Wright named to All-Big Ten team

CHICAGO -- The men's basketball season hasn't even started and Bracey Wright already has expectations to fill. The sophomore guard was selected to the Big Ten preseason All-Conference Team by the coaches and the media.\n"Whatever hype there was about me last year, now everybody is going to be coming after me," Wright said. "I'm somebody who's going to have an X on my back so I'm going to have to work twice as hard as everybody else to stay on top."\nOn the list with Wright was Illinois sophomore Dee Brown, Wisconsin junior Devin Harris, Michigan sophomore Daniel Horton and Michigan State junior Chris Hill. Michigan State sophomore Paul Davis tied and was a member of the coaches' team.\nThe coaches selected Harris as the preseason Player of the Year. The guard finished last season with 12.7 points and 3.06 assists per game.\n"I was surprised that they recognized me that way, but then again it's only preseason," Harris said. "I'm just worried about how the team plays in the conference. It's great to get the accolades, but that's what I'm preparing for now."\nBrown was selected by the media for Player of the Year. Brown said he didn't expect the award and wouldn't have picked himself or Harris.\n"I'd pick Paul Davis, who I think is the best player potential wise in our conference," Brown said. "Sometimes you have to live up to that expectation, but I think if my team's successful, I'll be successful."\nMichigan State was chosen by the coaches and the media as preseason favorite to win the Big Ten. The Spartans return three starters from a team that went 10-6 in the Big Ten and finished in a tie for third place.\n"We're honored to be in that position, but at the same time we've been there before," Hill said. "We understand that if the coaches and the media pick us preseason to win the Big Ten title, it has nothing to do with how you do on the court. For us, there's not as much (pressure) just because we've been in that situation before. I think it's more like Wisconsin who have won back-to-back championships. I think they have a little bit more pressure than we do because it's their title to defend."\nIllinois was picked to finish second, and Wisconsin was third. The Illini finished second last season while the Badgers won the crown outright with a 12-4 record.\n"In the past two years, I've seen the teams they've picked to win the conference championship, and I've seen the teams that were left out," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said. "So I never get too excited one way or too dejected in the other way because it still has to be played on the courts."\nSeveral of the coaches commented that the Big Ten is going to be very tough this year, even more so than in the past. In addition to the top three, teams such as IU, Purdue and Ohio State could all make a run for the championship.\n"We may be a unanimous pick because of where we went last year and where our program is," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "How anybody can say we are better than Illinois or Wisconsin right now on paper alone is ridiculous. I say that not to defer it. I'm happy. That's better for us, But I do think top to bottom, there are some incredible teams right now."\n-- Contact Sports editor Tyler V. Hoeppner at thoeppne@indiana.edu.