With Big Ten Media Day around the corner on Thursday in New York, it wouldn't be the same without the league's beat writers coming together to make our predictions for the 2017-18 men's basketball conference season.
The Gophers ended up landing in the media poll where preseason annuals picked them to finish third in the Big Ten, right behind runner-up Purdue. Not surprisingly, Michigan State was the unanimous choice to win the Big Ten this season, as was sophomore Miles Bridges and freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. to take conference player of the year and newcomer of the year honors, respectively.
The gap between second, third and fourth place was far less than the one between the fourth and fifth spots. Purdue and Minnesota are separated by 10 points. Minnesota and Northwestern were a little further apart at 25 points. But the Wildcats were 40 points away from Maryland and Michigan tied at fifth.
Minnesota senior guard Nate Mason, one of the 20 point guards on the preseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, was selected by the Big Ten's media to be on the unofficial preseason all-conference first team. Gophers sophomore guard Amir Coffey picked up two votes for all-conference and junior forward Jordan Murphy also received one.
Check out Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch and Brendan F. Quinn of The Athletic Detroit who compiled the picks from the 28 writers, including myself. Below are their results:
Media preseason poll
1. Michigan State
2. Purdue
3. Minnesota
4. Northwestern
T-5. Maryland
T-5. Michigan
7. Wisconsin
8. Iowa
9. Indiana
10. Penn State
11. Ohio State
12. Illinois
13. Nebraska
14. Rutgers
Preseason All-Big Ten team
G -Nate Mason senior Minnesota
G- Bryant McIntosh senior Northwestern
F - Miles Bridges sophomore Michigan State
F - Ethan Happ junior Wisconsin
F - Moritz Wagner junior Michigan
Here were my picks for order of finish and all-preseason team:
1. Michigan State
2. Purdue
3. Minnesota
4. Northwestern
5. Maryland
6. Michigan
7. Iowa
8. Wisconsin
9. Penn State
10. Indiana
11. Illinois
12. Ohio State
13. Nebraska
14. Rutgers
All-Big Ten team
G- Nate Mason
G- Bryant McIntosh
F- Miles Bridges
F- Vincent Edwards
F- Ethan Happ
