MENS-BASKETBALL

Ohio State men's basketball ranked No. 23 in preseason Associated Press poll

Adam Jardy
Buckeye Xtra
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Chris Holtmann yells from the bench during the second half of the NCAA basketball game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Value City Arena on Feb. 14, 2019. Ohio State lost 63-56.

Ohio State will open the 2020-21 men’s college basketball season ranked No. 23 in the preseason Associated Press poll.

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It marks the second straight year the Buckeyes will begin play with a number attached to their name. They opened the 2019-20 season ranked No. 18 last season and flirted with the No. 1 ranking in the nation and were ranked No. 19 entering the Big Ten tournament when the postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It marked the first time Ohio State appeared in the preseason AP poll since it was ranked No. 20 to open the 2014-15 season.

The season is scheduled to start November 25, but Ohio State is looking for new options after withdrawing from the Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, largely due to the ongoing pandemic.

The Buckeyes are the fifth of seven teams in the top 25. Iowa is No. 5, ahead of Wisconsin (7), Illinois (8), Michigan State (13), Rutgers (24) and Michigan (25).

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy