Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 12: Big Ten logo on the floor before the Big Ten Men's Basketball Final against the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan Wolverines at the Verizon Center on March 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Wolverines won 71-56. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

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Big Ten Basketball Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Ben Johnson Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports /

. . Golden Gophers . 14. team. 487.

Things collapsed in a hurry for Minnesota basketball to conclude the 2020-21 season as they dropped eight of their last nine games, fired Richard Pitino, and saw a mass exodus of players to the transfer portal.

Head coach Ben Johnson will have his work cut out for him as he looks to turn things around for a program that made just two appearances in the NCAA Tournament in eight seasons under Pitino.

Payton Willis (College of Charleston) should take on the lead guard duties for the Golden Gophers. He averaged 13.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 3.1 apg in the Cougars’ backcourt and will look to bring a similar pedigree to the Minnesota basketball rotation in desperate need of a leader.

Jamison Battle (George Washington) is another name to keep an eye on in the frontcourt. He posted 17.3 ppg and 5.2 rpg in the Atlantic 10 basketball ranks while shooting 35.4 percent from 3-point range. He’ll be a versatile sharpshooter due to make an impact.

Their biggest question marks will be around the rim, which should make for an interesting first-year for Coach Johnson. Eric Curry and freshman big man Treyton Thompson are good starting pieces, but they’ll certainly need more to contend.

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