Big Ten basketball is back, but it might look a lot different at the top this season.
Indiana was the pick to win the league title in the unofficial Big Ten preseason poll released Monday. The poll was put together by the Columbus Dispatch and The Athletic with votes from 28 members of the conference's media.
The Gophers, who were 13-17 and 14th in the conference last season, are predicted to finish 12th in Ben Johnson's second year ahead of Northwestern and Nebraska.
The Big Ten officially released its all-league preseason team last week, which included Gophers junior forward Jamison Battle. The Gophers' top scorer and rebounder returning, Battle also was named All-Big Ten preseason second team in the unofficial picks Monday.
The Hoosiers were 21-14 and finished ninth in the Big Ten with a 9-11 record last season. But All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis and Minnesota native Race Thompson return in the frontcourt. Jalen Hood-Schifino was named unofficial preseason Big Ten freshman of the year for second-year coach Mike Woodson, who has the early championship favorite.
Jackson-Davis was named Big Ten preseason player of the year by the conference last week. But Michigan's Hunter Dickinson beat him out to earn the unofficial preseason player of the year honor on Monday.
Illinois is projected to finish second in the conference in the unofficial poll after tying for a share of the Big Ten title last season. Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue round out the preseason poll's top five.
Standings (first-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Indiana (19)
2. Illinois (6)
3. Michigan (1)
4. Michigan State
5. Purdue (1)
6. Ohio State
7. Iowa (1)
8. Rutgers
9. Wisconsin
10. Maryland
11. Penn State
12. Minnesota
13. Northwestern
14. Nebraska
Player of the year:
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Freshman of the year:
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Transfer of the year:
Terrence Shannon Jr. Illinois
First Team All-Big Ten (unanimous selections in all caps)
HUNTER DICKINSON, MICHIGAN
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, INDIANA
Zach Edey, Purdue
Kris Murray, Iowa
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
Second Team All-Big Ten
Terrance Shannon Jr., Illinois
Jamison Battle, Minnesota
Xavier Johnson, Indiana
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin
Fuller's preseason picks
1. Indiana
2. Illinois
3. Purdue
4. Michigan
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan State
7. Iowa
8. Rutgers
9. Gophers
10. Penn State
11. Wisconsin
12. Maryland
13. Nebraska
14. Northwestern
Player of the year:
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Freshman of the year:
Skyy Clark, Illinois
Transfer of the year:
Dawson Garcia, Gophers
First Team All-Big Ten
Terrance Shannon, Illinois
Jamison Battle, Gophers
Zach Edey, Purdue
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Second Team All-Big Ten
Jalen Pickett, Penn State
Kris Murray, Iowa
Matthew Mayer, Illinois
Justice Sueing, Ohio STate
Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers
