This is my attempt to predict the 1999-2000 season.  The records in parenthesis are my guesses.

Click on the name of the school to find a more detailed analysis of the team's fortunes and game by game guesses..

1. Penn State  (15-1) The league's number 2 team in 1999 returns its key players.  Rene Portland is the league's best coach and Helen Darling its best point guard.  Andrea Garner and Lisa Shepherd provide inside and outside scoring.  The Lady Lions depth may be their biggest question mark.

2.  Illinois   (13-3) The Illini will be a senior dominated team, led by returning all Big 10 forward Susan Blauser.  Theresa Grentz's bunch was the top rebounding team in the league, but their defense was less than stellar.  Illinois needs to use their experience to become more consistent.

3.  Wisconsin   (12-4) The Badgers lose less after the 1999 season than any other team in the league.  Wisconsin also adds arguably the top high school player in the country in the powerful 6'4 Nina Smith of Waterloo, Iowa.  Smith will join the last two Big 10 FOY LaTonya Sims and Jessie Stomski to form the top front-court in the league.  Wisconsin had some of the weakest point guard play in the league and continued to play poorly away from Madison.  How much they improve in those two areas will determine the team's success in 99-00.

4.  Purdue   (11-5) All-everything Stephanie White-McCarty and all Big-10 guard Ukari Figgs are finally graduating.    The Boilers also lose coach Carolyn Peck to the WNBA.   Purdue suffered a loss far beyond the court when Tiffany Young was killed in a car accident over the summer.  Purdue has been remarkably unaffected by the drama and trauma surrounding their program in the past few years, but they had the steady White-McCarty and Figgs to anchor the team.   Katie Douglas shows promise of being the leader the team needs.   If she can provide that leadership, the Boilers shouldn't fall far.

5.  Michigan State  (10-6) Maxann Reese may be the only player in the league capable of winning a game by herself.   Kristen Rasmussen and Becky Cummings are the league's second best post combination. But there isn't much else there.  Vnemina Reese should step in at point after her acl injury this year.  Karen Langeland always seems to finish in the middle of the pack.  She likely will again.

6t.  Michigan  (7-9) Michigan loses only the oft-suspended Ann Lemire.  Anne Thorius provides solid point-guard play and Stacey Thomas may be the league's top individual defender.  The Wolverines need to improve their post game.  Raina Goodlow, who's freshman year was hampered by a knee injury, will help.  Contrary to form, Sue Guevera's team played better on the road than at home.  They need to learn to protect their home court.

6t.  Ohio State  (7-9) The Buckeyes lost more than any team in the league this year.   They also have the league's group of incoming freshmen. Those freshmen will have to contribute immediately.  OSU has to improve it's post game.  Beth Burns is excellent at getting her team emotionally high for one game.  She needs to get them to play consistently for a 16 game season.

8.  Iowa  ( 6-10)  If Jamie Lewis can't play at OSU, the Hawks may jump up a step.   Iowa loses the leagues number two player in Amy Herrig.   They return only 7 scholarship players.  Cara Consuegra and Lindsey Meder provide solid guard play and Randi Peterson should take up some of the slack Herrig leaves.  Angie Lee only signed two players and they appear to be projects.  The Hawks will play solid defense but scoring will be difficult.

9.  Northwestern  (5-11) Kristina Divjak will return from a knee injury and should be one of the league's top players.  Tami Sears and Leslie Shock provide solid post play, while Dana Leonard is a decent point guard.  There just isn't much talent there.  They also lose long-time coach Don Perelli.  In 98-9, the Cats were outrebounded and outscored.  It's hard to see much improvement.

10.  Indiana    (1-15) What do you get when a team that ties for last loses four of its top six players to graduation?  Indiana.  Their incoming players are highly rated, but that hasn't made much difference in the past.   If Rachael Honeggar returns form maternity leave, she will give Jim Izard a quality player.  Jill Chapman had a good freshman year.  This team quit as badly as a team can.  It's hard to find a reason why they should be better.

11.  Minnesota   (0-16) Cheryl Littlejohn spent much of the year standing on the sideline waiting for inspiration to strike.  It never did.   The Gophers played decent defense, but they did not appear to have any offensive plan.  They were bad last year and look to be bad as long as this woman is their coach.

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