Iowa men’s basketball team ranked No. 5 in preseason AP poll
The preseason ranking is the highest for the program in 65 years.
Iowa center Luka Garza dunks the ball during a men’s basketball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Nebraska Huskers at Carver-Hawkeye arena on Saturday, February 8, 2020. The Hawkeyes defeated the Huskers 96-72.
November 9, 2020
The Iowa men’s basketball team is ranked No. 5 in the country in the preseason Associated Press poll that was released on Monday.
This marks the first season Iowa is ranked in the preseason in Fran McCaffery’s 11-year run as head coach and the No. 5 spot is the highest preseason ranking for the program in 65 years. Iowa was ranked No. 4 in the country heading into the 1955-56 season.
The Hawkeyes are ranked in the preseason poll for the first time since they were ranked No. 20 prior to the 2005-06 season.
The No. 5 ranking is the highest Iowa has been ranked in the AP poll since it was No. 4 the week of Feb. 15, 2016. It is the program’s highest preseason ranking since 1988-89, when the Hawkeyes entered the season at No. 7 in the country.
All-American and reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza will lead Iowa this season. Garza is part of a loaded rotation that also includes Joe Wieskamp, Jordan Bohannon, C.J. Fredrick, Connor McCaffery, and several other experienced players.
Gonzaga is the top team in the preseason AP poll. Iowa is scheduled to play Gonzaga on Dec. 19 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Below is the entire preseason top-25.
AP men’s basketball 2020-21 preseason poll
1. Gonzaga
2. Baylor
3. Villanova
4. Virginia
5. Iowa
6. Kansas
7. Wisconsin
8. Illinois
9. Duke
10. Kentucky
11. Creighton
12. Tennessee
13. Michigan State
14. Texas Tech
15. West Virginia
16. North Carolina
17. Houston
18. Arizona State
19. Texas
20. Oregon
21. Florida State
22. UCLA
23. Ohio State
24. Rutgers
25. Michigan