Clemson Ranked No. 24 in Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll

by CU Athletic Communications - Thu Oct 29 09:26:41 GMT-04:00 2009

CLEMSON, SC – The men’s basketball team has been ranked No. 24 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll, which was released early Thursday. It marks the first time since 1997-98 that Clemson has been ranked in one of the two national preseason polls for men’s basketball. That year, the Tigers were ranked in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and coaches’ polls.

Kansas was the overwhelming favorite for the No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll, as the Jayhawks received 27 of a possible 31 first-place votes. The highest ranked team from the ACC in the preseason poll was defending national champion North Carolina at No. 4. Michigan State and Texas were ranked second and third, respectively.

Clemson is coming off a 2008-09 season in which the Tiger program returned to the NCAA Tournament and compiled a 23-9 overall record. Under the direction of Head Coach Oliver Purnell, the Tigers improved their overall team winning percentage for a fifth straight season. Purnell is one of only two coaches in ACC history (Bobby Cremins from Georgia Tech is the other) to accomplish such a feat.

The Tigers return one of the top players in the league in forward Trevor Booker, a senior from Whitmire, SC. Booker, a preseason All-ACC selection Sunday at the ACC’s annual media day, has also been tabbed a preseason All-American by several publications and Web sites. Booker is Clemson’s top returning scorer (15.3 ppg) and the ACC’s top returning rebounder (9.7 rpg).

Clemson was predicted to finish third in the ACC this season by league media on Sunday as well.

ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll

1. Kansas (27) 0-0 770 10

2. Michigan State (3) 0-0 732 2

3. Texas 0-0 676 23

4. North Carolina (1) 0-0 653 1

5. Kentucky 0-0 635 NR

6. Villanova 0-0 620 4

7. Purdue 0-0 586 14

8. Duke 0-0 528 11

9. West Virginia 0-0 501 NR

10. Butler 0-0 408 25

11. Tennessee 0-0 406 NR

12. California 0-0 370 NR

13. Washington 0-0 364 16

14. Connecticut 0-0 361 3

15. Michigan 0-0 279 NR

16. Oklahoma 0-0 244 7

17. Ohio State 0-0 241 NR

18. Minnesota 0-0 151 NR

19. Mississippi State 0-0 149 NR

20. Georgia Tech 0-0 136 NR

21. Georgetown 0-0 134 NR

22. Dayton 0-0 130 NR

23. Louisville 0-0 123 5

24. Clemson 0-0 114 NR

25. Syracuse 0-0 111 12

Others Receiving Votes

Maryland 100, Illinois 83, Siena 72, UCLA 59, Vanderbilt 38, Oklahoma State 29, Missouri 28, Xavier 25, Gonzaga 24, Notre Dame 22, USC 22, Pittsburgh 19, Tulsa 17, Kansas State 16, Brigham Young 16, Florida State 15, Florida 13, Wake Forest 13, San Diego State 8, Creighton 7, Boston College 4, Texas A&M 4, Southern Illinois 3, Utah State 3, Cornell 3, Memphis 3, Mississippi 3, UNLV 2, South Carolina 1, Northern Iowa 1.

The regular season tips off Friday, Nov. 13 when Clemson plays host to Presbyterian at 8:00 p.m. at Littlejohn Coliseum.