COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Buckeyes are ranked No. 3 in the Big Ten in a pre-season poll of media at the conference’s annual men’s basketball media preview outside Chicago.
Ohio State, which won the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, returns four starters, including backcourt mates Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott, who were both named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive team at the end of the 2013 season.
Michigan State was the unanimous conference favorite heading into the 2013-14 season and Michigan was voted No. 2.
Ranked No. 2 in the preseason “USA Today” coaches’ poll, the Spartans return four starters from a team that advanced to the 2013 Sweet 16.
The media also tabbed Spartan sophomore Gary Harris as the Preseason Player of the Year. Harris led a six-member preseason All-Big Ten pre-season team that includes Craft, a 2013 all-conference selection; the Wolverines’ Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III; MSU’s Adreian Payne and Penn State’s Tim Frazier.