undergo a total facelift and that's what happened. Nearly every player left off that 2008 season and first-year head coach Tom Crean was essentially dealing with very little talent. And I don't think there's any doubt that Indiana will be back before long.
2010 Outlook: Promising.

Iowa
2008 Record: 13-19
2009 Record: 15-17
Synopsis: The Hawkeyes continue to take little steps towards improving under second year head coach Todd Lickliter. Though the departure of four players stings a bit, Lickliter will finally have a roster full of "his players" in 2010, and expectations should be higher.
2010 Outlook: Slow but steady.

Michigan
2008 Record: 10-22
2009 Record: 21-14
Synopsis: Michigan rode the Manny Harris-DeShawn Sims connection to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998 and won their first game before eventually falling in the second round to Oklahoma. They don't really lose much, but if Harris and Sims stick around, a repeat in 2010 is very possible.
2010 Outlook: Good.

Michigan State
2008 Record: 27-9
2009 Record: 31-7
Synopsis: Michigan State made it all the way to March's biggest stage despite losing in the title game to North Carolina. They've established themselves as the cream of the crop in the Big Ten and that doesn't figure to change as long as Tom Izzo is at the helm.
2010 Outlook: Great.

Minnesota
2008 Record: 20-14
2009 Record: 22-11
Synopsis: Tubby Smith has things rolling in Minneapolis. In his first two years, he's won at least 20 games but is still finding players to fit his system. He may have some answers coming in next fall with McDonald's All American forward Royce White of Hopkins, MN, coming in. Very high ceiling for the Golden Gophers in 2010.
2010 Outlook: Great.

Northwestern
2008 Record: 8-22
2009 Record: 17-14
Synopsis: Like the other state school in the Big Ten (Illinois), Northwestern bounced back in 2009 to have a pretty solid season. They beat Michigan State on the road (remember that?) and showed that they've got some decent talent waiting in the wings. Northwestern has never been to an NCAA Tournament and has been just average in the Bill Carmody era. Don't expect that to change.
2010 Outlook: Average.

Ohio State
2008 Record: 24-13
2009 Record: 22-11
Synopsis: You know Thad Matta has won more than 20 games in every season as a head coach? That's a dominating statistic and throw in his tireless recruiting habits, Ohio State has it made for the next couple of years. Evan Turner exploded onto the national scene this year and will toss and turn about going pro, as will guard William Buford and big B.J. Mullens. The Buckeyes don't have any major losses, but if those three return, Ohio State can be a special team. Don't forget guard David Lighty, who got a medical redshirt this year after breaking his foot early.
2010 Outlook: Excellent.

Penn State
2008 Record: 15-16
2009 Record: 27-11
Synopsis: No team improved more in a span of one season than Penn State did and they topped it off with an NIT Championship last week in Madison Square Garden. Whether Penn State keeps this form next year is another question after losses of Jamelle Cornley, Stanley Pringle and Danny Morrisey to graduation.
2010 Outlook: Unknown.

Purdue
2008 Record: 25-9
2009 Record: 27-10
Synopsis: Purdue is another one of those teams that is proving that they belong at the top. They've made three straight NCAA Tournaments and won the Big Ten Tournament last month. They essentially don't lose anyone either, as their top six scorers are slated to return. There have been whispers around West Lafayette, though, that E'Twaun Moore is thinking of playing overseas, but JaJaun Johnson has assured Boilermaker fans he will return after a breakout season this year.
2010 Outlook: Great.

Wisconsin
2008 Record: 31-5
2009 Record: 20-13
Synopsis: Nobody does more with less than Bo Ryan. Every year, you think Wisconsin might regress and fall into mediocrity, but every year they surprise. He gets exactly what he wants out of his players and they execute better than any team in the conference. I'm done doubting his coaching. However, they lose Joe Krabbenhoft and Marcus Landry, but they've got capable bigs waiting in the wings.
2010 Outlook: Average.

NOTES
- The Big Ten, as a conference, won 18 more games this year than last. They also had the second-best RPI in the country.
- Seven teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament, tied for most in college basketball from one conference.
- Penn State won the NIT, marking the second year in a row a Big Ten team as won the event (Ohio State won last year).
- The first team all-Big Ten were all sophomores (Talor Battle, Evan Turner, Manny Harris, Kalin Lucas, JaJuan Johnson).
- Michigan State made the Final Four for the fifth time this decade and beat the Big East's two best teams (Connecticut, Louisville).
- The Big Ten went 9-7 in the NCAA Tournament.
- Four of the conference's coaches are either in their first (Tom Crean) or second year (John Beilein, Todd Lickliter, Tubby Smith) with their respective programs.

Still not convinced?