The preseason Associated Press men's basketball poll Wednesday confirmed what we already knew: Expectations for the Gophers, ranked No. 15, are as high as they've been in years.
Gophers ranked No. 15 in preseason AP men's basketball poll
November 2, 2017 at 2:05AM
The Gophers also were ranked No. 15 in the preseason coaches' poll in October.
Another 15 number to know: It's been that many years since the Gophers were last ranked in both polls — AP and coaches' — before the season; they opened at No. 24 in both polls before the 2002-03 season.
The Gophers were a preseason Top 25 AP team eight years ago, opening at No. 25 for the 2009-10 season.
The last time the Gophers were a top-15 team to open the season? October 1993, when they were coming off an NIT championship victory over Georgetown that March. That 1993-94 season ended up becoming the first of six seasons wiped off the books because of NCAA violations.
The Gophers' team goals this season include a Big Ten title, and to get that trophy they'll have to take down the No. 2 team in the country: the Michigan State Spartans.
The Gophers start on those goals, unofficially, Thursday night in an exhibition game vs. Concordia (St. Paul) at Williams Arena.
Marcus Fuller
![Men's coach Richard Pitino laughed as he answered a question during his press conference. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com The University of Minnesota's Gophers men's and women's basketball teams held a media day Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at the Williams Arena Club Room in Minneapolis.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/X7K62U7E6AR3NELLTGGRWVPQMM.jpg?&w=712)
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Minnesota continues to come up short in Big Ten games after its fast start to the conference season.
