Baylor Men’s Basketball Ranked No. 19 in Preseason AP Poll - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

NEW YORK – Baylor was ranked No. 19 nationally in the preseason Associated Press Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll, released Friday. This marks the third consecutive season the Bears have been ranked in both the AP and coaches' preseason top 25 polls.

Baylor was tabbed at No. 18 in the preseason USATODAY Coaches Top 25 poll released on Oct. 17. The No. 19 AP ranking is the third-highest preseason slot in program history. Baylor was No. 12 in last season's preseason AP poll and No. 16 prior to the 2010-11 campaign.

The Bears have been ranked every week since the start of the 2011-12 season, marking the longest stretch in program history. Baylor climbed as high as No. 3 in both polls and never fell below 14^th nationally last season. BU has played 86 games while ranked in the AP poll, and all but two of those games have been during the Scott Drew era.

Baylor is coming off a school-record 30-win season and its second Elite Eight appearance in the last three years. The Bears return their entire backcourt, including Pierre Jackson, the Big 12 Conference Preseason Player of the Year. BU knocked off Abilene Christian, 103-75, in an exhibition on Thursday at the Ferrell Center, and the Bears open the 2012-13 regular season when they host Lehigh at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 9.

Season tickets can be purchased by calling the Baylor Athletic Ticket Office at 254-710-1000 or online at www.BaylorBears.com/tickets.

Baylor Preseason Rankings History

2010-11 – 16^th (AP), 14^th (coaches)

2011-12 – 12^th (AP), 12^th (coaches)

2012-13 – 19^th (AP), 18^th (coaches)