Bucks tabbed to finish third in Big Ten

CHICAGO - Ohio State junior guard Evan Turner is regarded by many as one of the most - if not the most - explosive players in the Big Ten Conference this season.

On Thursday in Chicago for Big Ten basketball media day, the media validated that notion.

Turner was named a member of one of the five-man Preseason All-Big Ten team with Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas, Michigan’s Manny Harris, Penn State’s Talor Battle, and Purdue’s Robbie Hummel.

Four of the aforementioned names were on the first-team All-Big-Ten squad last season and only Hummel wasn’t on the list last season after being named as a third-team All-Conference selection a year ago. However, Hummel was on the first-team All-Big Ten team as a freshman to years ago.

While Ohio State is a team that returns all five of their starters and 10 letter winners, it was Michigan State who was tabbed by the media as the favorite to win the Big Ten this season and the Spartans’ Lucas was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

The Spartans return three of their starters after a season in which they finished as the national runner-up following a 31-7 record. Lucas is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, becoming only the seventh sophomore in conference history to take home those honors.

Backed by Lucas, Michigan State won their first conference title under head coach Tom Izzo since 2001. Lucas is the second Michigan State player to be named Preseason Player of the Year in the last three season after former Spartan Drew Neitzel was picked before the 2007-08 season.

Purdue, who won the Big Ten Tournament title last season, also brings back all five starters from a squad who finished second in the conference last season after posting an overall record of 27-10. The media picked the Boilermakers to finished second once again in the conference this season.

Meanwhile, backed by head coach Thad Matta, the Buckeyes are hoping to build off of a season in which they finished fourth in the Big Ten en route to a first round exit from the NCAA Tournament following a loss to Siena.

Because the Buckeyes will build off of last season - Ohio State invited to newcomers this year - Matta’s squad was picked by the media to finish third in the Big Ten this season.

Last season Ohio State made its third trip to the NCAA Tournament in four years under Matta, thus being an easy pick for the media to be placed in the top three of this year’s preseason Big Ten Standings.

The Buckeyes open up their season officially Nov. 9 when they host Alcorn State.

Ari Wasserman is a staff writer for BuckeyeGrove.com. He can be reached at Ari@BuckeyeGrove.com.