The hype around the coming St. John’s basketball season now is quantifiable.

The Associated Press released its preseason men’s basketball poll Monday and the Red Storm will open the season ranked No. 5 in the nation. It’s the highest ranking in an AP preseason poll in program history.

St. John’s last opened a season in the national rankings 26 years ago, when it was No. 18 going into the 1999-2000 season, and hasn’t started a season ranked in the Top 10 since it debuted at No. 10 for the 1991-92 season.

The No. 5 preseason ranking bests the No. 7 it pulled at the start of the 1984-85 season. St. John’s reached the Final Four behind the play of Chris Mullin and Walter Berry that season.

The last time St. John’s opened a season nationally ranked, that squad won the Big East Tournament an

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