Iowa Hawkeyes 9th in Big Ten preseason men’s basketball poll

Expectations: Lower.

That’s the story for Iowa men’s basketball entering the 2021-22 season, at least according to the 28 people who voted in preseason rankings of Big Ten teams.

Two writers from each of the 14 conference basketball beats voted in a survey conducted by the Columbus Dispatch and The Athletic. They have Iowa ninth in the conference after having it second behind Illinois entering last season.

Michigan, No. 6 in their preseason poll, was the regular-season champion. Illinois and Iowa finished 2-3.

This year’s ranking, with voting points (First-place votes in parentheses):

1. Michigan, 373 (13)

2. Purdue, 373 (12)

3. Illinois, 320 (3)

4. Ohio State, 316

5. Maryland, 269

6. Michigan State, 262

7. Indiana, 219

8. Rutgers, 208

9. Iowa, 150

10. Wisconsin, 149

11. Nebraska, 105

T-12. Northwestern, 81

T-12. Penn State, 81

14. Minnesota, 34

Preseason player of the year

Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, 11

Jaden Ivey, Purdue, 5

E.J. Liddell, Ohio State, 4

Hunter Dickinson, Michigan, 3

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana, 3

Trevion Williams, Purdue, 2

Preseason freshman of the year

Caleb Houstan, Michigan, 20

Max Christie, Michigan State, 7

Bryce McGowens, Nebraska, 1

Preseason first-team All-Big Ten

Kofi Cockburn, Illinois (27 points)

E.J. Liddell, Ohio State (26)

Hunter Dickinson, Michigan (25)

Jaden Ivey, Purdue (21)

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana (20)

Also receiving votes: Trevion Williams, Purdue (10); Eric Ayala, Maryland (4); Andre Curbelo, Illinois, and DeVante' Jones, Michigan (2); Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers, and Caleb Houstan, Michigan (1)