AP Top 25 pre-season poll
The AP Top 25 poll has been set heading into the 2010-11 NCAA Basketball season and there are few surprises in the top five. In a summer mired with recruiting issues and injuries, the college basketball season is suddenly just over a week away. Although
the AP Top 25 will change drastically throughout the season it gives fans a chance to see who this season’s top contenders are likely to be.
Top Five
Sitting in top spot are the Duke Blue Devils, who are coming off an NCAA Final Four Tournament championship and have the majority of last year’s club returning for the 2010-11 season. The squad’s two main cogs, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, are already considered
to be all-ACC players by the end of the season.
Duke is followed by the Michigan State Spartans, who will once again be led by star guard Kalin Lucas. Ranked third in the AP Poll is the Kansas State Wildcats, a team which is widely considered the Big 12 favourite and will be led by guard Jacob Pullen.
Sitting in fourth spot is the Ohio State Buckeyes, who will have to try and win by committee after losing star Evan Taylor to the NBA over the summer. Big East favourites the Pittsburgh Panthers fill out the top five.
6-10
Villanova checks in at the number six seed heading into the 2010-11 season and will rely on freshman JayVaughn Pinkston to quickly acclimate himself to NCAA basketball and fill a big role for the Wildcats up front. The number seven seed belongs to the Kansas
Jayhawks, who will be interested in proving they are still better than their Kansas State rivals.
North Carolina gets the benefit of the doubt in the eighth seed, as they try and make up for a poor showing in the 2009-10 season. Meanwhile, the top 10 is rounded out by the Florida Gators and the Syracuse Orange.
11-15
The Kentucky Wildcats lead off the 11-15 range and will be counting on a large freshman class to develop quickly.
Gonzaga checks in at the 12 spot and will put their hopes in the hands of Steven Gray and Elias Harris, who should both be among the best players in the nation in 2010-11. The Illinois Illini are slotted at the number 13 spot, but will have what many people
are calling the toughest conference in the nation to contend, in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, the top 15 is finished off with a promising Purdue Boilermakers side and the Missouri Tigers.
16-20
Leading the 16-20 range are the Baylor Bears, who will have their hands full in a tough Big 12 conference this season, which features Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and an improved Colorado side.
In the 17 spot is the Butler Bulldogs, who will once again be interested in making some noise, coming out of the Horizon Conference. Number 18 belongs to the Washington Huskies, who are considered the top team in the Pac-10 and have a fantastic guard in
junior Isaiah Thomas to lead the offence.
The 19th spot belongs to the Memphis Tigers, who will try and work their way back to the tournament, while the 20th spot is currently held by the Georgetown Hoyas.
21-25
The Virginia Tech Hokies lead the 21-25 range and will contend with Duke and North Carolina for top spots in the ACC. A surprise at the 22 spot is the Temple Owls, who will have to contend with an impressive Xavier Musketeers side for top spot in the Atlantic-10
all season.
The 23rd ranked club heading into the 2010-11 season are the Tennessee Volunteers, who are followed by the Brigham Young Cougars at 24. The Top 25 is rounded out by the San Diego State Aztecs, who are hoping to upset Brigham Young as Mountain
West Conference champions.
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