Today is the start of the Big Ten Basketball Media Days in Chicago, Illinois. To start off the festivities, the Coaches and Media voted on the conference Player of the Year, the Preseason All-Big Ten team, and the preseason top 3 conference favorites.
Unsurprisingly, Jared Sullinger was tabbed as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year by the Media. On the women’s side, Senior Samantha Prahalis was selected as the Women’s Player of the Year, along with Bentley of Penn State, by the Coaches.
Defending Big Ten Champion Ohio State has been chosen as the conference favorite heading into the 2011-12 season, as voted on by a panel of Big Ten media. The media also tabbed Buckeye sophomore Jared Sullinger as the Preseason Player of the Year. Wisconsin and Michigan State were selected to finish second and third, respectively. Joining Sullinger on the Preseason All-Big Ten team are Michigan State’s Draymond Green, Minnesota’s Trevor Mbakwe, Purdue’s Robbie Hummel and Wisconsin’s Jordan Taylor.
The big surprise is Michigan State being picked to finish third in the conference this year. Many have speculated that Michigan will have the better shot at that distinction than the Spartans this season.
Ohio State returns two starters after compiling a 34-3 overall record and claiming the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles a season ago. The Buckeyes earned their 13th outright conference crown, marking the most of any Big Ten team, en route to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Eighth-year head coach Thad Matta has led Ohio State to seven consecutive 20-plus-win seasons.
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