The media has selected the Michigan State Spartans as the preseason favorites to win the Big Ten basketball title.

At the conference's media-day event in Chicago today, Michigan State guard Drew Neitzel was also selected as the pre-season player of the year.

Joining him on the pre-season all-star team are Illinois forward Shaun Pruitt, Indiana forward D.J. White, Ohio State guard Jamar Butler and Penn State guard Geary Claxton.

Ohio State was picked to win the women's conference title and Wisconsin's Jolene Anderson was named the pre-season player of the year.