MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia will begin the 2020-21 men's basketball season ranked 15^th, according to the Associated Press' Preseason Poll released earlier today.
 
It's the fifth time a Bob Huggins-coached Mountaineer team begins the year ranked by AP, and 10^th overall.
 
WVU started last season ranked 13^th, was 11^th to begin 2017-18 and 20^th to tip off the 2016-17 campaign.
 
Huggins' Final Four team in 2010 began that year ranked No. 8.
 
The other WVU teams to start the season in the AP poll include 2005-06 (No. 14), 1962-63 (No. 5), 1959-60 ( No. 2), 1958-59 (No. 4) and 1956-57 (No. 13).
 
West Virginia's 27-game 2020-21 season is scheduled to get underway in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, against Texas A&M on Wednesday, Nov. 25 in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.
 
The three-day event will be played in a secure bubble in the Sanford Pentagon. 
 
Other teams in this year's field include St. Mary's, Memphis, No. 11 Creighton, Utah State, South Dakota State and Wichita State.
 
South Dakota State recently replaced Ohio State, and according to CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, Utah State is now replacing Dayton in the eight-team field.

West Virginia is one of five Big 12 teams ranked in the AP preseason poll. The others are No. 2 Baylor, No. 6 Kansas, No. 14 Texas Tech and No. 19 Texas.