COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — For the first time in six years, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team enters a second consecutive season unranked by the Associated Press.
The preseason AP poll was released Monday for the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season and it did not include the Buckeyes. They did not receive any votes. Ohio State did not crack the top 25 in either the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, the last time it was unranked in consecutive years to begin a new season.
Head coach Chris Holtmann and his squad had a disappointing 2022-23 season, finishing with a 16-19 record with just five wins in the Big Ten. As the second-lowest seed in the conference tournament, the Buckeyes made a shock run to the semifinals where they lost to Purdue. It meant no March Madness for OSU for the first time since 2016-17.
Ohio State will begin the season on Nov. 6 at Value City Arena against Oakland. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Buckeyes second game will be its first against a ranked opponent when they host No. 15 Texas A&M on Nov. 10. That game will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. Among OSU’s other non-conference opponents include No. 24 Alabama, UCLA, and West Virginia.
Coming in at No. 1 to start the season is Kansas followed by Duke, Purdue, Michigan State, and Marquette. Just outside the top-five are the reigning national champions UCONN, who enter at No. 6. Alongside No. 3 Purdue and No. 4 Michigan State is just one other Big Ten team in the top-25: No. 25 Illinois.
AP Poll (Preseason)
| 1 | Kansas (46) |
| 2 | Duke (11) |
| 3 | Purdue (3) |
| 4 | Michigan State (1) |
| 5 | Marquette |
| 5 | UCONN (2) |
| 7 | Houston |
| 8 | Creighton |
| 9 | Tennessee |
| 10 | Florida Atlantic |
| 11 | Gonzaga |
| 12 | Arizona |
| 13 | Miami (FL) |
| 14 | Arkansas |
| 15 | Texas A&M |
| 16 | Kentucky |
| 17 | San Diego State |
| 18 | Texas |
| 19 | North Carolina |
| 20 | Baylor |
| 21 | USC |
| 22 | Villanova |
| 23 | Saint Mary’s |
| 24 | Alabama |
| 25 | Illinois |