Thad Matta

Thad Matta and Ohio State were picked to finish third in the Big Ten media poll assembled by the Columbus Dispatch.

(Associated Press)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Wisconsin was the unanimous favorite and Ohio State was projected to finish second in the preseason Big Ten basketball poll assembled by the Columbus Dispatch.

Though the Big Ten top three will be released before Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Thursday morning, this one – a poll I voted in with other Big Ten hoops writers – is the real, complete list.

Here's the poll:

1. Wisconsin

2. Ohio State

3. Michigan State

4. Nebraska

5. Michigan

6. Minnesota

7. Iowa

8. Illinois

9. Indiana

10. Maryland

11. Purdue

12. Penn State

13. Northwestern

14. Rutgers

Wisconsin returns four starters and seven of its top eight scorers from a team that reached the Final Four last season, so of course the Badgers would be the unanimous pick to win the conference.

Ohio State received 10 second-place votes and eight third-place votes before coming in at No. 2. The Buckeyes should compete for the Big Ten title, but there's too much that we haven't seen come together yet, which is why I put the Buckeyes at third.

Nebraska, a team who was tabbed in this poll to finish dead last a year ago, received six second-place votes and six third-place votes before coming in at fourth.

Here's my ballot:

1. Wisconsin

2. Michigan State

3. Ohio State

4. Michigan

5. Minnesota

6. Nebraska

7. Iowa

8. Indiana

9. Illinois

10. Maryland

11. Purdue

12. Penn State

13. Northwestern

14. Rutgers

The poll voters:

Nathan Baird, Lafayette Journal and Courier; Bob Baptist, Columbus Dispatch; Lee Barfknecht, Omaha World-Herald; Rod Beard, Detroit News; Mark Brennan, FightOnState.com; Rick Brown, Des Moines Register; Jerry Carino, Gannett New Jersey Newspapers; Matt Charboneau, Detroit News; Pete DiPrimio, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel; Scott Dochterman, Cedar Rapids Gazette; Marcus Fuller, St. Paul Pioneer Press; Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune; Terry Hutchens, AllHoosiers.com; Marcus Jackson, Champaign News-Gazette; Dave Jones, Harrisburg Patriot-News; Don Markus, Baltimore Sun; Zach Osterman, Indianapolis Star; Jim Polzin, Wisconsin State Journal; Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Amelia Rayno, Minneapolis Star Tribune; Joe Rexrode, Detroit Free Press; Brian Rosenthal, Lincoln Journal Star; Kyle Rowland, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette; Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press; Roman Stubbs, Washington Post; Mark Tupper, Decatur Herald-Review; Ari Wasserman, cleveland.com.