Obviously, this past season was a pinnacle one for Big Ten basketball. The Purdue women won their first national crown Sunday night. And their counterparts of the men's brackets comprised half the NCAA Final Four.

So while everyone figured the men's tournament to be the formal coronation of Duke, the Big Ten men surprised the college basketball world with their first-rate performance.

Next season, they will be better.

So while the Penn State men's basketball team toiled in the nation's toughest conference this past season finishing ninth, many in this part of Big Ten country wondered how the Nittany Lions would have faired if Penn State hadn't broken the boundaries of the weaker Atlantic-10.

After all, the Lions upended that conference's East division winner, Temple, Dec. 1 at The Bryce Jordan Center. Those thoughts may linger for another season.

Michigan State, the two-time conference champion which also took this year's Big Ten Tournament will be back -- even if two-time conference Player of the Year Mateen Cleaves jumps to the NBA. Sophomore guards Charlie Bell and Doug Davis showed the Big Ten the Spartans will still benefit from a strong backcourt even without the All-American Cleaves.

And yes, the Spartans will lose forwards Antonio Smith and Jason Klein to graduation, but A.J. Granger, Andre Hutson and Morris Peterson, all of whom played pivotal roles in the Spartans' road to the Final Four, will once again lead a dominating frontcourt.

The second of the Big Ten's Final Four qualifiers, Ohio State -- which was constantly known as the other Big Ten force to the Spartans all season -- will be in position to knock Michigan State from the top.

The Buckeyes return 12 players from this season's 27-9 squad. Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd, who provided the framework of the backcourt duo that many opposing coaches testified was one of the nation's best, return next season.

However, not only will this season's top teams remain strong, but the conference cellar-dweller showed it is capable of recapturing the conference crown.

While Illinois finished last in the conference this past season with a 3-13 Big Ten mark, the Fighting Illini toppled favorites Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio State in the conference tournament before the Spartans ended their magical run in the finals.

But was it just a team that was hot at the right time, or was it a group of youngsters jelling at season's end? I'll choose the latter.

The Illini lose one player to graduation, guard Arias Davis, while their playmakers are a mix of underclassmen, including three freshmen and two sophomores. Coach Lon Kruger will have his team chasing the conference crown it shared with Michigan State in 1997-98.

Both Indiana and Purdue return the catalysts that brought them to the NCAA Tournament. Guard A.J. Guyton and forward Luke Recker will once again provide the Hoosiers with proven weapons, while guard Jaraan Cornell and forward Brian Cardinal return to take Purdue coach Gene Keady to his 19th tournament birth.

Not every team will make a run at the title. Michigan loses its backcourt tandem of Louis Bullock and Robbie Reid to graduation as does Northwestern its player of the decade Evan Eschmeyer. Minnesota must deal with its off-court allegations before the Golden Gophers can even fathom a Big Ten title.

But once again, the college basketball world will be reluctantly compelled to include the Big Ten among the nation's best.