UConn big leader in AP Preseason Top 25

Connecticut is thrilled to be the runaway No. 1 pick in the Associated Press' preseason college basketball poll. The Huskies can only hope it leads to better things than the last time they started the season on top.

Connecticut received 67 first-place votes and 1,793 points from the 72-member national media panel, which likely found it hard to overlook the returning inside-outside combination of Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon.

"The No. 1 ranking matters because it does put some highlights on your program and helps some of the kids get recognized," coach Jim Calhoun said Monday. "I don't find it being pressurized. It's how you handle it because we all aspire to be No. 1 at the end."

Connecticut never even came close to being there at the end of the 1999-2000 season, the last time it was the preseason No. 1. The Huskies lost the opener to Iowa and finished 20th in the final poll -- the only time since 1980 a No. 1 preseason team did not end up in the Top 10.

"I can do without that," Calhoun said.

He preferred, instead, to talk about the season before, when Connecticut was No. 2 in the preseason voting to Duke.

"That year it was us and Duke and one of us was No. 1 the whole season. Then we met in the championship game -- and I'll take that again," he said, referring to Connecticut's 77-74 victory and its only national championship.

This time, Duke is No. 2, with three first-place votes and 1,667 points.

Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon give the Huskies a potent duo in the paint.(AP)

Connecticut went 23-10 last season and reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

"I would make us one of the top five with Emeka, with Ben and with a deep and fairly experienced team," Calhoun said. "I can't argue if some people think we're No. 1 of that top five."

This is the fourth season in which the Huskies have been ranked No. 1. In addition to the other preseason No. 1, they were also on top in 1994-95 and 1998-99.

Duke has four starters back from a team that went 26-7 last season and, like Connecticut, reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

Michigan State received one No. 1 vote and was No. 3 with 1,607 points. It was followed in the Top 10 by Arizona, Missouri, Kansas, defending national champion Syracuse, Florida, North Carolina and Gonzaga.

Kansas had the only other first-place vote.

Kentucky was 11th and was followed by Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Louisville, Saint Joseph's, Cincinnati, Stanford and Wake Forest.

The final five teams in the preseason poll were Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, North Carolina State and Oklahoma State.

The last two preseason No. 1s -- Duke and Arizona -- both went on to finish No. 1 in the final regular season poll as well.

The last preseason No. 1 to win the national championship was Kentucky in 1995-96. The preseason Top 25 comes from nine conferences with five having at least three teams.

The Big 12 led the way with five teams -- Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State -- while the Big East and Atlantic Coast each had four and the Big Ten and Conference USA each had three.

Six of the schools were not ranked in the final poll last season, including North Carolina State, the only team in the preseason poll not to be ranked at all last season.

The highest ranked team in the final poll not to be in the preseason Top 25 was Xavier. The Musketeers were 10th in the final poll last season but lost national player of the year David West to graduation.

AP Preseason Poll

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' men's preseason college basketball
poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2002-03 records, total points
based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place
vote and last season's final ranking:

                         Record    Pts     Pv 
 1. Connecticut (67)      23-10   1,793    23 
 2. Duke (3)              26-7    1,667     7 
 3. Michigan St. (1)      22-13   1,607     - 
 4. Arizona               28-4    1,476     2 
 5. Missouri              22-11   1,436    24 
 6. Kansas (1)            30-8    1,396     6 
 7. Syracuse              30-5    1,311    13 
 8. Florida               25-8    1,219    10 
 9. N. Carolina           19-16   1,139     - 
10. Gonzaga               24-9    1,125     - 
11. Kentucky              32-4    1,092     1 
12. Texas                 26-7    1,083     5 
13. Illinois              25-7      941    11 
15. Wisconsin             24-8      715    21 
16. Louisville            25-7      623    14 
17. St. Joseph's          23-7      579     - 
18. Cincinnati            17-12     578     - 
19. Stanford              24-9      555    18 
20. Wake Forest           25-6      458     8 
21. Notre Dame            24-10     429    22 
22. Pittsburgh            28-5      382     4 
23. Marquette             27-6      155     9 
24. N. Carolina St.       18-13     120     - 
25. Oklahoma St.          22-10      93     - 

Others receiving votes: 

Maryland 77, California 71, Oregon 70, Xavier 68, Ohio St. 46, 
Utah 39, LSU 33, Auburn 32, BYU 25, Colorado 16, Arizona St. 13,
Providence 13, Purdue 13, Memphis 12, UCLA 12, Mississippi St. 9, 
USC 8, Michigan 7, Temple 7, Butler 6, Indiana 6, Manhattan 5, 
Georgia 3, Ill.-Chicago 3, N. Illinois 3, Nevada 3, Wichita St. 3, 
Dayton 1, Seton Hall 1, Vermont 1.

ARLINGTON, Virginia (Ticker) -- -- Connecticut, which boasts a pair of Player of the Year candidates, tops the USA Today/ESPN preseason coaches' poll, which was released Thursday.

UConn returns three starters on a team that went 23-10 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. Among them is center Emeka Okafor and forward Ben Gordon, a pair of preseason Player of the Year hopefuls.

The Huskies, who totaled 762 points, also will introduce freshman forward Charlie Villanueva as they look for their second national title in six seasons. They ended the 2002-03 season 11th in the poll.

Duke, which features six sophomores, was second with 697 points. The Blue Devils (26-7) have gone three years without reaching the Final Four and two without winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Michigan State (22-13) was third with 677 points, followed by Arizona (28-4) with 638 and Kansas (30-8) with 589. Bill Self takes over as Jayhawks' coach for Roy Williams, who left for North Carolina. Kansas also lost Nick Collison and Kirk Henrich to the NBA.

Missouri (22-11) is ranked sixth, just in front of reigning national champion Syracuse (30-5), which lost Carmelo Anthony but returns two frontcourt starters, including Hakeem Warrick.

Florida (25-8) is eighth in the poll, followed by Kentucky (32-4) and North Carolina (19-13). The Tar Heels were the only team among the preseason top 10 that was not ranked at the end of last season.

Texas (26-7) is ranked 11th. The Longhorns made it to the Final

Four last March but lost point guard T.J. Ford to the NBA.

Gonzaga (24-9), which also ended last season out of the poll, was 12th, followed by Illinois (25-7), Wisconsin (24-8), Oklahoma (27-7), Louisville (25-7), Stanford (24-90) and St. Joseph's (23-7).

Cincinnati (17-12) and Notre Dame (24-10) shared the 19th spot, with Wake Forest (25-6) next and Pittsburgh (28-5), national runner-up Marquette (27-6), Oklahoma State (22-10) and Maryland (21-10) rounding out the poll.

USA Today-ESPN men’s poll

UConn comes in No. 1 in basketball rankings

The top 25 teams in the USA Today-ESPN men’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final 2002-03 record, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last season’s final ranking: Record Pts Pvs 1. Connecticut (25) 23-10 762 11 2. Duke (3) 26-7 697 9 3. Michigan St. (1) 22-13 677 18 4. Arizona 28-4 638 5 5. Kansas 30-8 589 2 6. Missouri 22-11 560 22 7. Syracuse (1) 30-5 533 1 8. Florida 25-8 507 16 9. Kentucky 32-4 498 4 10. N. Carolina 19-13 493 — 11. Texas 26-7 461 3 12. Gonzaga 24-9 403 — 13. Illinois 25-7 399 13 14. Wisconsin 24-8 392 13 15. Oklahoma 27-7 353 7 16. Louisville 25-7 291 19 17. Stanford 24-9 258 20 18. St. Joseph’s 23-7 244 — 19. Cincinnati 17-12 225 — 19. Notre Dame 24-10 225 15 21. Wake Forest 25-6 216 12 22. Pittsburgh 28-5 148 8 23. Marquette 27-6 78 6 24. Oklahoma St. 22-10 61 24 25. Maryland 21-10 46 10 Others receiving votes: Oregon 33; N. Carolina St. 30; Xavier 30; Utah 29; Colorado 25; Auburn 23; BYU 20; California 19; Purdue 16; Texas Tech 12; Arizona St. 10; Memphis 10; Ohio St. 10; Dayton 8; UNC-Charlotte 6; Providence 5; Creighton 4; LSU 4; Akron 3; Colorado St. 3; UL-Lafayette 3; Seton Hall 3; Bowling Green 2; Temple 2; Tennessee 2; Utah St. 2; Wichita St. 2; Ill.-Chicago 1; Indiana 1; Manhattan 1; Minnesota 1; UNLV 1. USA TODAY/ESPN preseason Top 25 poll Oct. 30, 2003 First-place votes in parentheses. Rank School 2002-03 Record Points Final 2002-03 ranking 1. Connecticut (25) 23-10 762 11 Outlook: Huskies handed national champion Syracuse two of its five losses last season, and this might be UConn's most talented cast since 1999 title team. Center Emeka Okafor and guard Ben Gordon are the keys. Taliek Brown is veteran presence at point. Sophomores Rashad Anderson and Denham Brown could be ready to blossom, and freshman forward Charlie Villanueva should have immediate impact. Opens: Nov. 17 vs. Yale in Preseason NIT (ESPN2, 7). 2. Duke (3) 26-7 697 9 Outlook: Blue Devils still young in some key spots but this team could break out behind guards Chris Duhon, Daniel Ewing and J.J. Redick and forwards Shelden Williams, Nick Horvath and Shavlik Randolph. Freshman swingman Luol Deng is one to watch. Opens: Nov. 22 vs. Detroit. 3. Michigan State (1) 22-13 677 18 Outlook: Spartans came on strong at end of last season, reaching NCAA final eight, and should be ready to rise in Big Ten behind sharp-shooting guard Chris Hill, center Paul Davis, swingman Alan Anderson and guard Maurice Ager. Opens: Nov. 21 vs. Bucknell. 4. Arizona 28-4 638 5 Outlook: Wildcats, stopped just shy of Final Four last year by Kansas, lost point guard Jason Gardner and forwards Rick Anderson and Luke Walton. But coach Lute Olson expects to stay the course behind center Channing Frye, forward Andre Iguodala, and guards Salim Stoudamire and Hassan Adams. Freshman Mustafa Shakur could be next in program's line of top point guards. Opens: Nov. 24 vs. Northern Arizona. 5. Kansas 30-8 589 2 Outlook: Gone from national runner-up are coach Roy Williams and mainstays Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich. But new coach Bill Self welcomes back guards Aaron Miles, Michael Lee and Keith Langford along with forward/center Jeff Graves. Health of forward Wayne Simien (shoulder) will be a key. Opens: Nov. 21 vs. Chattanooga. 6. Missouri 22-11 560 22 Outlook: Offseason of turmoil resulted in dismissal of guard Ricky Clemons and investigations into possible NCAA violations. Tigers hope to contend in Big 12 behind center Arthur Johnson, forward Travon Bryant and guards Rickey Paulding and Jason Conley, a high-scoring transfer who's eligible after fall semester. Opens: Nov. 29 at Oakland (Mich.). 7. Syracuse (1) 30-5 533 1 Outlook: National champion lost its premier player when Carmelo Anthony jumped to the NBA, but there's plenty of talent left for another deep tournament run. Forward Hakim Warrick, swingman Josh Pace, guards Gerry McNamara and Billy Edelin and centers Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil will be joined by one of nation's best recruiting classes. Opens: Nov. 26 vs. Charlotte 8. Florida 25-8 507 16 Outlook: Gators expected more than second-round NCAA exit last season. With mainstays Matt Bonner and Brett Nelson among departees, Florida will count on guard Anthony Roberson and forwards Matt Walsh, David Lee and Christian Drejer to take young team further. Opens: Nov. 25 vs. Montana State. 9. Kentucky 32-4 498 4 Outlook: A promising season stopped short of Final Four with upset loss to Marquette, and Wildcats must replace leading scorer Keith Bogans along with Marquis Estill. But they should again be factor in SEC. UK's strength appears to be in backcourt where Gerald Fitch and Cliff Hawkins return. Also back are forwards Erik Daniels and Chuck Hayes. Opens: Nov. 21 vs. Winthrop. 10. North Carolina (1) 19-13 493 NR Outlook: New coach Roy Williams will look to bring Tar Heels back in ACC behind guards Raymond Felton, Jackie Manuel and David Noel, forwards Rashad McCants and Jawad Williams and center Sean May, coming back from a broken foot.Opens: Nov. 22 vs. Old Dominion. 11. Texas 26-7 461 3 Outlook: After run to Final Four, Longhorns must replace dynamic point guard T.J. Ford but figure to again be factor in Big 12. Royal Ivey, shooting guard past two years, could move back to point, where he played before Ford's arrival. Three other starters return: center James Thomas, forward Brandon Mouton and forward Brian Boddicker. Opens: Nov. 17 vs. Brown in NABC Classic. 12. Gonzaga 24-9 403 NR Outlook: Bulldogs have been perennial tournament team and should be knocking on postseason door again behind guard Blake Stepp, center Cory Violette and forward Ronny Turiaf, who is recovering from stress fracture in right ankle. Opens: Nov. 14 vs. No. 18 Saint Joseph's in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at New York (ESPN2, 9). 13. Illinois 25-7 399 13 (tie) Outlook: Coach Bill Self bolted for Kansas, and Big Ten player of year Brian Cook departed. But new coach Bruce Weber welcomes back guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams and forwards James Augustine and Roger Powell. Illini should contend in Big Ten. Opens: Nov. 22 vs. Western Illinois. 14. Wisconsin 24-8 392 13 (tie) Outlook: Badgers, who finished first in Big Ten and made NCAA Sweet 16, lost high-scoring guard Kirk Penney but have four starters returning in guards Devin Harris and Freddie Owens and forwards Alando Tucker and Mike Wilkinson. Highly regarded 6-11 freshman center Brian Butch could have immediate impact.Opens: Nov. 21 at Pennsylvania (CSTV, 6). 15. Oklahoma 27-7 353 7 Outlook: Coming off trips to Final Four and Elite Eight past two years, Sooners figure to miss guards Hollis Price and Quannas White. But there are some key returnees, including guards De'Angelo Alexander and Jason Detrick, center Jabahri Brown and forward Kevin Bookout as Sooners hope to stay in thick of things in Big 12. Opens: Nov. 21 vs. Eastern Washington. 16. Louisville 25-7 291 19 Outlook: Promising season ended with second-round upset loss to Butler. Star guard Reece Gaines has taken his game to NBA, but Cardinals should be a force in Conference USA behind forward Francisco Garcia, guard Taquon Dean and center/forward Kendall Dartez. Opens: Nov. 29 vs. Iowa in John Wooden Tradition at Indianapolis. 17. Stanford 24-9 258 20 Outlook: With Josh Childress and Justin Davis, Cardinal have one of nation's best forward combinations and also have an excellent shooting guard in Matt Lottich. A key will be return to health of point guard Chris Hernandez (foot). Opens: Nov. 22 vs. Sacramento State. 18. Saint Joseph's 23-7 244 NR Outlook: Hawks, who held opponents to a national-best 37.2% field goal shooting last year, boast one of nation's best backcourts with Jameer Nelson and Delonte West. Swingman Pat Carroll shot Atlantic 10-best 45% from three-point range. Hawks have won three consecutive A-10 regular-season titles. Opens: Nov. 14 vs. No. 12 Gonzaga in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at New York (ESPN2, 9). 19. (tie) Cincinnati 17-12 225 NR Outlook: Coming off a down year, Bearcats will call on forward Jason Maxiell inside and long-range scoring of guards Field Williams and Tony Bobbitt. Forward James White, transfer from Florida, will be eligible after fall quarter. Opens: Nov. 22 vs. Akron. 19. (tie) Notre Dame 24-10 225 15 Outlook: Biggest news for the Irish in the offseason came when star point guard Chris Thomas pulled out of NBA draft. With Thomas, center Torin Francis and frontcourt players Jordan Cornette and Tom Timmermans, Irish should make some noise in Big East, although they figure to miss sharp-shooting Matt Carroll. Opens: Nov. 24 vs. Northern Illinois. 21. Wake Forest 25-6 216 12 Outlook: Demon Deacons will miss ACC player of year Josh Howard, but there's plenty of talent on hand to make another run at league honors. Forward Vytas Danelius, guards Taron Downey and Justin Gray, forward Jamaal Levy and center Eric Williams all back from last season's first-place team. Opens: Nov. 13 vs. Memphis in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at New York (ESPN2, 7). 22. Pittsburgh 28-5 148 8 Outlook: Different era starts as Jamie Dixon steps in for departed coach Ben Howland. Panthers figure to miss guard Brandin Knight but hope to remain factor in Big East behind guards Julius Page and Jaron Brown, forward Chevon Troutman and center Toree Morris. Opens: Nov. 22 vs. St. Francis (Pa.). 23. Marquette 27-6 78 6 Outlook: Unexpected run to Final Four will lead to high expectations, although standout guard Dwyane Wade and center Robert Jackson are gone. Golden Eagles will be young in spots but key returnees Travis Diener (point guard) and forwards Scott Merritt and Steve Novak should again make them factor in Conference USA. Opens: Nov. 13 vs. St. John's in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at New York (ESPN2, 9). 24. Oklahoma State 22-10 61 24 Outlook: Cowboys return only two starters from last year's tournament team: guard Tony Allen and forward Ivan McFarlin. Expected to take bigger roles are guard Janavor Weatherspoon and forward Jason Miller. Opens: Nov. 21 vs. Northwestern State (La.). 25. Maryland 21-10 46 10 Outlook: Gang from 2002 national title team just about gone, and Terrapins will be young but promising. Guards John Gilchrist and Chris McCray and frontcourt players Nik Caner-Medley, Travis Garrison and Jamar Smith will be joined by one of nation's top freshman classes, including guard Mike Jones. Opens: Nov. 22 vs. American. Others receiving votes (with 2002-03 record): Oregon (23-10) 33; North Carolina State (18-13) 30; Xavier (26-6) 30; Utah (25-8) 29; Colorado (20-12) 25; Auburn (22-12) 23; Brigham Young (23-9) 20; California (22-9) 19; Purdue (19-11) 16; Texas Tech (22-13) 12; Arizona State (20-12) 10; Memphis (23-7) 10; Ohio State (17-15) 10; Dayton (25-6) 8; Charlotte (13-16) 6; Providence (18-14) 5; Creighton (29-5) 4; LSU (21-11) 4; Akron (14-14) 3; Colorado State (19-14) 3; Louisiana-Lafayette (20-10) 3; Seton Hall (17-13) 3; Bowling Green (13-16) 2; Temple (18-16) 2; Tennessee (17-12) 2; Utah State (24-9) 2; Wichita State (18-12) 2; Illinois-Chicago (21-9) 1; Indiana (21-13) 1; Manhattan (23-7) 1; Minnesota (19-14) 1; UNLV (21-11) 1. 2002-03 Arizona No. 1; Big 12 teams are 2-3-4 in AP preseason Top 25 With five returning starters, Arizona was No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason poll Monday for the third time in six years. Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas - all of the Big 12 - held the next three spots in the poll, the third time one conference has had that many teams in the preseason top five. Arizona, seventh in last season's final poll before reaching the NCAA tournament's round of 16, received 50 first-places votes and 1,773 points from the national media panel. The Wildcats, who play at Kansas on Jan. 25, were the preseason No. 1 for the 1997-98 and 2000-01 seasons. "We've never had the depth of athleticism that we have on this team," Arizona coach Lute Olson said, referring to the three seniors, five sophomores and four freshmen. "I think our teams have always been fun to watch, but this year we'll try to create even more havoc on the defensive end of the court. I think we go deep enough that we can do that at every position." The ACC had the No. 1 and 2 teams in last year's preseason poll in Duke and Maryland, which went on to win it all. The last preseason No. 1 team to win the national championship was Kentucky in 1995-96. Arizona seniors Jason Gardner, Luke Walton and Richard Anderson also began their sophomore seasons at No. 1. "Just a couple of years ago we had the same expectations, so I'm used to all that," Walton said. "I don't think it's going to be an extra burden on this team. We're into just having fun and playing basketball as much as we can. We're not going to let the hype get to us." Kansas had 14 No. 1 votes and 1,715 points, while Oklahoma had six first-place votes. The Atlantic Coast Conference is the only other league to have three teams in the preseason top five. In 1973-74, North Carolina State was No. 2, Maryland No. 4 and North Carolina No. 5. In 1997-98, Duke, North Carolina and Clemson were third through fifth. It is the 25th time since the first preseason poll, in 1961-62, that one conference has had at least two teams in the top five. Kansas coach Roy Williams agreed that the three Big 12 teams are going to be good. He just didn't think the order was correct. "I think we all have a chance to be very good," Williams said. ``But those two, on paper ... you'd have to pick those guys above us." Pittsburgh, which received one first-place vote, was No. 5 in the preseason poll, with Duke, Florida, Alabama, Michigan State and Xavier completing the top 10. Duke finished No. 1 in last season's final poll for a record fourth straight year. Oregon was 11th, followed by Mississippi State - the only other team to receive a first-place votes - Maryland, UCLA, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Marquette, Missouri and Western Kentucky. The last five ranked teams were Indiana, Gonzaga, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Tulsa. The Southeastern Conference had the most teams with five, ranging from No. 7 Florida to No. 17 Kentucky. The Big 12 was next with four, while the Pac-10 and Big Ten had three each. Fourteen of last year's preseason Top 25 weren't in the final poll of the season, including No. 5 UCLA. The first regular-season poll will be released Nov. 18. AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll The Associated Press Top 25 preseason college basketball poll, with number of first-place votes and last season's record in parentheses, total points and last season's ranking: TEAM PTS PVS ---- --- --- 1. ARIZONA (50) (22-10) 1,773 7 2. KANSAS (14) (33-4) 1,715 2 3. OKLAHOMA (6) (31-5) 1,640 3 4. TEXAS (22-12) 1,422 NR 5. PITTSBURGH (1) (27-5) 1,404 9 6. DUKE (31-4) 1,394 1 7. FLORIDA (21-8) 1,298 15 8. ALABAMA (27-8) 1,295 8 9. MICHIGAN ST (17-12) 1,117 NR 10. XAVIER (26-6) 1,016 22 11. OREGON (26-9) 995 11 12. MISSISSIPPI ST (1) (24-7) 800 17 13. MARYLAND (31-3) 789 4 14. UCLA (21-12) 747 NR 15. CONNECTICUT (27-7) 722 10 16. GEORGIA (22-10) 703 23 17. KENTUCKY (22-10) 627 16 18. MARQUETTE (26-7) 509 12 19. MISSOURI (24-12) 506 NR 20. WESTERN KY (28-4) 480 19 21. INDIANA (24-11) 415 NR 22. GONZAGA (29-4) 381 6 23. CINCINNATI (27-4) 303 5 24. MINNESOTA (18-13) 183 NR 25. TULSA (24-7) 146 NR Others Receiving Votes: VIRGINIA 120, WISCONSIN 95, VILLANOVA 92, SYRACUSE 79, WYOMING 61, NOTRE DAME 58, BOSTON COLLEGE 56, CREIGHTON 49, OHIO ST 48, ILLINOIS 47, NO CAROLINA ST 41, PEPPERDINE 36, LOUISVILLE 32, OKLAHOMA ST 30, TEXAS TECH 26, GEORGIA TECH 22, TEMPLE 21, USC 20, LSU 13, UNLV 13, MISSISSIPPI 9, STANFORD 8, BALL ST 7, PENNSYLVANIA 7, GEORGETOWN 6, HAWAII 5, ARIZONA ST 4, CALIFORNIA 3, OHIO 3, ST JOHNS 3, MEMPHIS 2, SOUTHERN ILL 2, HOLY CROSS 1, UTAH 1. Arizona No. 1 In Preseason USA Today/ESPN Hoops Poll ARLINGTON, Virginia (Ticker) - Arizona is No. 1 and defending national champion Maryland is 15th in the preseason USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll released Thursday night. The Wildcats, who were 24-10 last season and are paced by forward Luke Walton and guard Jason Gardner, received 770 points and 27 first-place votes in a panel of 31 Division I coaches. Kansas is ranked second, with three first-place votes and 740 points. The Jayhawks lost forward Drew Gooden but are returning senior guard Kirk Hinrich and forward Nick Collison. Rounding out the top five are Oklahoma, which received the remaining first-place vote, Pittsburgh and Texas. Perennial power Duke lost three players to the NBA - Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer - but is ranked sixth. Behind the Blue Devils in the bottom half of the top 10 are Florida, Alabama, Oregon and Michigan State. Xavier is 11th, followed by UCLA, Mississippi State and Connecticut. Defending champion Maryland is 15th after losing Juan Dixon, Chris Wilcox and Lonny Baxter to the NBA. Georgia is 16th and followed by SEC rival Kentucky, Missouri, Marquette and Cincinnati, whose coach, Bob Huggins, is recovering from a recent heart attack. Indiana, which lost to Maryland in the NCAA title game and Jared Jeffries to the Washington Wizards, is 21st. Rounding out the poll is Gonzaga, Western Kentucky, Minnesota and Illinois.   USA Today/ESPN Top 25 College Basketball Coaches' Poll The USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 preseason college basketball coaches' poll, with number of first-place votes and last season's record in parentheses, total points and last season's final ranking: TEAM PTS PVS ---- --- --- 1. ARIZONA (27) (24-10) 770 10 2. KANSAS (3) (33-4) 740 2 3. OKLAHOMA (1) (31-5) 680 4 4. PITTSBURGH (29-6) 613 9 5. TEXAS (22-12) 583 18 (tie) 6. DUKE (31-4) 574 5 7. FLORIDA (22-9) 554 23 8. ALABAMA (27-8) 494 14 9. OREGON (26-9) 475 6 (tie) 10. MICHIGAN ST (19-12) 439 NR 11. XAVIER (26-6) 386 24 12. UCLA (21-12) 322 20 13. MISSISSIPPI ST (27-8) 321 21 14. CONNECTICUT (27-7) 314 6 (tie) 15. MARYLAND (32-4) 285 1 16. GEORGIA (22-10) 269 NR 17. KENTUCKY (22-10) 262 13 18. MISSOURI (24-12) 221 15 19. MARQUETTE (26-7) 215 18 (tie) 20. CINCINNATI (31-4) 168 8 21. INDIANA (25-12) 167 3 22. GONZAGA (29-4) 163 16 23. WESTERN KY (28-4) 151 NR 24. MINNESOTA (18-13) 86 NR 25. ILLINOIS (26-9) 83 11 Others Receiving Votes: NO CAROLINA ST (82), VIRGINIA (76), TULSA (67), WISCONSIN (58), WYOMING (42), SYRACUSE (40), VILLANOVA (40), OKLAHOMA ST (37), OHIO ST (37), NOTRE DAME (31), CREIGHTON (30), TEXAS TECH (29), BOSTON COLLEGE (17), WAKE FOREST (17), GEORGIA TECH (16), UNLV (13), CALIFORNIA (11), IOWA ST (11), BALL ST (10), HAWAII (10), LOUISVILLE (10), MISSISSIPPI (10), USC (9), PEPPERDINE (7), SOUTHERN ILL (7), GEORGETOWN (6), PENNSYLVANIA (3), SANTA BARBARA (3), DAYTON (2), STANFORD (2), TEMPLE (2), HAMPTON (1), KENT ST (1), LSU (1), MIAMI FLA (1), UTAH ST (1)