Michigan basketball has been picked to finish second to Michigan State in an unofficial media poll. Plus, redshirt junior Charles Matthews was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team.
In a media poll of 28 writers, two for each team in the conference, MSU received 22 first-place votes and wasn’t picked lower than No. 2 on any ballot. U-M, last season’s national runner-up, was picked finish between first and fourth on all ballots, placing No. 1 on four ballots and No. 2 on 18.
The Spartans lost Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. to the NBA but return three starters in junior guards Cassius Winston and Joshua Langford and junior forward Nick Ward.
U-M lost Moritz Wagner to the NBA, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman to the G-League and Duncan Robinson, who signed with the Miami Heat. Redshirt junior wing Charles Matthews, junior guard Zavier Simpson, junior center Jon Teske and sophomore guard Jordan Poole return, as well as starting power forward Isaiah Livers.
Michigan also adds the nation's No. 11 recruiting class and is expected to get immediate contributions from at least two: forward Ignas Brazdeikis and forward Brandon Johns.
Purdue’s Carsen Edwards voted as the Big Ten preseason player of the year and Indiana’s Romeo Langford was the unanimous choice for preseason freshman of the year.
Since the Big Ten does not officially compile a preseason basketball poll, the media poll was conducted by The Athletic and The Columbus Dispatch.
Big Ten preseason poll
(Out of a possible 392 votes)
1. Michigan State (386)
2. Michigan (360)
3. Indiana (305)
4. Nebraska (293)
5. Purdue (269)
6. Wisconsin (263)
7. Maryland (240)
8. Ohio State (177)
9. Minnesota (168)
10. Iowa (154)
11. Penn State (134)
12. Northwestern (95)
13. Illinois (65)
14. Rutgers (31)
All-Big Ten first team
Carsen Edwards, Purdue (unanimous)
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (unanimous)
James Palmer Jr., Nebraska (23)
Cassius Winston, Michigan State (16)
Juwan Morgan, Indiana (12)
Also receiving votes: Nick Ward (9), Michigan State; Jordan Murphy (7), Minnesota; Romeo Langford (6), Indiana; Charles Matthews (5), Michigan; Anthony Cowan (4), Maryland; Isaiah Livers (1), Michigan; Zavier Simpson (1), Michigan.
Individual preseason picks
Player of the year: Carsen Edwards (23), Ethan Happ (4), Charles Matthews (1)
Freshman of the year: Romeo Langford (unanimous)
Matthews was also named to the official Preseason All-Big Ten Team prior to today's media day in Chicago. Matthews averaged 13 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last year in his first season at Michigan.
U-M has had at least one player on the preseason All-Big Ten team for the past seven seasons.
U-M’s Preseason All-Big Ten Selections
1993-94: Juwan Howard & Jalen Rose
1995-96: Maurice Taylor
1996-97: Maurice Taylor
1997-98: Robert Traylor
1998-99: Louis Bullock
2000-01: LaVell Blanchard
2001-02: LaVell Blanchard
2003-04: Daniel Horton
2008-09: Manny Harris
2009-10: Manny Harris
2012-13: Trey Burke
2013-14: Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III
2014-15: Caris LeVert
2015-16: Caris LeVert
2016-17: Derrick Walton Jr.
2017-18: Moritz Wagner
2018-19: Charles Matthews
2018-19 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Carsen Edwards, Jr., G, Purdue
2018-19 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Romeo Langford, Fr., G, Indiana
Juwan Morgan, Sr., F, Indiana
Anthony Cowan Jr., Jr., G, Maryland
Charles Matthews, Sr., G, Michigan
Nick Ward, Jr., F, Michigan State
Cassius Winston, Jr., G, Michigan State
Jordan Murphy, Sr., F, Minnesota
James Palmer Jr., Sr., F, Nebraska
CARSEN EDWARDS, Jr., G, Purdue
ETHAN HAPP, Sr., F, Wisconsin
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
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