Nevada's Jordan Caroline goes up to the basket against Boise State last season.
RENO — The University of Nevada men’s basketball team is seventh in the 2018-19 preseason Associated Press poll. It’s the highest rank for the Wolf Pack in school history. The previous top ranking was 9th on Feb. 26, 2007.
Nevada returns four starters from last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16 and tied the school record with 29 victories. The 2017-18 team also captured a second consecutive regular season Mountain West title.
Back for the Pack are Caleb Martin the 2017-18 MW Player of the Year and this season’s preseason Player of the Year. He averaged 18.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Twin brother Cody Martin, the 2017-18 MW Defensive Player of the Year returns after averaging 14 points, 4.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Forward Jordan Caroline, a 2017-18 MW All-MW selection is back for his third season at Nevada. Caroline averaged 17.7 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game. Senior point guard Lindsey Drew is recovering from an achilles injury that forced him to miss the final 10 games of last season. Drew was averaging a career-best 8.1 points per game when he was injured. He was named to the 2017-18 MW defensive team.
The Martin twins along with Caroline were selected to the 2018-19 MW preseason team. The Pack welcomes several talented players which includes five star recruit Jordan Brown. Brown was named preseason MW Freshman of the Year.
The Pack hosts San Francisco State on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Virginia Street Gym in a second exhibition contest. The regular season begins on Nov. 6 when BYU is at Lawlor Events Center for an 8 p.m. tipoff.