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2014-15 Preseason College Basketball Coaches' Poll is out

Last year's winners are in the middle of the table. The blue bloods of the sport are prominent in the list. And some previously-unheralded teams are slipping in to the bottom of the poll.

By Norman Rose
Ronald Martinez

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
-
-
Schools receiving votes: Harvard 47; Stanford 47; Kansas State 37; Pittsburgh 36; Utah 26; Memphis 25; Minnesota 18; UCLA 15; New Mexico 11; Oregon 9; Louisiana Tech 8; Colorado 8; Arkansas 8; Dayton 6; Providence 5; Notre Dame 5; Massachusetts 4; Georgetown 4; Illinois 4; Texas-El Paso 4; Florida State 3; Baylor 2; George Washington 1; Miami (Fla.) 1; Toledo 1; Saint Mary's 1.

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?

Next Up In St. John's Red Storm men's basketball