BYU Basketball Receiving Votes In Preseason AP Top 25

PROVO, Utah – The national perception of BYU basketball is changing under Mark Pope. After producing a 24-8 record and a No. 18 ranking in the final Top 25 poll last season, BYU hoops finds itself heading into year two of the Pope era getting some national recognition to start the season.

BYU received votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll for the 2020-21 college basketball season. The Cougars earned four votes putting them at No. 39 in the poll if it extended that far.

Paul Klee from the Colorado Springs Gazette ranked BYU at No. 22 in his poll, giving BYU their four votes.

#BYU basketball is receiving votes in the preseason AP Top 25. WCC rival, Gonzaga, is the No. 1 team in the country.#BYUHoops @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 9, 2020

In most mid-major conferences in college basketball, being a team that receives votes would likely mean you’re one of the favorites to win your league’s title. Not the case in BYU’s conference where Gonzaga continues to run the league.

To highlight Gonzaga’s dominance and the heights they’ve reached as a program, the Zags checked in at No. 1 in the pre-season Top 25 poll.

BYU was picked to finish second behind Gonzaga in the WCC preseason Coaches Poll. Last season, BYU split its two games with the Zags, capped off by a memorable upset victory in Provo on Senior Night last February.

BYU has yet to release its non-conference schedule, but head coach Mark Pope has said that he is looking to open the season on November 25th against an opponent to be announced later. Pope also says the Cougars have a game scheduled to be played the following night on Thanksgiving.

The Cougars are led by a trio of senior transfers in Arizona transfer Alex Barcello, a starter in the backcourt last season, Purdue center Matt Haarms, and Utah Valley transfer Brandon Averette.

BYU Basketball receives votes in preseason AP Top 25 for 2020-21 season

1. Gonzaga (28)

2. Baylor (24)

3. Villanova (11)

4. Virginia (1)

5. Iowa

6. Kansas

7. Wisconsin

8. Illinois

9. Duke

10. Kentucky

11. Creighton

12. Tennessee

13. Michigan State

14. Texas Tech

15. West Virginia

16. North Carolina

17. Houston

18. Arizona State

19. Texas

20. Oregon

21. Florida State

22. UCLA

23. Ohio State

24. Rutgers

25. Michigan

Receiving Votes: LSU (146), Memphis (69), Florida (69), Alabama (50), Indiana (48), Louisville (41), Richmond (40), Stanford (14), Providence (9), Saint Louis (8), Auburn (8), San Diego State (6), UConn (6), BYU (4), Loyola of Chicago (3), Seton Hall (2), UNC Greensboro (1), Northern Iowa (1).

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.