Men's Basketball: WVU Preseason 15th
October 28, 2005 01:32 PM | General
October 28, 2005
 |
||
| Beilein |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia is ranked 15th in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll released Friday. It is the first time the WVU basketball program has earned a preseason ranking since beginning the 1962-63 season ranked fifth by the Associated Press. That is the only other time the Mountaineers have ever earned a preseason ranking.
"I don't put much stock into the rankings when we aren't ranked, let alone when we are ranked, and we've had a lot more weeks when we haven't been ranked," says Mountaineer head coach John Beilein. "It's nice to know that we have the respect of many people that give us a high opinion of our program right now."
The Mountaineers, 24-11 last year, return four of five starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight team the finished the season ranked 12th in the nation.
Coach John Beilein’s Mountaineers are one of five Big East teams in the preseason Top 25: Connecticut is ranked second, Villanova is fourth, Louisville is eighth and Syracuse is 16th.
West Virginia could face a total of nine preseason ranked teams if it advances in the Guardians Classic. Potential ranked non-conference opponents include No. 3 Texas, No. 10 Kentucky and No. 20 Iowa.
West Virginia has a Dec. 22 date against No. 6 Oklahoma in Oklahoma City and a trip to No. 18 UCLA on Jan. 21.
Tickets for the 2005-06 are on sale and can be purchased by calling the Mountaineer Ticket Office toll-free at 1-800-WVU GAME. Fans can also purchase single-game and season tickets online at WVUGAME.com.
