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Penn picked second in preseason Ivy League basketball poll

Harvard, which Penn defeated in last season's Ivy League championship game, has been picked as the team to beat.

Penn forward AJ Brodeur (25) attempts a shot against Yale forward Blake Reynolds (32) during their Ivy League tournament semifinal game at the Palestra on Saturday, March 10, 2018. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Penn forward AJ Brodeur (25) attempts a shot against Yale forward Blake Reynolds (32) during their Ivy League tournament semifinal game at the Palestra on Saturday, March 10, 2018. TIM TAI / Staff PhotographerRead moreTim Tai
    by Marc Narducci | Columnist
    Published 

Penn's men's basketball team, which won the Ivy League tournament last year, has been picked to finish second in the league preseason media poll.

Harvard, which tied Penn for the regular-season Ivy League title, is picked as the team to beat, earning 12 of 18 first-place votes. Penn received five first-place votes.

Penn, which will open its season Nov. 6 at George Mason, went 24-9 overall and 12-2 in the Ivy League last year. The Quakers beat Harvard, 68-65, in the Ivy League championship game at the Palestra and then lost their opening NCAA Midwest Regional tournament game by 76-60 to top-seeded Kansas in Wichita.

Coach Steve Donahue welcomes back Penn's top two leading scorers, junior guard Ryan Betley (14.3 ppg.) and junior forward A.J. Brodeur, a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection who averaged 13.1 points and 7.2 rebounds.

Preseason Ivy League Media Poll:

1. Harvard, 137 points (12 first-place votes)

2. Penn, 122 (5)

3. Yale, 115 (1)

4. Princeton, 92

5. Brown, 64

6. Cornell, 54

7. Columbia, 43

8. Dartmouth, 21