Nebraska will enter the 2018-19 season ranked in at least one of the national polls as USA Today released its preseason coaches poll on Thursday and the Huskers came in at No. 25.
Nebraska was outside the top 25 in the AP Poll, garnering enough votes to be 30th overall. It’s the first time since 2014 the Huskers were ranked in a preseason poll.
Nebraska is joined in the top 25 by three other Big Ten teams: Michigan State at No. 10, Michigan at No. 18 and Purdue at No. 22. Nebraska’s ACC-Big Ten Challenge opponent, Clemson, also cracked the top 25 at No. 23.
USA Today Coaches Preseason Top 25
1. Kansas (31-8)
2. Kentucky (26-11)
3. Duke (29-8)
4. Gonzaga (32-5)
5. Virginia (31-3)
6. Tennessee (26-9)
7. North Carolina (26-11)
8. Villanova (36-4)
9. Nevada (29-8)
10. Michigan State (30-5)
11. Kansas State (25-12)
12. Auburn (26-8)
13. West Virginia (26-11)
14. Syracuse (23-14)
15. Florida State (23-12)
16. Oregon (23-13)
17. Virginia Tech (21-12)
18. Michigan (33-8)
19. Mississippi State (25-12)
20. UCLA (21-12)
21. TCU (21-12)
22. Purdue (30-7)
23. Clemson (25-10)
24. Washington (21-13)
25. Nebraska (22-11)
The Huskers are coming off a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten and a NIT appearance last season and bring back their top four scorers in James Palmer Jr., Isaac Copeland Jr., Glynn Watson Jr. and Isaiah Roby.
Nebraska will open its season with an exhibition game against Division II Wayne State on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Jacob is in his third year with Hail Varsity covering Husker athletics. He has also written extensively for SB Nation’s Bright Side of the Sun and The Creightonian. His love of basketball can best be described as an obsession and if you need to find him, he’s probably in a gym somewhere watching, coaching or playing hoops.