Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball Ranked Eighth in Preseason Mid-Major Poll, Gets Vote in USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll
11/1/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell is mentioned in two national preseason men's basketball polls this week. The Bison received a single vote in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll, and they are ranked eighth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
Bucknell, coming off a 23-10 season, a Patriot League championship and a win over Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, received 479 points in the Mid-Major Poll, behind only Gonzaga (774), Old Dominion (679), Northern Iowa (638), Creighton (626), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (608), Oral Roberts (535) and Davidson (518).
The Bison are the lone Patriot League team in the top 25, although Holy Cross (52), American (2) and Colgate (1) also received votes.
The Mid-Major Poll is voted on by a panel of head coaches, and eligible teams come from the following Division I conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Sun Belt and West Coast.
Bucknell spent five weeks in the Mid-Major Poll top 25 during the 2004-05 regular-season, peaking at No. 14, and the Bison were listed 18th in the final poll of the season.
Bucknell was one of 51 teams to receive at least one vote in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll. Three of Bucknell's 2005-06 opponents are ranked in the preseason poll, including No. 1 Duke, No. 4 Villanova and No. 16 Syracuse.
The Bison, who return all five starters from last year's title squad, host Lock Haven in an exhibition game this Saturday at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The game is open to the public free of charge. Bucknell's regular-season opener is Nov. 18 at Rider.
