Lincoln – The Nebraska basketball program opens the season ranked 21st in the Associated Press Poll released Friday morning.

The Huskers, who return all five starters from a team that went 19-13 and reached the NCAA Tournament, totaled 309 points from the 65 voters from around the country.Friday’s preseason ranking marks the first time since Jan. 2, 1995, that the Huskers have been ranked in the Associated Press poll.

The Huskers are one of five Big Ten teams in the preseason top 25, joining Wisconsin (3), Michigan State (18), Ohio State (20) and Michigan (24). In addition, four other Big Ten teams, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Maryland are receiving votes in the preseason poll. It also marks the second time Nebraska has been ranked in the AP Preseason Poll, and the first since the 1992-93 season when the Huskers opened at No. 25.

The Huskers, who finished fourth in the Big Ten and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, are led by juniors Terran Petteway, a first-team All-Big Ten pick who led the Big Ten at 18.1 points per game last season, and Shavon Shields, who averaged 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game en route to honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors. Nebraska returns nine letterwinners who totaled more than 80 percent of the Huskers’ scoring and rebounding from a year ago.

In addition to the nine teams ranked or receiving votes, Nebraska could see as many as four teams who are ranked or receiving votes in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Both Cincinnati and Florida State are receiving votes, while Wichita State – which NU could face in the second round of the Diamond Head Classic – is 11th. In addition, Colorado and George Washington are on the other side of the Diamond Head Classic bracket and could face the Huskers on Christmas Day.

Nebraska is one of nine programs across the country – and one of two teams in the Big Ten – ranked in both the men’s and women’s preseason AP polls, joining Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, Texas, UConn, Michigan State and Syracuse.

Nebraska’s only exhibition game is Thursday, Nov. 6, against Southwest Minnesota State with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. NU’s regular-season opener is on Sunday, Nov. 16, against Northern Kentucky with tip-off at Pinnacle Bank Arena slated for 1 p.m. A limited number of tickets are available for both contests by visiting Huskers.com or calling 800-8-BIGRED

AP Top 25 (Preseason)
RK     TEAM                           RECORD      PTS
1       Kentucky (52)                29-11            1,604
2       Arizona (5)                    33-5             1,518
3       Wisconsin (8)                30-8             1,483
4       Duke                            26-9             1,415
5       Kansas                         25-10            1,346
6       North Carolina               24-10            1,274
7       Florida                          36-3             1,153
8       Louisville                      31-6             1,114
9       Virginia                         30-7             1,090
10      Texas                           24-11            1,061
11      Wichita State                 35-1             1,027
12      Villanova                       29-5             885
13      Gonzaga                       29-7             840
14      Iowa State                     28-8             781
15      VCU                             26-9             574
16      San Diego State            31-5             560
17      Connecticut                   32-8             552
18      Michigan State              29-9             521
19      Oklahoma                     23-10            426
20      Ohio State                    25-10            340
21      Nebraska                      19-13            309
22      SMU                             27-10            285
23      Syracuse                      28-6             178
24      Michigan                       28-9             167
25      Harvard                         27-5             98
25      Utah                             21-12            98