With actual games right around the corner, it’s talking season across college basketball. The Michigan basketball programs attended Big Ten media days this week in Rosemont, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.

The Michigan men were picked to finish second in the Big Ten in an unofficial media poll. Second-year head coach Dusty May is fine with that. “We’re certainly going to embrace those expectations,” he said in his Big Ten Network interview. “When you compete in the Big Ten, in a league like this, national championship, Big Ten championships are what you strive for. We have the tools in our locker room to compete against anyone.

“We have a lot to figure out and some puzzles to put together but we like the ability that we have.”

Michigan brings back four contributors from last year’s team that went 27-10, won the Big Ten Tournament and reached the Sweet 16. Four transfers will play key roles as well. Two of the returners, guards Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr., accompanied May to media day. On the BTN set they were asked about team chemistry so far.

“It’s amazing,” Burnett said. “The time we spend off the court, the time we spend on the court has brought us closer together made us a better team as well. I’m excited to hit the fire soon. It’s October, the season is approaching.”

Gayle agreed: “Having key returners…kind of built the foundation for how we want to play going into this year. And the kind of guys we got, transfers and freshmen, are just personality guys. It’s easier to build a team when you have guys that connect off the court.”

May acknowledged the biggest question mark entering the Nov. 3 regular-season opener. “Obviously the elephant in the room is how well we didn’t shoot the ball in the meat of the season last year,” he said, noting how well Michigan shot from 3-point range the first couple of months and how poorly they did the rest of the way. “These guys have shot it well in practice in five-on-five play. They put in the time, they put in the work. As coaches we’re trying to find ways to generate even better shots, even more rhythm shots.

“You never know until you play the games, but I know our two exhibitions against Cincinnati (Oct. 17) and St. John’s we’ll have some flaws exposed.”

The Michigan women were picked third and fourth in the Big Ten’s two preseason polls. Kim Barnes Arico, who enters her 14th season as head coach, was joined by star sophomores Syla Swords and Olivia Olson at media day.

“It’s nice to know that our freshman class all returned,” Barnes Arico. “In this landscape of college athletics, sometimes you don’t know that. Our freshman class all came back, which was amazing. …

“They have unfinished business. They want to continue to grow, they want to continue to develop and they want to continue to do special things at Michigan.”

Michigan went 23-11 last year and won an NCAA Tournament game as a 6 seed. Swords, Olson and Mila Holloway started all season as freshmen.

“You see that all over basketball, all over sports where people are competing against each other for the spotlight,” Barnes Arico said. “And we never had that issue last year. How special is that? Players that were the best where they came from really bought into the team dynamic and were so unselfish.”

Olson, when asked about Swords, echoed that sentiment. “Syla’s the most unselfish player I’ve ever played with. On and off the court, she’s the best teammate you’ll ever have. I think that’s so different and unique: The best player on the team is not always the best teammate or best leader.”

Swords talked about what it was like playing alongside Olson. “You can tell every time she hits the floor because the intensity of the game changes, the intensity of practice changes. … Every time we have to pick a team, Liv’s always at the top of my list because I know she’s out there to win and pushing people to be better.”

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