ITHACA, N.Y. -- A year ago, Cornell men's basketball was picked sixth in the Ivy League Media Preseason Poll and went on a run that saw the Big Red reach the conference tournament for the first time. Will history repeat itself? 

The Big Red was again chosen to place sixth in the preseason poll, but this time returns four starters, including three-time All-Ivy selection Matt Morgan.

Harvard received 12 of the 18 first place votes and recorded 137 points to sit atop the rankings, followed by defending champion Penn (5 first-place votes, 122), Yale (one first-place vote, 115), Princeton (92) and Brown (64). Cornell (54) was sixth, with Columbia (43) and Dartmouth (21) rounding out the field.

Head coach Brian Earl's team posted a four-game overall improvement and a two-game upswing in Ancient Eight play from the previous year. Cornell picked itself up after an 0-3 league start to finish 6-5 (with three losses coming by three points or less or in overtime), including a thrilling, triple-overtime 107-101 win over defending league champion Princeton at home. In all, Cornell went 8-4 at Newman Arena, its best home mark since the 2011-12 campaign (10-3).

Morgan leads the way after earning Lou Henson All-America and All-Ivy first team honors. The three-time Ivy scoring champ is within striking distance of Ryan Wittman's Cornell scoring mark. He's the lone returning double figure scorer, though seniors Jack Gordon (7.1 ppg.), Steven Julian (6.7 ppg., 5.8 rpg.), Troy Whiteside (6.6 ppg. in 2016-17) and Joel Davis (4.7 ppg.) also return to the lineup. In addition, sophomore Terrance McBride (4.9 ppg.) established a single-season Cornell assist:turnover ratio mark as a rookie and both junior Josh Warren (4.1 ppg., 3.0 rpg.) and sophomore Jimmy Boeheim (3.2 ppg.) also played double figure minutes in 2017-18.

Cornell has scheduled to challenge itself, as the Big Red will play 30 games, including a total of 13 contests at Newman Arena. Visits to Syracuse and Wake Forest of the ACC, Connecticut and SMU of the AAC and an appearance in the first Central New York Classic highlight highlight the slate.

Fans will have their first chance to see the Big Red in person when it holds the annual Red-White Intrasquad Scrimmage on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Cornell will also play an exhibition game against Ithaca College on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at Newman Arena.

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2018-19 IVY LEAGUE MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
First-place votes in parentheses

1. Harvard (12)                137
2. Penn (5)                      122
3. Yale (1)                        115
4. Princeton                     92
5. Brown                          64
6. Cornell                        54
7. Columbia                     43
8. Dartmouth                  21