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The first preseason poll was released yesterday when the USA Today Coaches Poll was officially posted. There's always some animosity towards preseason polls from avid fans, especially compared to more casual fans that put more weight in these polls. Unlike college football (where the preseason polls can impact the entire season), the preseason polls in college basketball hold considerably less value thanks to the nature of the postseason and the 68 team NCAA Tournament that eventually makes all rankings irrelevant. Nonetheless, the polls are always a major topic up for debate and are utilized heavily in storylines and midseason discussion.
The seasons first Coaches Poll features 25 teams from 11 different conferences, with the Big Ten and ACC leading the way with five different teams ranked. The poll also includes teams from the American Athletic Conference (3), Pac-12 (3), Big 12 (2), SEC (2), Big East (1), Mountain West (1), Atlantic 10 (1), Missouri Valley (1) and West Coast Conference (1).
The five Big Ten teams listed in the poll include:
- #2 Michigan State
- #9 Michigan
- #10 Ohio State
- #21 Wisconsin
- #24 Indiana
Iowa, a team commonly seen as the next team ready to break out in the Big Ten, came in 29th, just 17 points from the 25th spot. The only other Big Ten team to receive any votes was Illinois, with a total of two points. A number of people see Iowa as a better team than Indiana right now, though it seems the name value and recent success of the Hoosiers helped them sneak into the poll over the Hawkeyes. For more information on the Coaches Poll you can check out a variety of posts from several other SBN sites:
- Pollin' It: Basketball Coaches Poll Premiers, Michigan Ninth
- Initial USA Today Coaches Poll for 2013-14 College Basketball Out; Iowa Not Ranked
- Preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll released (Wiscy)
- MSU hoops ranked No. 2 in Coaches Poll
- Pre-Season Coaches Poll Has Indiana Ranked
- 2013-14 Purdue Men's Basketball: Coaches Poll
- Ohio State 10th in first 2013-14 Coaches Poll
- Illini Get Votes In Preseason Coaches Poll
SB Nation continues their top 100 player rankings
College basketball's top 100 players for 2013-14: No. 60-41
College basketball's top 100 players for 2013-14: No. 40-21
SB Nation continued their top 100 player rankings, posting spots 21 through 60. The updated list includes six additional Big Ten players:
- #57 Noah Vonleh (Indiana)
- #50 Andre Hollins (Minnesota)
- #40 Tim Frazier (Penn State)
- #38 Yogi Ferrell (Indiana)
- #26 LaQuinton Ross (Ohio State)
- #22 Mitch McGary (Michigan)
Report: Minnesota forward Joey King eligible to play immediately
Joey King's waiver was granted and the Drake transfer will be eligible to play for Minnesota this season. King averaged 6.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for Drake and was featured on MVC's All-Freshman Team. At 6'9 King will bring some size to the Gophers and help them add some depth to their inside game. The news of King's eligibility has to please coach Richard Pitino, who saw transfer Rakeem Buckles have his waiver denied.
Penn State Media Day
Penn State may have been one of the Big Ten's bottom feeders last season but they were always out there giving it their all under coach Pat Chambers. Now heading into the 2013-14 season the Nittany Lions will see the return of star guard Tim Frazier. With a healthy Frazier returning and the rise of D.J. Newbill, Penn State will look to take advantage of one of the best duos in the conference as they try to claw their way up the Big Ten ladder. The Nittany Lions held their media day this week as they prepare for the upcoming season.
For transcripts/quotes from Pat Chambers and several players, you can click the links below:
More Penn State Links:
- Men's Basketball Media Day Sights and Sounds
- Pat Chambers Shows Usual Enthusiasm at Basketball Media Day
- Chambers looking for more offense
- Chambers Has Quiet Confidence
- Penn State Basketball: Depth An Asset, Improved Shooting A Must As Nittany Lions Enter 2013
- Penn State men’s basketball: Frazier returns as good as new to Nittany Lion lineup
- Three Reasons Penn State Will Be Better in 2013-14 (BTP)
- The Return of Tim Frazier (BTP)
Thoughts On The Orange & Blue Scrimmage
Illinois recently held their Orange & Blue scrimmage. The Champaign Room spent some time analyzing the scrimmage and offered a medley of thoughts on the scrimmage. If you rather watch some of the scrimmage instead, highlights are below:
Also, Illinois posted their men's basketball poster. You can view/download it here.
More Links:
- Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball: Minutes Breakdown and Lineup Possibilities
- Hoops Ticket Sales Soaring (Iowa)
- Iowa Hawkeyes: Big Ten Contender or Pretender?
- 2013-14 Preview: Big Ten’s Best Rebounders
- 2013-14 Preview: Big Ten’s Best Newcomers
- College Basketball’s Top 15 Perimeter Attacks For 2013-2014
- 2013-2014 Season Preview: Top 15 Impact Freshmen
- Season Preview 2013-14: The other impact freshmen
- The 25 most intriguing non-conference games of the 2013-14 season
- Michigan State Spartans roster 2013-14: Gary Harris and Adreian Payne vault to the front of the Big Ten
- JerShon Cobb eagerly awaits his return to college basketball
- 2013-2014 Basketball Personnel Preview: Point Guards
- Ohio State Basketball Recruiting Notebook: 10/17
- Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets, 10/17 - Jae'Sean Tate brings it
- ‘Frustrating’ summer workouts could be the difference for Aaron Craft and Ohio State
- 2013 Basketball Preview: Trey McDonald (Ohio State)
- Carroll won't take it easy on Purdue basketball big men Hammons, Simpson
- 2013-14 MBB Preview: Travis Carroll
- 2013-14 MBB Preview: Terone Johnson
- 23 Days To Purdue Basketball: Jay Simpson
- OSIPOFF: Purdue’s Lowe excited to start coaching career
- 2013-2014 Player Profile: Will Sheehey (Indiana)
- Indiana to host "Haunted Hall of Hoops" on Oct. 27