The Big Ten is changing, but projections have stayed the same for Gophers men’s basketball in the last several years under coach Ben Johnson.
Gophers men’s basketball picked last in Big Ten preseason media poll — again
The unofficial preseason poll was released Wednesday, with Ben Johnson’s Gophers in a familiar spot.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 2, 2024 at 5:54PM
The unofficial Big Ten men’s basketball media poll has the Gophers picked to finish last — the third time in Johnson’s four seasons that has happened. This year, the Gophers are picked 18th, with the conference adding four new teams.
Last season, the Gophers outperformed their preseason projection of 14th when they finished tied for ninth place with a 9-11 Big Ten record and 19-15 overall mark after winning a game in the NIT. The Gophers were also picked last (14th) in Johnson’s first season and 12th in his second year.
Now, three starters are gone, but Johnson returns senior leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia, starting senior guard Mike Mitchell Jr. and senior sixth man Parker Fox. Big Ten basketball media days in Chicago began Wednesday with women’s teams, followed by the men’s teams Friday.
Garcia was named to the media’s unofficial All-Big Ten preseason second team Wednesday. He was also selected to the 10-member official All-Big Ten preseason team Monday by the conference media.
Projected Big Ten standings
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Purdue (20)
2. Indiana (7)
3. UCLA (2)
4. Illinois (2)
5. Michigan State (1)
6. Oregon
7. Rutgers
8. Ohio State (1)
9. Michigan
10. Maryland
11. Iowa
T-12 Wisconsin
T-12 Nebraska
14. USC
15. Washington
16. Northwestern
17. Penn State
18. Minnesota
Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year
Braden Smith, Purdue
Also receiving votes: Oumar Ballo, Indiana, Ace Bailey, Rutgers; Kobe Johnson, UCLA, Payton Sandfort, Iowa.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Also receiving votes: Ace Bailey, Rutgers; Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Big Ten Transfer of the Year
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Also receiving votes: Great Osobor, Washington, Myles Rice, Indiana; Vlad Goldin, Michigan; Kylan Boswell, Illinois; Tyler Bilodeau , UCLA, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Maryland, Saint Thomas, USC.
First-team All-Big Ten
G- Braden Smith, Purdue
G- Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
G- Dylan Harper, Rutgers
F- Payton Sandford, Iowa
C- Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Second-team All-Big Ten
G- Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
G- Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
F- Ace Bailey, Rutgers
F- Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
F- Great Osobor, Washington
Marcus Fuller’s Big Ten men’s preseason projections
1. Indiana
2. Purdue
3. UCLA
4. Oregon
5. Ohio State
6. Illinois
7. Washington
8. Michigan
9. Michigan State
10. Rutgers
11. Iowa
12. Wisconsin
13. Northwestern
14. Minnesota
15. USC
16. Maryland
17. Nebraska
18. Penn State
Sam Rinzel had two of the Gophers’ three power play goals against the Irish.
