Preseason Associated Press Poll
RENO, Nev. The University of Nevada men’s basketball team is ranked 24th in the country in the preseason Associated Press poll released on Monday.
The Wolf Pack received 212 points to rank 24th in the poll of AP voters, which includes basketball writers and broadcasters from across the country. The team was also ranked 25th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll announced last week.
Picked to win the Western Athletic Conference by both the media and coaches in the league’s preseason polls, the Wolf Pack returns four starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s 27-6 team. Nevada heads into the 2006-07 season after winning three consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular-season titles and making three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
“We have some returning pieces this year, but the preseason polls are based on previous players and teams. That’s more of a compliment to them,” Fox said. “We’re just working on trying to get better every day.”
The 2006-07 season marks the second consecutive year that Nevada has been ranked in the preseason with the team checking in at 22nd in last year’s preseason AP poll and 25th in last year’s preseason coaches’ rankings. The Wolf Pack spent 11 weeks ranked in one of the two major national polls in 2005-06 and ended up ranked 20th in the final Associated Press poll of the year.
“The polls are about our hard work from last year. They are based on what they know about us from last year,” said senior forward Nick Fazekas. “It’s nice to get the recognition because we need it, but they don’t mean much. That’s why you play the games.”
Defending national champion Florida is the preseason pick for No. 1, receiving 63 of the 72 first-place votes. The Gators are joined by North Carolina, Kansas, Pittsburgh and LSU in the top five. The Tar Heels received the other nine first-place votes. The Wolf Pack will face a pair of teams receiving votes in the preseason poll this year in Gonzaga (28th with 129 points) and Akron (tied for 46th with one).
Nevada will take on Chico State in an exhibition game at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night at Lawlor Events Center, while the Wolf Pack opens the regular season on Friday, Nov. 10, playing host to Alaska-Anchorage at 7:05 p.m. at Lawlor Events Center.
For ticket information for the 2006-07 basketball season, call the Wolf Pack Ticket Office at (775) 348-PACK (7225) or visit www.nevadawolfpack.com.
