FSU Hoops to Start No. 17 in AP Poll

Florida State is nowhere to be found in the football polls, but that won’t be the case for the FSU basketball team as the 2018-19 season gets underway.

The Seminoles will begin the year ranked No. 17 in the preseason AP Poll, which was released on Monday. FSU is coming off a 23-12 finish and its first Elite Eight appearance in 25 years.

FSU returns its top two scorers and rebounders in Phil Cofer and Terance Mann. The Seminoles return a number of other key contributors including Trent Forrest, P.J. Savoy, Mfiondu Kabegele, M.J. Walker and Christ Koumadje.

Kansas topped the preseason poll, followed by Kentucky, Gonzaga and then a pair of ACC teams in Duke and Virginia. The Blue Devils, Cavaliers and Seminoles were among seven ACC teams ranked in the poll.

North Carolina will begin the year No. 8. Virginia Tech and Syracuse will begin 15th and 16th, respectively. Clemson will begin the campaign ranked No. 22.

FSU opens the season at home against rival Florida on Nov. 6. The Seminoles have won the last four in the series.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson