BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

For the second-straight year, Auburn men’s basketball was ranked in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll coming in at No. 15 on Monday. 

The Tigers have now been ranked four times in the last five years in the preseason AP Poll: 2018 (No. 11), 2019 (No. 24) and 2021 (No. 22). They were also ranked in the preseason Top 25 by KenPom (No. 13), CBS Sports (No. 14), Blue Ribbon College Yearbook (No. 15), Rothstein 45 (No. 17), The Almanac (No. 18) and Andy Katz Preseason Power 36 (No. 24).

 Junior guards Wendell Green Jr. (Detroit, Michigan) and K.D. Johnson (Atlanta, Georgia) are the team’s top two returning scorers, averaging 12.3 points and 12.0 points per game respectively in 2021-22.

Last season, the Tigers finished No. 8 in the final AP Poll after recording the third-most wins in program history with a 28-6 overall record, capturing a Southeastern Conference regular-season title and turning in their first undefeated season at home at Neville Arena (16-0).

AU also earned its first-ever No. 1 ranking in both national polls with two eventual first-round NBA Draft picks in All-Americans Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler. The Tigers open the 2022-23 season Nov. 7 at home against George Mason.  

2022-23 PRESEASON ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 POLL

1. North Carolina

2. Gonzaga

3. Houston

4. Kentucky

T5. Baylor

T5. Kansas

7. Duke

8. UCLA

9. Creighton

10. Arkansas

11. Tennessee

12. Texas

13. Indiana

14. TCU

15. Auburn

16. Villanova

17. Arizona

18. Virginia

19. San Diego State

20. Alabama

21. Oregon

22. Michigan

23. Illinois

24. Dayton

25. Texas Tech