My feelings about this year’s Big Eleven — oh, sorry, Big Ten — are complex.

As in, inferiority complex.

How many years in a row will this conference have to place teams in the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, and the Final Four before the rest of the country wakes up to the fact that the Big Ten has mad hoopz skillz?

Probably, more. Years, that is.

Sure, the Tom Izzo / Bruce Arena matchup might not have all the drama of, say, the clash between legendary honchos Joe Paterno and Barry Alvarez. Who will square up Saturday afternoon in an epic clash of the titans. Or at least a clash of the title-chasers.

(By the way: in other news, JoePa plans to start his old grade school buddy Amos Alonzo Stagg at fullback. He’s that old.)

But back to hoops. Wasn’t it just last year that Illinois appeared in the NCAA title game? They were a heartbeat away from being the champions of the whole country. But, to quote my homiez the Black Eye Peas, “Where is the love (for Big Ten basketball)”?

I think what we’re seeing here is a very complex reaction by East Coast sportswriters. A superiority complex, that is.

Maybe they’re afraid of hard-nosed, smashmouth defense. Hey, I would be too if I was a bunch of fancy-pants elitists.

But I’m not. I’m just a man, callin’ ’em like I sees ’em.

And this is how I sees ’em for the 2005-2006 Big Ten hoops season.

1. Wisconsin. No, I’m not being a homer here. Well, maybe just a little. But, like my old buddy Bobby Brown always says, “It’s my prerogative (to blatantly boost the Badgers).” But how can you bet against Bo? No, not Bo Schembechler, who was the big burrito in Ann Arbor for so many years. And no, not Bo Diddley, although this Bo knows some hot riffs and big beats. And definitely not Little Bo Peep, although this Bo has some peeps for real. No, I’m talking about the newest Bo-named genius in Big Thirteen — sorry, Big Ten — coaching: the Bo named Ryan. How can you bet against this hard-nosed, smashmouth guy from the mean streets of Philly, who has taken the Badgers higher than any coach in the illustrious history of Madison? If you’re me, you can’t. (Not that I bet on games. That would be a conflict of interest. I have no conflict. Just interest.) With returning junior Alando Tucker’s smooth finesse, the emergence of 6’11” inside-outsider Brian Butch, Kammron Taylor’s sweet jumper, and the sober court leadership of senior Ray Nixon, these Badgers have what it takes to go all the way in the Big Nineteen — sorry, the Big Ten. And NEVER bet against Bo.

2. Michigan State. The Spartans seem to be everyone’s consensus pick to win the conference this year. All this means is that Tom Izzo is a PR genius of the highest order. (PR stands for Public Relations, by the way, not Puerto Rican. And definitely not Pippen Roo.) Sure, they have three returning starters who averaged points in double figures last year. But it seems high praise for a team that didn’t even win the conference last year. And Bo — no, not Bo Jackson, although our Bo seems to be just as much a master of all trades — certainly seems to have Izzo’s number.

3. Illinois. This aforementioned team sports orange and blue, but Bruce Weber plans to bring home the gold this year. Too bad he won’t have stud guard Deron Williams, who certainly was one of the biggest parts of last year’s aforementioned title-game run. He will have Dee Brown — not the one who famously pumped up his shoes in the Slam Dunk Championship, but a different guy. And James “I Dreamed I Saw St.” Augustine is very good too. (That was my homage to the Swami, ESPN’s Chris Berman, who regularly gifts people with funny nicknames that pun on their first or last names in humorous fashion.) They may have been almost a perfect 10 last year like Bo Derek, another Bo is looking perfect this year. (Although how would the Badger’s coach look in cornrows?)

4. Indiana. Mike Davis will always be in the shadow of Bobby Knight. How long? Until sportswriters stop talking about the General and his reign of terror and error in Bloomington. Until that day, though, Davis might want to wear a sweater. It’s cold in that shadow, isn’t it, Coach Mike? At least he has D.J. Wright and Marco Killingsworth to keep him warm there. But if you’re looking for a new American Idol, look no further than Bo — and no, I’m not talking about Bo Bice.

5. Michigan. So many people are talking about Tommy — Amaker, not Thompson or Bahama or Hilfiger or the classic rock opera by the Who — this year. But not many people are talking about his defense. Daniel Horton, who was up to no good last year, returns from a long suspension last year. He was an outlaw, but he wasn’t Bo Outlaw. And Bo Outlaw is no Bo Ryan.

6. Iowa. Last year Steve Alford won 21 games with this overachieving group of no-names (Brunner to Haluska to Horner isn’t exactly Tinker to Evers to Chance, the classic Cubs infield in days gone by). But it’s unlikely that they will be that bo-dacious this year. See if you can guess why. (Here’s a hint: the most bo-dacious fellow in the Big Three Hundred Thirty-Seven — sorry, Big Ten — is one William F. “Bo” Ryan.

7. Ohio State. More like Bo-hio State.

8. Purdue. More like the Bo-ilermakers.

9. Minnesota. More like the Bo-lden Bo-phers.

10. Northwestern. The Wildcats return last year’s heavy-lifter Vedran Vukusic for Coach Bill Carmody’s squad, but it is intriguing transfer Bernard Cote’, formerly a Kentucky blue-chipper, who will make or break this season. Together with former Duke Blue Devil Michael Thompson, these two will form an intimidating frontcourt — the ‘Cats might surprise some people in the division this year. But it is the backcourt logjam, with Michael Jenkins, Mohamed Hachad, and Evan Seacat, that will ultimately sink this scrappy squad. Carmody’s emphasis on the extra pass will be hard to implement if there is no clear court leader — and none of these guards are exactly T.J. Parker. An interesting but probably disappointing season in Evanston will result.

11. Penn State. If a team falls in the forests of western Pennsylvania, but nobody cares, can we call them the Bo-tany Lions?

Mike Lucas covers the University of Wisconsin for the Capital Times, Madison’s progressive daily newspaper. He also provides color commentary for the Badgers’ men’s basketball team, alongside his longtime partner Matt LePay.