Blue Ribbon picks Michigan to finish 12th in Big Ten

The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, an annual publication previewing the college basketball season since the early 1980s, was released recently in a digital format. Printed copies will be available at a later date.

Blue Ribbon projects the Wolverines to finish 12th in the Big Ten this season.

The predicted order of finish in the Big Ten is as follows:

1. Purdue
2. Michigan State
3. Maryland
4. Indiana
5. Wisconsin
6. Illinois
7. Ohio State
8. Northwestern
9. Rutgers
10. Iowa
11. Nebraska
12. Michigan
13. Penn State
14. Minnesota

Only two Big Ten programs were picked in the top 25: Purdue at No. 2 and Michigan State at No. 5.

Here are some notes on Michigan, the Big Ten at large and the national scene from the annual publication:

• Purdue’s Zach Edey is the Blue Ribbon pick for Big Ten Player of the Year.
• Edey is also tabbed as the National Player of the Year with former Wolverine Hunter Dickinson earning national Newcomer of the Year honors.
• Penn State’s Ace Baldwin, a transfer from VCU, is the Blue Ribbon pick for Big Ten Newcomer of the Year.
• The preseason All-Big Ten team features Edey, Cliff Omoruyi, Terrence Shannon Jr., Boo Buie and Jahmir Young.
• The top three Big Ten backcourts are Michigan State, Maryland and Northwestern.
• The top three Big Ten frontcourts are Purdue, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Here are the Blue Ribbon Preseason All-American teams:

• First team: Edey, Dickinson, Duke’s Kyle Filipowski, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek and Villanova’s Justin Moore.
• Second team: Mississippi State’s Tolu Smith, North Carolina’s Armando Bacot, Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Kevin McCullar Jr. of Kansas and Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV.
• Third team: Auburn’s Johni Broome, Arizona’s Oumar Ballo, UConn’s Tristen Newton, Buie and Young.
• Fourth team: Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II, Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva, Shannon Jr., Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi and USC’s Isaiah Coller.

The Blue Ribbon college basketball yearbook is available to purchase here.