The University of Nevada men’s basketball team is ranked 22nd in the country in the preseason poll released by The Associated Press Monday afternoon.

Duke was the overwhelming choice as the preseason No. 1 pick, claiming 61 of 72 possible first-place votes and 1,785 points. Texas, which lost in the opening round of the NCAA playoffs last year to Nevada, garnered six first-place votes and 1,652 points. UConn was third with 1,578 points, Michigan State collected four first-place votes and 1,572 points and Villanova had one first-place vote and 1,413 points.

Nevada, which finished last year unranked, had 291 points, 13 behind George Washington and 18 ahead of Indiana. Nevada, which returned 10 players from last year’s team, went 25-7 last season. The Wolf Pack was 25th in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll released on Oct. 28.

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Nevada, which won its exhibition opener against Rockhurst University, hosts Humboldt State Saturday night at 7:05 as part of a doubleheader with the women’s team. The Nevada women host Sonoma State at 5:05.

Nevada opens the regular season Nov. 19 at home against Sacramento State, a member of the Big Sky Conference. With three starters ” Nick Fazekas, Ramon Sessions and Kyle Shiloh ” returning the Pack was picked by the WAC media and coaches to win this year’s championship.

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Oklahoma (1,378), Louisville (1,319), Gonzaga (1,275), Kentucky (1,255) and Arizona (1,212) round out the top 10.

Nevada plays UCLA at the Wooden Classic Dec. 10 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. Kansas (56), Utah State (2) and UNLV (2), all of whom are on Nevada’s schedule this year, also received votes.