As our analysis of the Big Ten continues, we arrive at our first team that will likely be ranked in the preseason polls. Right now, ESPN's Andy Katz has Minnesota at #25 and on the edge of the rankings and there's no reason to think that won't be accurate when the season begins. Obviously, the preseason rankings mean very little in the grand scheme of things, as referenced in my Illinois post, but it does show that this team has some big expectations for next season. They certainly aren't expected to be in the Big Ten title race or as one of the top teams in the nation, but if the preseason predictions are accurate, they should be able to go to the NCAA Tournament.Minnesota started off the season with a lot of potential. They began their season 6-0 and started off with a record of 12-1 before entering Big Ten play. They actually received votes in the first three AP polls of last season. However, Trebor Mbakwe, who is considered by most to be Minnesota's best player, was injured in their only non-conference loss against Dayton and did not return for the remainder of the season. This was a huge hit to the Golden Gophers as he was named 2nd team All-Big Ten in the 2010-2011 and actually led the Big Ten in rebounding during his junior year.
