Iowa is fifth in Associated Press’ preseason men’s basketball rankings.
The Hawkeyes are the highest-ranked Big Ten team. Wisconsin is seventh, Illinois eighth.
It is Iowa’s highest ranking in any AP poll since it was No. 4 the week of Feb. 15, 2016.
It’s the Hawkeyes’ highest preseason ranking. Preseason polls began with the 1961-62 season. Iowa was ranked No. 4 on Dec. 4, 1955, the day it started its 1955-56 season.
This is the eighth time in program history that Iowa is ranked in the AP preseason top 10 and first since they were No. 9 in 2001-02.
Iowa, 20-11 last season, was ranked 25th in the last AP poll of 2019-20. Its highest ranking last season was 17th.
Gonzaga is the preseason No. 1. Iowa plays Gonzaga on Dec. 19 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
In other Iowa men’s basketball news, center Luka Garza is the Big Ten’s Preseason Player of the Year after a vote by conference media. Garza, the reigning league Player of the Year, joins teammate Joe Wieskamp are on the 10-player preseason all-conference team.