ESPN The Magazine released its full preseason rankings of the NCAA Division I basketball programs today, ranking the Colonials No.121 of 344 teams.

The ranking also predicts GW will finish ninth in the Atlantic 10, and that the men’s basketball team’s winning percentage against an average D1 program would be 59.1 percent.

The rankings were compiled by economist Dan Hanner, who rated teams based on the statistics of their returning/departing players, the loss or return of injured players (like returning Colonials junior guard Lasan Kromah), the development of players returning to the court, the coaching and incoming recruits or transfers. GW factors would have included first-year head coach Mike Lonergan and his staff, incoming rookies John Kopriva and Jonathan Davis, Villanova transfer Isaiah Armwood and the statistics from last year’s squad.

ESPN picked North Carolina to finish No.1.

Thirteen opponents finished ahead of GW in the rankings: Syracuse at No.5, A-10 foe Xavier at No.15, California at No.24, Temple at No.31, UAB at No.63, Saint Louis at No.64, Dayton at No.70, VCU at No.74, Saint Joseph’s at No.77, Duquesne at No.84, Austin Peay at No.102, Richmond at No.107 and St. Bonaventure at No.112.

Finishing just ahead of GW in the rankings, at No.120, is Vermont, the program that Lonergan lead to the top of the America East last season.

ESPN previously ranked GW’s schedule as the second- toughest in the A-10. The Colonials basketball season kicks off Sunday, when they host Bowie State in an exhibition match at 6 p.m.