ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – In the first Associated Press NCAA Division I Preseason Poll, the University of Michigan is ranked 22^nd. They are one of three Big Ten programs nationally ranked. Indiana is 13^th while Illinois is 23^rd.

Michigan went 19-15 last year losing in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. They went three rounds deep into the NCAA Tournament with a win over Colorado State, 75-63, and then a 76-68 victory over #5 Tennessee.

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Head Coach Juwan Howard said on this year, “I’m always thinking about winning and growing and working hard to go out there [to achieve] our biggest challenge and also one of our biggest goals and that’s winning championships, not just one. You know, our goal is – always we look at and identify that we are playing in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, I will say the toughest conference, and that’s the Big Ten.”

Michigan State was left out of the national rankings after 23-13 last year and losing in the Big Ten Tournament semi-final game. They went two games into the NCAA Tournament with an opening win over Davidson, 74-73, before falling to Duke, 85-76.