CHICAGO – It was no secret at Big Ten basketball media day that Michigan is expected to be at the bottom of the pack. Coaches and players from opposing teams said time and time again that the Wolverines are rebuilding. Even Michigan coach John Beilein acknowledged that the Wolverines have easily the youngest roster in the conference.

Everybody gets it — the team has an uphill battle from here on out.

But when Indiana coach Tom Crean finished his opening statement at the coaches press conference, something caught the ear of the Michigan media in the room.

“There might be some preparations that are as hard,” Crean said. “But there are none harder than getting ready for a John Beilein-coached team.”

While many coaches made references to the game's unpredictability - that any team could beat any other on any given night - it is also clear that Michigan’s unknown weapons in conjunction with Beilein’s complex scheme may challenge better Big Ten teams.

Beilein primarily ran a 1-3-1 defense last year. But after offenses picked it apart, the Wolverines instituted man coverage. Beilein finished the season by switching between the two.

“I don’t know why they think its difficult to coach against me; I don’t know anything else,” Beilein said. “Certainly last year there were many games it wasn’t difficult to coach against us. I think if we can get open shots and knock them down it’s going to change our whole look. And our defense, unlike last year, will have to be consistent.”

This year, Beilein mentioned that he is going to attempt the 1-3-1 again. With that, Michigan intends to use the fast break much more effectively. Essentially, Beilein’s aggressive defense will have to convert more turnovers into points to compete with other Big Ten schools — something it couldn’t do last year.

INJURY PLAGUED: Arguably the biggest preseason headline has been Purdue forward Robbie Hummel’s season-ending ACL tear. The senior participated in about three team practices and 10 individual workouts before Boilermaker coach Matt Painter knew that Hummel had to call it quits.

Purdue was ranked first in the conference by multiple media outlets prior to Hummel’s injury. But as soon as news came out that Hummel was done, Michigan State became the definitive leader, and Ohio State was the popular number two.

The Boilermakers lost Hummel for the season with the same injury last February.

“For us, we have some experience of going through this,” Painter said. “It stinks ... it's like Groundhog’s Day for us. But we have been through this with not having him or not having him 100 percent. And we’ve been able to make some adjustments. We’ve had some bumps in the road, and I think we’ve learned from that.”

Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas is facing similar issues as star point guard missed the entire offseason. The senior ruptured his Achilles tendon in March and was sidelined for five months.

“Players are made in the summer and teams are made in the winter,” Spartan coach Tom Izzo said. “But we had about five players that didn’t make themselves any better in the summer. But in Kalin’s case I think (he) became a little better by injury. Now he doesn’t rely just on speed, he relies on his knowledge of the game … If he gets that all back we’re going to have a better player.

“I’m very nervous,” Izzo said about the high expectations for his team after Lucas’s injury. “We’re not going to be as good of a team until the middle of December … Because we are going to have some (setbacks). How do you handle that?”

Indiana guard Maurice Creek showed up to Chicago with a knee brace on. He fractured his left knee in late Dec. 2009. Before the injury, Creek averaged 16.5 points a game and completed about 45-percent of his 3-pointers.

Iowa guard Matt Gatens tore a tendon in his left hand.

“Matt’s having surgery today,” Hawkeye coach Fran McCaffery said Thursday. “You’re probably looking at three weeks before he can play."

PRESEASON PRESENTS: Lucas received Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year honors, which was actually a surprise to him.

“It is really a shock, to be honest,” Lucas said. “I had no clue I was going to get it because of my injury. At the same time, I know I will work hard every day and I will live up to it.