UVA ranked fifth in preseason AP Top 25

UVA basketball begins the 2018-2019 season ranked fifth in the preseason Associated Press Top 25.

The ‘Hoos finished 31-3 in 2017-2018, winning the ACC regular season with a 17-1 record and then taking the ACC Tournament title for the second time in five seasons.

And then, yeah, UMBC.

Coach Tony Bennett returns three starters – guards Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy and center Jack Salt – along with ACC Sixth Man of the Year De’Andre Hunter, and adds Alabama transfer Braxton Key to a deep rotation.

Kansas was ranked No. 1 in the poll, with Kentucky at two, Gonzaga at three and Duke at four.

Five other ACC schools are in the Top 25: UNC at No. 8, Virginia Tech at 15, Syracuse at 16, Florida State at 17 and Clemson at 22.