University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Among Preseason Ranked Teams
10/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The University of Minnesota men's basketball program will begin the 2009-10 season as the 18th and 25th ranked team in the nation, according to the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' preseason and Associated Press polls, respectively.
The Gophers were last listed among the nation's best in a preseason poll prior to the 2002-03 season when they began as the 24th ranked team in the nation. That season, Minnesota spent the first eight weeks in the polls and reached as high as 17.
Minnesota spent seven-straight weeks in the polls last season, reaching as high as 17th in the ESPN/USA Today poll on Jan. 12. The Gophers entered the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls as the No. 23 ranked team in the country on Dec. 22, the first time they have been ranked since 2002-03.
The Gophers open the 2009-10 slate on Friday, Nov. 13 vs. Tennessee Tech at Williams Arena (7:00 p.m.). Minnesota's home schedule contains 17 games, including a matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions to open the Big Ten schedule on Dec. 29. Ohio State, Michigan State, Northwestern, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue and Iowa will also make an appearance at Williams Arena.
Fans interested in purchasing 2009-10 season and single-game tickets may call the ticket office at 612-624-8080, or toll free at 1-800-U-GOPHER. Tickets may also be purchased through Minnesota's official athletics department website, www.gophersports.com.
