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Along with the sound of sneakers on empty practice gym floors and the sounds of Midnight Madnesses, the first Coaches' Top 25 is out. The season is so close...which means we can start talking about which teams are real title contenders, which teams are coasting on reputation, and which teams from the Big East are in the list.
Last year's winners, the Connecticut Huskies, are ranked 15, while the Kentucky WIldcats, who rode a wave all the way to the Final, are the prohibitive favorites with their roster filled with NBA-probably draftees.
But the Big East will be heard from!
Waaaiiit.... only Villanova made the top-25 from the Big East?
RANK
|
TEAM
|
RECORD
|
POINTS
|
1ST PLACE VOTES
|
PREV
|
CHANGE
|
HI/LOW
|
1
|
Kentucky
|
29-11
|
785
|
24
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
Arizona
|
33-5
|
746
|
3
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
Duke
|
26-9
|
715
|
2
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
Wisconsin
|
30-8
|
706
|
3
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
Kansas
|
25-10
|
654
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
North Carolina
|
24-10
|
598
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
Florida
|
36-3
|
568
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
Virginia
|
30-7
|
519
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
Louisville
|
31-6
|
507
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
Texas
|
24-11
|
479
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
11
|
Wichita State
|
35-1
|
471
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
12
|
Villanova
|
29-5
|
439
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
13
|
Gonzaga
|
29-7
|
423
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
14
|
Iowa St.
|
28-8
|
323
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
15
|
Connecticut
|
32-8
|
292
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
16
|
Virginia Commonwealth
|
26-9
|
259
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
17
|
San Diego State
|
31-5
|
251
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
18
|
Michigan State
|
29-9
|
241
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
19
|
Oklahoma
|
23-10
|
237
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
20
|
Ohio State
|
25-10
|
223
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
21
|
Nebraska
|
19-13
|
156
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
22
|
Southern Methodist Univ.
|
27-10
|
149
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
23
|
Michigan
|
28-9
|
139
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
24
|
Syracuse
|
28-6
|
128
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
25
|
Iowa
|
20-13
|
56
|
0
|
NR
|
-
|
-
|
Obviously, with the year the Big East teams had last season - many good teams that couldn't bust out to be great, and a lot of parity in the league - it makes sense that there is only one top-25 side in this table.
This year, St. John's (hopefully) faces four teams on this list - Villanova (twice), Syracuse (at the Carrier Dome), Duke at home in Madison Square Garden, and Gonzaga, if they meet in the second round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Some preseason questions to noodle
Noting Syracuse's low ranking, is it possible the Orange could be vulnerable to a loss in Syracuse?
Can St. John's leapfrog into this list?
Nebraska is ranked? In basketball?
What questions do you have? What surprises do you see?