COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — For the first time in six years, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team enters a second consecutive season unranked by the Associated Press.

The preseason AP poll was released Monday for the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season and it did not include the Buckeyes. They did not receive any votes. Ohio State did not crack the top 25 in either the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, the last time it was unranked in consecutive years to begin a new season.

Head coach Chris Holtmann and his squad had a disappointing 2022-23 season, finishing with a 16-19 record with just five wins in the Big Ten. As the second-lowest seed in the conference tournament, the Buckeyes made a shock run to the semifinals where they lost to Purdue. It meant no March Madness for OSU for the first time since 2016-17.

Ohio State will begin the season on Nov. 6 at Value City Arena against Oakland. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Buckeyes second game will be its first against a ranked opponent when they host No. 15 Texas A&M on Nov. 10. That game will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. Among OSU’s other non-conference opponents include No. 24 Alabama, UCLA, and West Virginia.

Coming in at No. 1 to start the season is Kansas followed by Duke, Purdue, Michigan State, and Marquette. Just outside the top-five are the reigning national champions UCONN, who enter at No. 6. Alongside No. 3 Purdue and No. 4 Michigan State is just one other Big Ten team in the top-25: No. 25 Illinois.

AP Poll (Preseason)