Gophers men's basketball picked 12th in Big Ten unofficial preseason poll

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