Associated Press: Ohio State the Big Ten's Sixth Best Team

By D.J. Byrnes on October 31, 2016 at 2:37p

The Associated Press released its Preseason Top 25 on Monday ahead of the men's college basketball season.

Five Big Ten teams made the cut: Wisconsin (No. 9), Indiana (No. 11), Michigan State (No. 12), Purdue (No. 15th) and Maryland (No. 25).

Ohio State registered at No. 35, a stark contrast to the No. 13 ranking the Buckeyes achieved in the first KenPom Ratings of the season. The Buckeyes are the highest non-ranked team in the Big Ten.

Thad Matta's team opens the 2016-17 season Friday, Nov. 11, in Annapolis, Maryland against Navy.

The full poll:

AP Poll
RANK TEAM RECORD PTS 1st VOTES PREV
1 DUKE 25-11 1,612 58 19
2 KENTUCKY 27-9 1,479 2 10
3 KANSAS 33-5 1,476 1
4 VILLANOVA 35-5 1,465 4 6
5 OREGON 31-7 1,343 1 5
6 NORTH CAROLINA 33-7 1,314 3
7 XAVIER 28-6 1,167 9
8 VIRGINIA 29-8 1,149 4
9 WISCONSIN 22-13 1,135
10 ARIZONA 25-9 1,004 17
11 INDIANA 27-8 917 14
12 MICHIGAN STATE 29-6 903 2
13 LOUISVILLE 23-8 755 16
14 GONZAGA 28-8 699
15 PURDUE 26-9 672 12
16 UCLA 15-17 540
17 SAINT MARY'S (CAL.) 29-6 512
18 CONNECTICUT 25-11 504
19 SYRACUSE 23-14 464
20 WEST VIRGINIA 26-9 360 8
21 TEXAS 20-13 250
22 CREIGHTON 20-15 231
23 RHODE ISLAND 17-15 199
24 IOWA STATE 23-12 168 22
25 MARYLAND 27-9 144 18