Michigan State Spartans

In college basketball's era of uncertainty, experienced players are essential for a team to navigate the postseason storms

1. The Big Ten is having a terrible year.

1. The player of the year race is wide-open.

Here are five assistants—slightly older than Josh Pastner—who are on track for Division I head-coaching jobs soon.

He's Michigan State's 6'3" sophomore star, and at week's end he was ranked in the Big Ten's top 10 in seven statistical categories, including scoring (eighth, 16.0 points a game), steals (tied for second, 2.0),...