Iowa State men’s basketball slotted in at No. 5 in the season’s first Associated Press poll, released on Monday.
The Cyclones are one of five teams out of the Big 12 Conference ranked in the top 10 of the poll.
Kansas opens at No. 1 along with Houston at No. 4, Baylor at No. 8 and Arizona at No. 10. Cincinnati was also ranked at No. 20.
Iowa State will face its first opponent from the poll in its fourth game of the season, when it faces No. 11 Auburn in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.
The tournament also includes No. 3 UConn and No. 9 North Carolina.
Iowa State will open the season on Monday, November 4 against Mississippi Valley State at Hilton Coliseum (7:00 p.m. ESPN+).
AP MBB Poll
Preseason, 2024-25
1. Kansas
2. Alabama
3. UConn
4. Houston
5. Iowa State
6. Gonzaga
7. Duke
8. Baylor
9. North Carolina
10. Arizona
11. Auburn
12. Tennessee
13. Texas A&M
14. Purdue
15. Creighton
16. Arkansas
17. Indiana
18. Marquette
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. Florida
22. UCLA
23. Kentucky
24. Ole Miss
25. Rutgers
Others receiving votes: Illinois 92, St. John’s 91, Xavier 73, Texas Tech 58, Wake Forest 37, Kansas St 30, Michigan St. 29, Ohio St. 29, Michigan 19, BYU 14, Oregon 12, McNeese St. 11, Miami 11, Boise St. 9, Saint Louis 9, Clemson 9, Providence 9, Mississippi St. 6, VCU 6, Wisconsin 5, Saint Mary’s 5, Louisville 4, UAB 4, Ark Little Rock 3, Grand Canyon 3, Arizona St 2, San Diego St. 2, Princeton 2, High Point 1, Maryland 1.
