The Georgetown men’s basketball team will tip off their 2015-16 season in 10 days unranked after the release of the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll earlier this week.
The Hoyas, who also are unranked in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Top 25 poll, will begin the season unranked in both polls for the fifth consecutive season, the longest such streak since 1996-2001.
The Hoyas received 23 total points in the poll, the eighth-highest total for teams not in the Top 25. The Blue and Gray finished No. 22 in the final AP poll last season and have finished in the AP Top 25 three of the last four seasons.
Conference rivals Villanova, No. 11, and Butler, No. 24, are the only teams in the Big East to earn a ranking. In addition to the Hoyas, Xavier and Providence also received votes, earning 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The rankings bolstered the argument that the Hoyas will have one of the most challenging non-conference schedules in the country. Maryland, Wisconsin, Connecticut, and possible opponent Duke are all ranked in the Top 25.
The Hoyas will face off against local rival No. 3 Maryland in College Park on Nov. 17 before traveling to New York for the two-game 2K Classic, where they play No. 17 Wisconsin in their first game on Nov. 20. Depending on the outcome of that game, the Hoyas could face off against No. 5 Duke two days later. The Blue and Gray will renew their rivalry with former Big East foe No. 18 Connecticut on Jan. 23 in Hartford to close out their non-conference schedule.
Along with Maryland and Duke, No. 1 North Carolina, No. 2 Kentucky, and No. 4 Kansas round out the top five of the poll.
The Hoyas begin their season on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Verizon Center when they host Radford for a noon tip-off.
