Villanova ranked 6th, Temple No. 22 in first AP Basketball poll

The three-time defending Atlantic 10 Conference champion Temple Owls will open the 2010-11 season ranked #22 in the nation in the Associated Press poll.  The Owls, also ranked #22 by the ESPN/USA
Today poll released last week, open the season among the nation’s Top 25 for the first time since the 2001-02 season.

The Owls, which ended the 2009-10 season with a 29-6 record and ranked 12thin the final Associated Press poll, return three starters including first team All-Atlantic 10 Conference performer, 6-9 senior forward Lavoy Allen, A-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 6-4 junior guard Juan Fernandez and 6-11 junior forward Micheal Eric.   Junior Ramone Moore, the league’s Sixth Man of the Year, also returns along to bolster a program that has won 73 games over the last three seasons.

Temple was picked to repeat as A-10 champion in a media/coaches poll announced at the league’s media day on October 21.  Allen was named preseason first team all-conference and to the all-defensive team while
Fernandez was a second team selection.

For the first time since the 2000-01 season Temple will open with consecutive home games at the Liacouras Center.  The season opens with a home game against Seton Hall on Nov. 12.  The Owls follow that with a home date against Toledo on November 14.


Villanova, meanwhile, is ranked No. 6.

*Associated Press Preseason Top 25
*1. Duke
2. Michigan State
3. Kansas State
4. Ohio State
5. Pittsburgh
6. Villanova
7. Kansas
8. North Carolina
9. Florida
10. Syracuse
11. Kentucky
12. Gonzaga
13. Illinois
14. Purdue
15. Missouri
16. Baylor
17. Butler
18. Washington
19. Memphis
20. Georgetown
21. Virginia Tech
*22. Temple
*23. Tennessee
24. Brigham Young
25.  San Diego State**