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First USA Today Coaches Poll of the 2014-15 Season Released
FULL RANKINGS
TOP 25 TEAMS, WEEK 1
| 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 | – | – |
Others 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.
I’m not sure about you but color me surprised to see Providence receiving votes. I think I’m pretty optimistic about the 2014-15 Providence Friars team but based on reading season previews where “experts” are placing the defending Big East Tournament Champions anywhere from 3rd-6th in their own conference I was thinking this team would not get any respect after losing Bryce Cotton.
Looking at the big picture of the Big East conference in year 2 of the current configuration it’s not a good look to only have 1 team in the top 25 and none in the top 10. This league needs to have multiple teams in the top 25 every year and get at least 4 teams into the NCAA Tournament most years for it to maintain any level of respect as a high major conference. For those thinking Ed Cooley was voting for his own team that is not true. The list of 32 voters includes 1 Big East coach and that’s Creighton’s Greg McDermott.
One final note on this poll is about Providence’s opponents. Harvard is right on the bubble tied for 26th with Stanford and the Friars will play the Crimson again in a closed door scrimmage sometime in the next couple of weeks. Villanova is ranked #12 while other Big East member Georgetown is receiving votes. Miami (FL) is receiving votes and Providence will play Jim Larranaga’s team at the Barclays Center just before Christmas. Both opponents that Providence will play at Mohegan Sun as part of the Hall of Fame Tipoff are receiving votes (Florida State and Notre Dame). Finally, the Friars are scheduled to play the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on the Sunday following Thanksgiving which could be a chance to take on the #1 team in the country which is where Calipari’s squad falls in this initial poll. What this all adds up to is that Providence’s schedule in the non-conference will be tough and is a major upgrade from prior years.
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