Canes Debut at No. 13 in AP Top 25

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team is ranked 13th in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll, as announced Wednesday.
 
With their 836 points, the Hurricanes (21-12, 10-8 ACC last season) edged Atlantic Coast Conference rival Notre Dame (814) to the No. 13 spot and earned the program’s highest preseason recognition from the AP. It is the third occasion in which Miami is among the top 25 teams to start the season. The Canes were previously an honorable mention (1964-65), No. 25 (1999-00) and No. 17 (2008-09).  
 
Miami is the third highest-ranked out of five Atlantic Coast Conference team in the poll. Duke tops the poll with 33 of the 65 first-place votes for a total of 1,572 points. Defending national champion North Carolina was ranked ninth with 1,047 points. Last season, the Hurricanes defeated both the Tar Heels – 77-62 on Jan. 28 – and the Blue Devils – 55-50 on Feb. 25 in ACC play.
 
Following the Fighting Irish is No. 16 Louisville (570) to conclude the ACC representation in the poll. In-state rivals Virginia and Virginia Tech also received votes but were left out of the top 25.
 
The Hurricanes will play an exhibition game against Newberry College on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at the Watsco Center. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. Miami will then open the regular season at home against Gardner-Webb on Nov. 10, at 8 p.m.