We might be right in the middle of the college football season, but basketball season is right around the corner, and on Wednesday, the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll came out with its preseason rankings. The Big 12 Conference was well represented despite the Colorado Buffaloes‘ expected absence from the rankings.
Last year’s national runner-up, Houston, tops the Big 12 in the poll, coming in at No. 2 overall. Interestingly, this is one spot above Florida, which beat them in the title game. Five other teams join the Cougars in the preseason top 25, including No. 8 BYU, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 13 Arizona, No. 18 Iowa State and No. 19 Kansas.
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Baylor, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State and Kansas State were the three Big 12 teams in the receiving votes category.
Once again, the Big 12 looks like one of the top, if not the top, basketball conferences in the country, with three teams ranked in the top 15 and five in the top 20.
Big 12 teams begin play on November 3, with the marquee matchup that day being Arizona facing off against the reigning national champions, Florida, in Las Vegas.
Here is an extended look at the top 25 before the season tips off:
|
Ranking |
Team |
Points (1st Place Votes) |
Last season’s Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Purdue |
755 (18) |
12 |
|
2 |
Houston |
749 (12) |
2 |
|
3 |
Florida |
704 (1) |
1 |
|
4 |
Connecticut |
647 |
NR |
|
5 |
Duke |
623 |
3 |
|
6 |
St. John’s |
609 |
10 |
|
7 |
Michigan |
569 |
11 |
|
8 |
Brigham Young |
532 |
15 |
|
9 |
Kentucky |
529 |
14 |
|
10 |
Louisville |
456 |
21 |
|
11 |
Texas Tech |
455 |
8 |
|
12 |
UCLA |
421 |
NR |
|
13 |
Arizona |
398 |
13 |
|
14 |
Illinois |
349 |
NR |
|
15 |
Arkansas |
329 |
25 |
|
16 |
Alabama |
322 |
6 |
|
17 |
Tennessee |
292 |
5 |
|
18 |
Iowa State |
289 |
17 |
|
19 |
Kansas |
235 |
NR |
|
20 |
Gonzaga |
185 |
20 |
|
21 |
Michigan State |
144 |
7 |
|
22 |
Auburn |
114 |
4 |
|
23 |
Creighton |
103 |
24 |
|
24 |
Wisconsin |
62 |
16 |
|
25 |
North Carolina |
37 |
NR |
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: USA TODAY Sports preseason coaches poll Big 12 basketball rankings
