By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -

Last season, Ohio State basketball featured the two conference players of the year, and both the men’s and women’s teams won at least a share of the conference title. Not much is expected to change.

At the Big Ten basketball meetings in Chicago on Thursday, the OSU women were picked as the favorite by the media and the coaches to win their seventh straight conference crown; and senior center Jantel Lavender was named as the preseason player of the year.

Lavender, a Cleveland Central Catholic grad, was named the Big Ten player of the year after the season as a freshman, sophomore and junior. Point guard Samantha Prahalis also joined Lavender on the All-Big Ten team.

On the men’s side, the Buckeyes were chosen to finish second behind Michigan State. Also Thursday, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 4 in the AP preseason poll, with Michigan State No. 2. Ohio State was previously ranked No. 5 in the coaches poll.

No Buckeyes made the All-Big Ten team, which consisted of preseason player of the year Kalin Lucas of Michigan State, Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore, Wisconsin’s Jon Leuer and Illinois’ Demetri McCamey.

Last season, Lucas was also named the preseason player of the year and Ohio State’s Evan Turner went on to be not only the Big Ten’s player of the year, but also the national player of the year.

The men open the season at home against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 12, while the women start the year at Temple the same day.

Big Ten Preseason Rankings

As voted by league media:

MEN

Predicted order of finish

1. Michigan State, 2. Ohio State, 3. Purdue.

All-Big Ten Team

JaJuan Johnson, Purdue; Jon Leuer, Wisconsin; Kalin Lucas, Michigan State; Demetri McCamey, Illinois; E’Twaun Moore, Purdue.

Player of the Year

Kalin Lucas, Michigan State

WOMEN

Predicted order of finish

1. Ohio State, 2. Iowa, 3. Michigan State, Purdue (tie).

All-Big Ten Team (six players because of a tie)

Kachine Alexander, Iowa; Amy Jaeschke, Northwestern; Jantel Lavender, OSU; Samantha Prahalis, OSU; Brittany Rayburn, Purdue; Alyssa Karel, Wisconsin.

Preseason Player of the Year

Jantel Lavender, OSU

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