Senior forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is bullish on what the Gophers men’s basketball team can accomplish during the 2026-27 season.

“I feel like we can do a lot of things special,” Crocker-Johnson said at the U’s internal media day last Thursday. “We’ve got the talent, the size. Everybody here wants to work. I just feel like we can really surprise people this year.”

Minnesota head coach Niko Medved yells instructions to his team as they play Michigan in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)

One preseason poll, however, isn’t as high on Minnesota. The Gophers were picked to finish 13th in the 18-team Big Ten, according to the Columbus Dispatch’s annual poll of 27 conference reporters released Monday.

A year ago, an injury-ravaged Minnesota squad finished 11th in the league, going 15-18 overall and 8-12 in conference play.

Going into coach Niko Medved’s second season, the U retained three starters — Crocker-Johnson, Isaac Asuma and Bobby Durkin — and added North Carolina transfer guard Kyan Evans and 7-foot-2 Michigan center Malick Kordel, among others.

The Gophers could also regain last year’s leading scorer, wing Cade Tyson, if his eligibility court case is successful. Tyson, who averaged 19.6 points a game last season, has a hearing in Colorado on Oct. 13.

In the poll, Minnesota didn’t receive any votes for individual plaudits. Preseason player of the year was Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears, freshman of the year Ohio State forward Anthony Thomas, and transfer of the year was Illinois guard Stefan Vaaks (Providence).

Minnesota also didn’t garner any players on the poll’s two all-Big Ten teams, but Tyson received three votes.

Men’s Big Ten preseason poll

The Columbus Dispatch’s annual poll of 27 conference reporters was released Monday:

1. Illinois, 498 (18 first-place)
2. Michigan State, 483 (9)
3. Michigan, 436 (1)
4. UCLA, 375
5. Nebraska, 369
6. Purdue, 347
7. Southern Cal, 340
8. Ohio State, 324
9. Indiana, 292
10. Iowa, 264
11. Wisconsin, 240
12. Maryland, 203
13. Gophers, 168
14. Oregon, 147
15. Washington, 116
16. Northwestern, 88
17. Rutgers, 68
18. Penn State, 35