Where Alabama basketball landed in the AP preseason poll

Alabama basketball will start the season ranked for a second straight year. The Crimson Tide came in at No. 20 in the Associated Press preseason top 25 released Monday, marking the first time it has been ranked to start consecutive seasons since it did so in 2001 (No. 24) and 2002 (No. 8).

Kansas took the top spot in this year's poll, earning 47 of the 62 first-play votes. Gonzaga is ranked second with 12 first-place votes while No. 3 Houston had one and No. 4 Kentucky the other two.

Alabama started last season ranked No. 14 in the AP preseason poll. The Crimson Tide went on to post a 19-14, losing to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Alabama has six preseason top-25 opponents on this season’s schedule, including No. 2 Gonzaga, No. 3 Houston, No. 4 Kentucky, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 11 Tennessee and No. 15 Auburn.

The Crimson Tide is heading into its fourth season under head coach Nate Oats. Alabama returns three starters from last year’s team in point guard Jahvon Quinerly, forward Noah Gurley and center Charles Bediako. It also brings back backup forward Darius Miles and five-star guard Nimari Burnett, who sat out the last year with a knee injury after transferring in from Texas Tech.

This offseason, Alabama brought in a pair of transfer guards in Ohio’s Mark Sears and St. Bonaventure’s Dom Welch. The Crimson Tide also added a five-man signing class featuring four SI99 members in small forward Brandon Miller, point guard Jaden Bradley, forward Noah Clowney and shooting guard Rylan Griffen as well as highly-rated JUCO forward Nick Pringle.

Alabama will begin its season on Nov. 17 when it hosts Longwood.