Men's Basketball Selected No. 16 in AP Preseason Poll

Nov. 6, 2006

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University men's basketball team opens the 2006-07 season ranked No. 16 in the AP Preseason Poll. The Golden Eagles received 554 votes and are one of eight teams in the poll who did not finish ranked in the top 25 last season. It is the highest ranking for Marquette in the preseason poll since beginning the 1977-78 season as the No. 3 team in the AP Poll. MU was selected No. 17 in the USA TODAY/ESPN Preseason Poll, Oct. 27.

2005-06 NCAA Champion Florida (33-6), who finished 11th in the poll last season, starts as the No. 1 team this season after receiving 1,788 points and 63 of 72 first-place votes. Second in the poll is North Carolina (23-8) with 1,704 points and nine first-place votes, third is Kansas (25-8) with 1,636 points, and fourth with 1,407 points is BIG EAST's Pittsburgh (25-8).

Including Pittsburgh, four other BIG EAST teams open the season in the top 25. Georgetown (23-10) is No. 8 after receiving 1,271 points. The Hoyas finished last season ranked No. 23. Connecticut (30-4), finishing No. 2 in 2005-06, opens at No. 18, receiving 399 points, and Syracuse (23-12) opens at No. 20 with 367 votes after finishing last season ranked No. 21.

Others receiving votes from the BIG EAST are: Louisville (21-13) 62; Villanova (28-5) 37 and DePaul (12-15) 16.

The Golden Eagles open this season, Nov. 10, when they host Hillsdale College at the Bradley Center a 7:30 p.m.