LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the eighth-consecutive year Kansas men’s basketball enters the 2020-21 season ranked seventh or higher as KU is No. 6 in the 2020-21 preseason Associated Press poll released Monday. Kansas has been ranked in the Associated Press top 25 for 221 consecutive weeks, which is the longest active streak in the nation.

Kansas’s first opponent, Gonzaga, is No. 1 followed by Big 12 foe Baylor at No. 2. Villanova is No. 3, Virginia No. 4 and Iowa No. 5 before KU.

Last season, Kansas entered the preseason ranked No. 3 nationally in the Associated Press poll and ended at No. 1 for the fourth time in school history (2020, 2016, 2010, 1997). The Jayhawks were ranked in the AP top 10 for every poll in 2019-20. It is also the 11th time in the last 12 seasons that the Jayhawks have entered the season No. 7 or higher by the AP.

Under 18th-year and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Self, this is the 15th time that Kansas enters the season ranked seventh or higher in the Associated Press preseason poll. Historically, the No. 6 ranking marks the 23rd time since the 1992-93 season that Kansas will enter the season seventh or higher.

Kansas will play 12 regular-season games against teams ranked in the AP top 25, including three in the top five: No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 2 Baylor (twice), No. 10 Kentucky, No. 11 Creighton, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 14 Texas Tech (twice), No. 15 West Virginia (twice) and No. 19 Texas (twice).

Kansas returns three starters and nine letter winners from last season’s 28-3 team which won the Big 12 regular-season title going 17-1 in conference play. KU ended the year ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ polls as the 2019-20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020-21 Associated Press Preseason Poll (Nov. 9, 2020)
Rank. School (first place votes) – points
1. Gonzaga (28) – 1541
2. Baylor (24) – 1540
3. Villanova (11) – 1501
4. Virginia (1) – 1364
5. Iowa – 1273
6. KANSAS – 1221
7. Wisconsin – 1150
8. Illinois – 1105
9. Duke – 1073 0
10. Kentucky – 1038
11. Creighton – 922
12. Tennessee – 919
13. Michigan State – 820
14. Texas Tech – 790
15. West Virginia – 651
16. North Carolina – 465
17. Houston – 438
18. Arizona State – 402
19. Texas – 380
20. Oregon – 375
21. Florida State – 351
22. UCLA – 336
23. Ohio State – 270
24. Rutgers – 190
25. Michigan – 160