Nevada forward Caleb Martin (10) reacts after defeating Texas in overtime of a first-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 16, 2018. Nevada won 87-83. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
RENO — The University of Nevada men’s basketball team is ranked ninth in the USA Today Coaches Poll that was released on Thursday.
The No. 9 ranking is the highest preseason ranking in the coaches poll but tied for the overall highest ranking as the Wolf Pack were ninth in the USA Coaches Poll on Feb. 26, 2007. In Monday’s Associated Press Poll the Pack were seventh, the highest ranking in school history.
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.