Gophers men’s basketball picked last in Big Ten preseason media poll — again

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.

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.

(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

Braden Smith, Purdue

Also receiving votes: Oumar Ballo, Indiana, Ace Bailey, Rutgers; Kobe Johnson, UCLA, Payton Sandfort, Iowa.

Dylan Harper, Rutgers

Also receiving votes: Ace Bailey, Rutgers; Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois

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.

G- Braden Smith, Purdue

G- Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

G- Dylan Harper, Rutgers

F- Payton Sandford, Iowa

C- Oumar Ballo, Indiana

G- Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State

G- Jackson Shelstad, Oregon

F- Ace Bailey, Rutgers

F- Dawson Garcia, Minnesota

F- Great Osobor, Washington

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