Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, October 31, 2011
Expectations were already sky high for Ohio State's Jared Sullinger and Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor entering the 2011-12 men's basketball season. The pressure is on even more now that they will have AP preseason All-America attached to their names all season long. Both players made the annual publication's first team, released Monday, with Sullinger being a unanimous pick. Yes, the Buckeye sophomore was listed on all 65 ballots from a national media panel.
Last season, Sullinger averaged 17.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg and 1.2 apg, while Taylor totaled 18.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 4.7 apg. The Big Ten standouts are joined on the team by North Carolina's Harrison Barnes, Kentucky's Terrence Jones and Connecticut's Jeremy Lamb.
Sullinger will shoot for his second AP All-America Team in as many seasons. The sophomore made the postseason team last year, along with Purdue big man JaJuan Johnson.
Sullinger and the Buckeyes open the season Friday, Nov. 11 against Wright State. View Ohio State's schedule. Taylor's Badgers tip off the season Saturday, Nov. 12 against Kennesaw State. View the Wisconsin schedule.
Brent Yarina is a web editor and blogger for BTN.com. Find all of his work here and follow him on twitter at @BTNBrentYarina.