A Big Ten men’s basketball preseason poll conducted by writers from The Athletic and The Columbus Dispatch was released on Monday as Big Ten media days kicked off in Minneapolis.
After nearly slipping out of the NCAA Tournament last season, the Indiana Hoosiers were tabbed as the preseason favorites in the poll, which is not the official Big Ten preseason poll. Trayce Jackson-Davis (18.3 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game in 2021-22), who was the poll’s preseason Player of the Year, returns for Mike Woodson’s squad, along with second-team honoree Xavier Johnson. Five-star recruit and now Indiana freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino joins the fray as well as the Hoosiers look for their first conference title in seven years.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers did not receive such a favorable prospectus and were predicted to finish last in the Big Ten after a 10-22 season overall and 4-16 record in conference play last season. The Huskers’ mark in Big Ten action matched Minnesota for the worst in the conference.
None of the Huskers’ hoopers received a vote in any all-conference team voting but Nebraska’s youthful new-look group could be candidates to surprise.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg no longer has the services of Alonzo Verge, Kobe Webster and both Trey and Bryce McGowens, the latter of which was drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft by Charlotte Hornets.
Transfers Sam Griesel (14.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.4 APG in 2021 at North Dakota State), Emmanuel Bandoumel (10.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG at SMU) and Juwan Gary (6.5 PPG at Alabama) will infuse new blood on the court in Lincoln, along with a crop of JUCO transfers and freshman Ramel Lloyd, a four-star recruit out of nationally-ranked Sierra Canyon High School in California.
The Huskers’ biggest returner is senior forward Derrick Walker, who started every game last year. Walker led Nebraska in rebounds and broke the Huskers’ single-season record for field goal percentage by shooting 68.3% from the field.
The results of the poll are listed below, with each team’s number of total voting points, first-place votes and all-conference honorees, according to the poll.