Michigan Basketball: Wolverines Predicted To Finish Toward Bottom Of The Big Ten By Media Members

There may not be much confidence in the new-look Michigan basketball team heading into the 2023-24 season -- especially by the media. But the Wolverines are hoping to prove a lot of people wrong this year.

The start of the 2023-24 basketball season is right around the corner and Michigan basketball will have a completely new look to it.

Michigan lost star Hunter Dickinson to the transfer portal this offseason which sent shock waves around the country. Not many people, if any, suspected that would happen and in fact, fans thought the combination of Dickinson and North Carolina transfer Caleb Love was going to form a great duo -- but neither will be suiting up for the maize and blue. 

While Michigan doesn't have much 'star power' on its roster this year, the Wolverines did get some nice, solid players via the portal. Michigan went out and got Tennessee transfer Olivier Nkamhoua, Alabama transfer Nimari Burnett, and Seton Hall transfer Tray Jackson. The trio will form around Dug McDaniel, Tarris Reed Jr., and company. 

Every season The Athletic and The Columbus Dispatch have media members vote on a pre-season Big Ten poll. The media apparently aren't high on Michigan this season -- rightly so. The Wolverines received 131 votes and landed No. 11 in the poll. 

Purdue and Michigan State were the only two that received first-place votes, but the Boilermakers landed 20 more votes than the Spartans. 

Results:

1. Purdue, 388 (24)
2. Michigan State, 368 (4)
3. Maryland, 304
4. Illinois, 301
5. Wisconsin, 276
6. Indiana, 244
7. Ohio State, 228
8. Northwestern, 195
9. Iowa, 164
10. Rutgers, 147
11. Michigan, 131
12. Nebraska, 90
13. Penn State, 71
14. Minnesota, 33