Blue Ribbon Yearbook ranks Iowa hoops

Iowa's men's basketball program will open the season ranked No. 24 by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, long considered the Bible of preview guides.

The Hawkeyes finished 25-13 last year and was runner-up in the NIT last year. Iowa returns 93 percent of its scoring from last year, including third-team all-Big Ten selections Aaron White and Devyn Marble.

Iowa is the fourth Big Ten squad ranked. Other teams include Michigan State (No. 1), Michigan (No. 9) and Ohio State (No. 11). Iowa will play those three teams at least twice this year. Iowa also faces No. 19 Notre Dame in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on Dec. 3 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa could play two other ranked squads in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend. If Iowa beats Xavier in the opener, the winner of  No. 20 Tennessee-UTEP in the second round. Should the Hawkeyes advance to the finals, No. 6 Kansas could be the opponent.

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• 1.                   Michigan State
• 2.                   Kentucky
• 3.                   Louisville
• 4.                   Duke
• 5.                   Arizona
• 6.                   Kansas
• 7.                   Florida
• 8.                  Syracuse
• 9.                  Michigan
• 10.                North Carolina
• 11.                 Ohio State
• 12.                Oklahoma State
• 13.                Wichita State
• 14.                Gonzaga
• 15.                Connecticut
• 16.                Marquette
• 17.                Memphis
• 18.                VCU
• 19.                Notre Dame
• 20.               Tennessee
• 21.                Creighton
• 22.                Baylor
• 23.                Colorado
• 24.                Iowa
• 25.                New Mexico