USA TODAY/COACHES PRE SEASON HOOPS POLL

Preseason USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll

Oct. 27, 2006

Outlooks by USA TODAY's Jack Carey.

Rank	Team (first-place votes)	Record	Points	Previous ranking
1.	Florida (30)	33-6	772	1
Outlook: Gators could make run for another title with experienced cast of stars turning down NBA and returning. F Joakim Noah, Final Four’s most outstanding player, leads the way, joined by Fs Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Chris Richard and Gs Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey. Opens: Nov.10 vs. Samford.
2.	North Carolina	23-8	728	14
Outlook: Youthful Tar Heels have plenty of talent, including Fs Tyler Hansbrough and Reyshawn Terry, Gs Bobby Frasor and Wes Miller and wing Marcus Ginyard to go with highly touted recruiting class led by G Ty Lawson. Opens: Nov. 14 vs. Sacred Heart in NIT Season Tip-off at Charlotte (ESPNU, 7.p.m. ET).
3.	Kansas	25-8	714	22
Outlook: Young Jayhawks appear loaded. Virtually every key contributor is back, including Gs Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson, Fs Julian Wright and Darnell Jackson and Cs Sasha Kaun and C.J. Giles. Freshman F Darrell Arthur and G Sherron Collins figure to help out. Opens: Nov. 11 vs. Northern Arizona.
4.	Ohio State (1)	26-6	595	13
Outlook: Buckeyes will be young but look to be exceptionally talented. Outstanding recruiting class, led by 7-1 Greg Oden and G Mike Conley will join returning G Jamar Butler, although Oden’s recovery from wrist surgery will delay his debut. Opens: Nov. 11 vs. VMI in BCA Classic.
5t.	Pittsburgh	25-8	583	18
Outlook: Experienced Panthers again look like one of Big East’s best behind Gs Levance Fields, Antonio Graves and Ronald Ramon, C Aaron Gray and Fs Levon Kendall and Sam Young. Opens: Nov. 12 vs. Western Michigan at West Point, N.Y. (ESPNU, noon).
5t.	UCLA	32-7	583	2
Outlook: Runner-up Bruins lost Gs Cedric Bozeman and Jordan Farmar and C Ryan Hollins. They return a solid core, including F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, G Arron Afflalo and wing Josh Shipp, who missed most of last season after hip surgery. Watch for G Darren Collison to contribute. Opens: Nov. 15 vs. Brigham Young.
7.	LSU	27-9	556	3
Outlook: Tigers had one of youngest teams in nation, although they lost F Tyrus Thomas and G Darrel Mitchell. Eyeing another Final Four run are Fs Glen Davis, Tasmin Mitchell, Darnell Lazare and Magnum Rolle and Gs Garrett Temple and Tack Minor, who missed most of last season with knee injury. Opens: Nov. 17 vs. Nicholls State.
8.	Georgetown	23-10	538	16
Outlook: Hoyas made big strides in coach John Thompson III’s second year. With F Brandon Bowman and G Ashanti Cook no longer around, C Roy Hibbert and F Jeff Green will be cogs, supported by Gs Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp. Opens: Nov. 11 vs. Hartford.
9.	Wisconsin	19-12	530	NR
Outlook: F Alando Tucker is back to lead what could be Badgers’ best team in years. G Kammron Taylor and emerging F Brian Butch also return, bolstering chances at Big Ten honors. Opens: Nov. 12 vs. Mercer.
10.	Arizona	20-13	478	NR
Outlook: Wildcats will try to bounce back from subpar season behind Gs Mustafa Shakur and Jawan McClellan, who had offseason knee surgery, and Fs Ivan Radenovic and Marcus Williams. Freshman F Chase Budinger should be immediate contributor. Opens: Nov. 12 at Virginia.
11.	Duke	32-4	477	7
Outlook: Retooling time in Durham. Mainstays J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams are gone, and the Devils have named PG Greg Paulus, F Josh McRoberts and G DeMarcus Nelson as captains. Paulus, however, has been sidelined by a foot injury. This will be a young edition with only one senior and two juniors on the roster. Opens: Nov. 12 vs. Columbia in College Basketball Experience Classic (ESPNU, 8:30).
12.	Alabama	18-13	420	NR
Outlook: Crimson Tide have good chance to be among SEC’s best behind returning G Ronald Steele and veteran Fs Jermareo Davidson, Richard Hendrix and Alonzo Gee. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Jackson State.
13.	Texas A&M	22-9	335	NR
Outlook: Program that looks to be on rise under coach Billy Gillispie.. Point guard Acie Law has blossomed into one of nation’s best, and F Joseph Jones should only get better. A team to watch in the Big 12. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Prairie View.
14.	Memphis	33-4	328	6
Outlook: Tigers lost lot of talent with departure of Fs Rodney Carney and Shawne Williams and G Darius Washington. F Joey Dorsey and Gs Chris Douglas-Roberts and Antonio Anderson will look to step up. Opens: Nov. 16 vs. Jackson State.
15.	Boston College	28-8	284	11
Outlook: For year two in ACC, Eagles must get along without star F Craig Smith and PG Louis Hinnant. Plenty of vets back, including Fs Jared Dudley, Sean Williams, Akida McLain and John Oates and Gs Sean Marshall and Tyrese Rice. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. New Hampshire.
16.	Washington	26-7	240	12
Outlook: Huskies lost lot of talent with the departures of All-America G Brandon Roy and Fs Jamaal Williams, Mike Jensen and Bobby Jones. Gs Justin Dentmon and Joel Smith, who has been hobbled by a stress fracture, and F Jon Brockman will be counted on to help UW rise in Pac-10. Keep eye on freshman C Spencer Hawes. Opens: Nov. 12 vs. Pepperdine in Basketball Travelers Classic.
17.	Marquette	20-11	203	NR
Outlook: Golden Eagles’ second season in Big East could be special behind steady play of Gs Jerel McNeal, Dominic James and Wesley Matthews Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Hillsdale (Mich.).
18.	Connecticut	30-4	200	4
Outlook: Huskies will have much different look following departures of C Hilton Armstrong, Gs Rashad Anderson and Marcus Williams, wing Denham Brown and Fs Rudy Gay and Josh Boone. G Craig Austrie, wing Marcus Johnson and F Jeff Adrien return, and G A.J. Price is back from a one-year suspension. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Quinnipiac.
19.	Texas	30-7	172	9
Outlook: Big changes afoot in Austin where Longhorns lost every starter. To contend in Big 12, Gs A.J. Abrams and J.D. Lewis and F Connor Atchley will have to step into leadership roles and help bolster a team that features seven freshmen, including highly touted F Kevin Durant. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Alcorn State in 2K Sports Classic (ESPNU, 9:30).
20.	Syracuse	23-12	138	NR
Outlook: Orange return four starters but lost leading scorer Gerry McNamara. Experience of Fs Demetris Nichols and Terrence Roberts, G Eric Devendorf and C Darryl Watkins along with dynamic newcomer Paul Harris could make Orange a force in Big East. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. St. Francis (N.Y.).
21.	Georgia Tech	11-17	137	NR
Outlook: After subpar season, Yellow Jackets hope to rise in ACC with experienced but young team that includes Gs Lewis Clinch, Anthony Morrow and Mario West and Fs Jeremis Smith and Ra’Sean Dickey. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Elon.
22.	Kentucky	22-13	119	NR
Outlook: Wildcats will hope to bounce back after subpar year and again be force in SEC behind Gs Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford, Derrick Jasper and Michael Porter and Fs Bobby Perry, Randolph Morris, Sheray Thomas. Opens: Nov. 15 vs. Miami (Ohio).
23.	Creighton	20-10	113	NR
Outlook: G Nate Funk, who missed most of last season with shoulder injury, is back to lead veteran club that includes F Anthony Tolliver and wing Nick Porter. Opens: Nov. 13 vs. Mississippi Valley State.
24.	Tennessee	22-8	106	20
Outlook: Vols had big turnaround in coach Bruce Pearl’s first season. Gs Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Dane Bradshaw will be counted on to help continue winning trend. Returning C Major Wingate was dismissed from team in September. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Middle Tennessee State.
25.	Nevada	27-6	101	NR
Outlook: Experienced Wolf Pack could be poised to rule WAC and make run in March behind standout F Nick Fazekas, along with Gs Marcelus Kemp, Kyle Shiloh and Ramon Sessions and F Demarshay Johnson. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Alaska-Anchorage.