Purdue takes top spot in preseason Big Ten poll

The Big Ten men’s championship team and most valuable player from a season ago have been voted the favorites to do it again this season.

In the seventh annual media poll conducted jointly by The Columbus Dispatch and The Athletic, Purdue received 24 of 28 first-place votes and sit atop the preseason rankings after going 15-5 in league play last season and winning the conference outright by three games.

And a primary reason why the Boilermakers were so dominant was national player of the year Zach Edey, who returns for his fourth season. Edey averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 60.7% from the floor in 2022-23.

Michigan State grabbed the other four first-place votes to finish second in the poll with 368 points, 20 fewer than Purdue. Maryland (304) and Illinois (301) were next, with Wisconsin (276) rounding out the top five. No team had a wider swing of outcomes than Ohio State, which went 5-15 in Big Ten play last season.

Results:

1. Purdue, 388 (24)

2. Michigan State, 368 (4)

3. Maryland, 304

4. Illinois, 301

5. Wisconsin, 276

6. Indiana, 244

7. Ohio State, 228

8. Northwestern, 195

9. Iowa, 164

10. Rutgers, 147

11. Michigan, 131

12. Nebraska, 90

13. Penn State, 71

14. Minnesota, 33

Player of the year

Zach Edey, Purdue (27). Also receiving votes: Tyson Walker, Michigan State (1).

Freshman of the year

Mackenzie Mgbako, Indiana (19). Also receiving votes: DeShawn HarrisSmith, Maryland (5); Xavier Booker, Michigan State (2); Myles Colvin, Purdue, and Scotty Middleton, Ohio St. (1).

Transfer of the year

Ace Baldwin, Penn State (14). Also receiving votes: Olivier Nkamhoua, Michigan (6); Jamison Battle, Ohio State (4); Kel’el Ware, Indiana, and AJ Storr, Wisconsin (2).

First team

Zach Edey, Purdue (56); Jahmir Young, Maryland (55); Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois (55); Tyson Walker, Michigan State (46); Boo Buie, Northwestern (45).

Second team

Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers (36); A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State (26); Ace Baldwin, Penn State (11); Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska (11); Coleman Hawkins, Illinois (8).

Also receiving votes

Bruce Thornton, Ohio State (7); Julian Reese, Maryland (6); Steven Crowl, Wisconsin, Dawson Garcia, Minnesota, Braden Smith, Purdue, (5); Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin, Xavier Johnson, Indiana, Zed Key, Ohio State, Mackenzie Mgbako, Indiana, Payton Sandfort, Iowa, (4); Jaden Akins, Michigan State, Connor Essegian, Wisconsin, Olivier Nkamhoua, Michigan, Tony Perkins, Iowa, (3); Jamison Battle, Ohio State, Fletcher Loyer, Purdue, AJ Storr, Wisconsin, Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin, (2); Malik Hall, Michigan State, Ben Krikke, Iowa, Donta Scott, Maryland, Kel’el Ware, Indiana (1).