The preseason AP Poll was released earlier this week and three Big Ten teams were fortunate enough to make the cut. It’s a step back from prior years where the league dominated the early season rankings, but it’s at least a place to start as we approach March.
Here is where the Big Ten landed:
Preseason AP Poll:
- No. 13 - Indiana
- No. 22 - Michigan
- No. 23 - Illinois
- Receiving Votes: Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa, Rutgers
Obviously, that’s a disappointing performance for the league. While the teams who received votes deserve credit, it’s the first time in years the Big Ten enters a season without a top 10 team in the preseason poll. Add in that only three teams were ranked in total and you can see why fans are a bit down about this. KenPom’s rankings are a bit higher on the Big Ten than this, but it’s not exactly great. Fans will have to hope some of those receiving votes teams can build some momentum and slide into the top 25 in the coming weeks.
One thing that is worth celebrating, however, is Indiana’s landing spot. After years of underwhelming results, Indiana finally seems poised to return to the heights of college basketball. While not an elite ranking, 13th is more than enough to get the Hoosiers in contention for the Final Four if it holds up. Of course, we’ll have to stay tuned and see how everything sorts out moving forward.
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