The Gophers men’s basketball team will look to prove doubters wrong for a second straight season. Minnesota has been predicted to finish last in the expanded 18-team Big Ten Conference, according to the media poll published Wednesday. With the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington, the Gophers received only 62 votes, which is 25 votes fewer than the next closest team, Penn State. A year ago, the U was projected to finish last, which then was 14th, but ended up ninth in the standings, with a record of 19-15 overall and 9-11 in conference play. Minnesota missed the NCAA tournament but advanced to the second round of the NIT. The Gophers lost three starters from last year’s team — center Pharrel Payne, shooting guard Cam Christie and point guard Elijah Hawkins — but return forward Dawson Garcia and guard Mike Mitchell Jr. Garcia was one of 10 players named to the preseason all-Big Ten team on Tuesday. At 17.6 points per game, he is the conference’s top returning scorer. The senior from Savage, Minn., was on this preseason list a season ago, too. Minnesota added nine new players for this year, including seven transfers. Six are seniors: Lu’Cye Patterson (Charlotte), Tyler Cochran (Toledo), Brennan Rigsby (Oregon) Fame Odukale (New Mexico State) and Caleb Willams (Macalester), and forward Trey Edmonds (Texas-San Antonio). One is a junior: Frank Mitchel (Canisius). The Big Ten poll, which is conducted by The Columbus Dispatch and The Indianapolis Star, included 33 media members. Low expectations Projected Big Ten standings, with total votes (first-places votes): 1. Purdue, 572 (20) 2. Indiana, 549 (7) 3. UCLA, 510 (2) 4. Illinois, 458 (2) 5. Michigan State, 448 (1) 6. Oregon, 412 7. Rutgers, 391 8. Ohio State, 369 (1) 9. Michigan, 342 10. Maryland, 263 11. Iowa, 249 12t. Wisconsin, 212 12t. Nebraska, 212 14. USC, 196 15. Washington, 158 16. Northwestern, 153 17. Penn State, 87 18. Minnesota, 62 Related Articles College Sports | Top basketball recruit Tommy Ahneman of Cretin-Derham Hall commits to Notre Dame College Sports | Gophers men’s basketball: Freshman guard Isaac Asuma draws comparison to Cam Christie College Sports | Gophers AD Mark Coyle on expectations and reality for football, men’s basketball and wrestling teams College Sports | Gophers AD Mark Coyle discusses financial pinch, prospect of cutting sports, future of The Barn College Sports | With Pharrel Payne gone, Gophers men’s basketball looks to Frank Mitchell, others in post