The preseason AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll is out. Who’s No. 1? Where are Duke, UNC?
With four starters returning from an ACC championship team, the Duke Blue Devils begin the preseason with national championship expectations.
The preseason Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball poll has the Blue Devils at No. 2, trailing only Kansas among the nationwide voting panel.
Following No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Duke, the rest of the top five has No. 3 Purdue, No. 4 Michigan State and No. 5 Marquette.
Reigning NCAA champion UConn is at No. 6.
Other ACC teams joining Duke in the preseason poll are No. 13 Miami and No. 19 North Carolina. Virginia received votes but did not crack the top 25.
Last year, in Jon Scheyer’s first season as Duke’s head coach following Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement, Duke began the season No. 7 in the preseason poll. But the Blue Devils dropped out of the poll in mid-January, not returning until March 6. Duke was ranked No. 12 in the final AP poll, which is released on the Monday prior to the NCAA Tournament’s start.
After going 27-9, Duke returns guards Jeremy Roach and forwards Mark Mitchell and Kyle Filipowski from that team’s starting five.
This is the 28th consecutive season the Blue Devils have been in the top 10 of at least one AP Top 25 basketball poll. and the 17th time Duke has been ranked among the top three teams in the preseason.
Duke’s preseason ranking will be tested early this season. The Blue Devils play No. 12 Arizona on Nov. 10 at Cameron Indoor Stadium before facing No. 4 Michigan State on Nov. 14 in the Champions Classic at Chicago’s United Center.
UNC returns to the top 25 for the first time this calendar year. The Tar Heels were No. 1 in last year’s preseason poll, but fell to No. 25 in the Dec. 26, 2022, poll before dropping the next week and not returning the rest of the season. UNC finished 20-13 and missed the NCAA Tournament.
Miami finished 29-8 last season, making the program’s first Final Four appearance.
In addition to UConn and Miami, the other two Final Four teams also made the preseason poll, with Florida Atlantic at No. 10 and San Diego State at No. 17.
Preseason AP poll men’s basketball rankings
Rk. | Team |
1 | Kansas |
2 | Duke |
3 | Purdue |
4 | Michigan State |
5 | Marquette |
6 | Connecticut |
7 | Houston |
8 | Creighton |
9 | Tennessee |
10 | Florida Atlantic |
11. | Gonzaga |
12 | Arizona |
13 | Miami |
14 | Arkansas |
15 | Texas A&M |
16 | Kentucky |
17 | San Diego St. |
18 | Texas |
19 | North Carolina |
20 | Baylor |
21 | Southern Cal |
22 | Villanova |
23 | St. Mary’s |
24 | Alabama |
25 | Illinois |