2005 Ad

It seemed every time you heard the words Big Ten or Pac-10 last year, two other words came up: down season.

And justifiably so. Each conference received only three NCAA Tournament bids, the Pac-10's lowest total since 1993 and the Big Ten's lowest since 1984, when the field had only 48 teams.

Both leagues' upward mobility will depend on whether their second tiers of teams play well enough to be part of the NCAA mix. In the Pac-10, Oregon should be on the upswing with the healthy return of point guard Aaron Brooks and the addition of dynamic freshman Malik Hairston. UCLA has bolstered its roster with a top recruiting class. If USC can match its athleticism with consistency, it'll be tough to beat.

In the Big Ten, Michigan returns most of its 2004 NIT championship team. Indiana has improved the talent around Bracey Wright. Iowa and Northwestern should be improved, and Purdue has the added incentive of sending Gene Keady off with a successful season.

So though these conferences still won't be dominant this season, expect them to grab back an NCAA bid or two. Of course, if Illinois or Arizona ends up winning the whole thing, nobody will be talking about a down season.

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