Kansas was picked first in the AP High 25 preseason males’s basketball ballot Monday, getting the No. 1 nod on half of the 60 ballots from a nationwide media panel to begin the season forward of Alabama and two-time defending nationwide champion UConn.

Kansas scooped up 30 first-place votes from the AP panel. The Crimson Tide, led by All-American guard Mark Sears and Jarin Stevenson, earned 14 first-place votes and UConn, which is making an attempt to change into the primary college since John Picket’s groups at UCLA to win three straight titles, obtained 11 first-place votes and is third.

Houston earned 4 first-place votes and is fourth forward of Iowa State, which returns its high 4 scorers from a staff that was a No. 2 seed within the NCAA Match. Gonzaga obtained one first-place vote and is the sixth.

Duke, led by consensus No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg, is seventh forward of Baylor, North Carolina and Arizona within the high 10.

The Jayhawks have been preseason No. 1 a 12 months in the past, too, however the season hardly went as deliberate. They have been dragged down by accidents and struggled in Large 12 play, and a staff led by All-American heart Hunter Dickinson finally was routed by Cincinnati within the convention event and Gonzaga within the second spherical of the NCAA Match.

Kansas coach Invoice Self retooled within the offseason, touchdown one of many nation’s high switch courses. A.J. Storr of Wisconsin, South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo and Rylan Griffen from Alabama are a part of a flexible bunch becoming a member of Dickinson and fellow seniors Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr. — each a part of their 2022 nationwide title squad — to kind a deeper and extra gifted staff.

“We welcome being No. 1, particularly with our returning gamers like Hunter, Dajuan and KJ, and you then add the gamers we introduced in,” Self stated. “The aim is to be No. 1 on the finish of the season, and although we welcome this, it isn’t the tip aim.”

The brand new-look Large 12, which misplaced Oklahoma and Texas however welcomed Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado, has three of the highest 5 and 5 of the highest 10 within the preseason AP ballot. The SEC leads the best way with 9 within the High 25.

“To have three Large 12 groups within the high 5 and 5 within the high 10 simply reveals how aggressive this league can be,” Self stated. “Yearly we speak in regards to the Large 12 being the hardest convention within the nation and with the 4 additions it grew to become even stronger.”

No. 11 Auburn, Tennessee and Texas A&M begin off the second 10, adopted by Purdue and Creighton. John Calipari has Arkansas at No. 16 with Indiana, Marquette, Texas and Cincinnati — making its first ballot look since 2019 — within the high 20.

The Boilermakers are attempting to win a 3rd straight Large Ten title after the departure of AP participant of the 12 months Zach Edey.

“We’ve got three starters again from a Remaining 4 staff. We’ve got 5 freshmen. We’ve got lots of guys with expertise outdoors of these three starters,” Purdue coach Matt Painter stated. “We’re enthusiastic about it. We’re enthusiastic about this group.”

Florida, UCLA, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Rutgers spherical out the preseason High 25.

“I’m excited in regards to the expectations,” stated Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell, whose staff is ranked within the preseason ballot for the primary time since 1978. “We at all times had excessive expectations, and now in a league with 18 groups, you recognize, individuals are saying, ‘How good are you? There’s 18 groups. They’re nice coaches.’ I don’t know the place we sit. In case you got here to our follow yesterday, you’ll say, ‘Oh, boy.’ And should you got here a few days earlier, you may assume, ‘Hey, they’re going to be fairly good.’”

Exterior wanting in

Illinois is tops amongst others receiving votes after reaching the Elite Eight. Rick Pitino has St. John’s on the doorstep together with Xavier, Texas Tech and Wake Forest. The primary regular-season ballot is due out Nov. 11.

Attempting to make historical past

4 faculties which have by no means appeared within the High 25 obtained preseason votes, led by McNeese State, which went again to the NCAA Match final season. Little Rock, Grand Canyon and Excessive Level additionally obtained votes.

Stats and streaks

Kansas is ranked No. 1 within the preseason ballot for the fifth time, trailing solely North Carolina (10), Duke (9) and UCLA (8) for essentially the most because the preseason rankings debuted in 1962. … Houston has the longest energetic High 25 streak at 86 weeks. The Jayhawks are second at 65. … Iowa State has its greatest preseason rating at school historical past. Texas A&M matched its greatest. … Kentucky is within the preseason ballot for a report 57th time. The Tar Heels seem for the fifty fifth time.

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