Neither Michigan nor Michigan State basketball picked to win Big Ten

Michigan basketball (2025-26) and Michigan State (2024-25) have won the past two Big Ten regular-season titles.

While they aren’t picked to win it in 2026-27, they’ll be close, says a group of media pollsters.

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The Spartans were voted to finish second in the Big Ten and the Wolverines were picked third, according to 28 Big Ten voters in a poll conducted by The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) dribbles against Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

Illinois received 498 total points and 18 first-place votes, followed by MSU (483, 9) and U-M (436, 1) as every single ballot picked both schools to finish in the top third of the league.

MSU was picked first or second by 27 of 28 voters, while three voters picked U-M in the top two, 16 picked the Wolverines third, and nine others picked them to finish between fourth and sixth.

MSU, in coach Tom Izzo’s 32nd year, is expected to be powered by preseason national player of the year, point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who averaged 15.2 points and 9.2 assists a season ago. Notable contributors Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, Kur Teng and Cam Ward also return.

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The Spartans are expected to be bolstered by transfer Anton Bonke (Charlotte) and a healthy Kaleb Glenn, who transferred to East Lansing last season from Florida Atlantic but missed the entire season after tearing his ACL in summer practice.

MSU also has one of the better crops of freshmen talent in the country, led by five-star big man Ethan Taylor, wing Josiah Jervis and backup point guard (and Fears’ heir-apparent) Carlos Medlock. While MSU has a lot to replace with the losses of Jaxon Kohler (BYU) and Carson Cooper (Memphis Grizzlies), Jesse McCulloch is projected to take a notable amount of those minutes and was impressive in a recent exhibition against Incarnate Word, putting up 20 points and five rebounds in an 89-59 victory.

Izzo has led…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/neither-michigan-nor-michigan-state-192739453.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-05 19:27:00

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