Rutgers basketball ranked no. 24 in preseason AP Poll

Great expectations have officially arrived for the Rutgers men’s basketball team. On Monday, the preseason AP Poll was released and ranked the Scarlet Knights at no. 24. It is the first time Rutgers has been ranked to begin a season since the 1978-1979 campaign.

Last season, Rutgers jumped into the AP Poll for the first time in 41 years and were receiving votes when the regular season ended after finishing with a 20-11 season.

Rutgers also begins the season at no. 27 in the KenPom rankings, which measures efficiency.

In addition, Geo Baker was one of ten players named Preseason All-Big Ten by the conference. Last week, Baker was named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List for the nation’s top point guard. Ron Harper Jr. was also named to the Julius Erving Award Watch List for the nation’s top small forward.

There is hope that the Big Ten will announce the conference schedule for this season later this week. Rutgers reportedly opens the season at home on November 25 against Sacred Heart, although the program has not officially announced its non-conference slate as of yet.