Jamison Battle finished his first season with the Gophers men's basketball team as one of the Big Ten's top scorers but lost out on all-league honors.
Battle's impact last season was recognized entering this season Thursday with him being named to the All-Big Ten preseason team picke dby the league's selected media.
The 6-7 junior forward from DeLaSalle led the Gophers in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounding (6.3) and three-point field goals (75) after transferring from George Washington.
In Big Ten competition, Battle scored 20 or more points 11 times, including a career-high 39 points at Maryland. He finished ranked eighth in the league in scoring and earned all-league honorable mention honors.
Battle's scoring average is third highest among returning players in the Big Ten, trailing only Big Ten preseason player of the year Trayce Jackson-Davis from Indiana and Hunter Dickinson from Michigan.
Also named to the preseason all-league team was Wisconsin senior forward Tyler Wahl, a former Lakeville North standout. Wahl was joined by his Badgers teammate Chucky Hepburn.
Battle likely won't have to carry as much of the scoring load with the Gophers adding North Carolina transfer Dawson Garcia, who was granted immediate eligbility. They could become one of the top frontcourt tandems in the Big Ten this season.
Battle and Garcia will make their 2022-23 season debut together with the Gophers on Nov. 3 in an exhibition game vs. St. Olaf at Williams Arena. The season opener is Nov. 7 against Western Michigan at the Barn.
2022-23 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM by media
Terrence Shannon Jr., Sr., G, Illinois
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, JR., F, INDIANA
Kris Murray, Jr., F, Iowa
HUNTER DICKINSON, JR., C, MICHIGAN
Malik Hall, Sr., F Michigan State
Jamison Battle, Jr., F, Minnesota
Jalen Pickett, Sr., G, Penn State
ZACH EDEY, JR., C, PURDUE
Clifford Omoruyi, Jr., C, Rutgers
Chucky Hepburn, So., G, Wisconsin
Tyler Wahl, Sr., F, Wisconsin
2022-23 BIG TEN PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jr., F, Indiana
— All caps means unanimous selection
