The Pitt men’s basketball team is accustomed to seeing its name in the Top 25 polls, but this… The Pitt men’s basketball team is accustomed to seeing its name in the Top 25 polls, but this year Pitt will start off the season in a lofty position. Pitt will enter the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Preseason poll.

Pitt is ranked No. 4 in the USA Today/ESPN Coach’s Poll released last week. This marks the fifth time in school history that the Panthers have started the season in the top five. Pitt was No. 4 to kick off the 1987-88 and 2006-07 seasons, and it began the 2002-03 and 2008-09 seasons at No. 5.

Duke, the defending national champion, is the consensus No. 1, with 55 of 65 first-place votes. Michigan State, Kansas State and Ohio State round out the top 5.

Three Big East teams are in the top 10, including No. 6 Villanova and No. 10 Syracuse. Georgetown is the only other Big East team ranked — the Hoyas come in at No. 20.

Tennessee, the team that Pitt will face at Consol Energy Center in the DIRECTV SEC/Big East Invitational, is ranked No. 23.

The Panthers kick off their season Sunday with an exhibition game against Northwood (Fla.) at 2 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center.