Kansas Men’s Hoops No. 6 in 2013-14 ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Preseason Poll
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball enters the 2013-14 season at No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll released Wednesday, marking the 22nd time in the 25-year history of the coaches’ poll the Jayhawks have been ranked.
The ranking is the eighth time in the Bill Self era that the Jayhawks enter the season slotted seventh or higher. Self, the 2012 Naismith National Coach of the Year, is entering his 11th season at KU where he has a 300-59 (83.6 percent) record.
Kansas is the nine-time defending Big 12 men’s basketball champion, has won or tied for 13 of the 17 Big 12 regular-season titles and nine postseason titles. KU returns nine letterwinners from last season’s 31-6 team, which went 14-4 in conference play, won the Big 12 regular-season title, the Big 12 postseason championship and advanced to the school’s 30th Sweet 16. KU’s recruiting class, consisting of eight newcomers, is ranked No. 2.
Last season, KU entered the year No. 7 nationally in the coaches’ poll and finished at No. 8 on the final poll. The Jayhawks were ranked in the top 10 in all but two polls during the 2012-13 season.
In 2013-14, Kansas is scheduled to play four games against teams ranked in the 2013-14 preseason coaches’ poll: No. 4 Duke, No. 8 Florida, No. 12 Oklahoma State (twice).
2013-14 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll (preseason)
Rank – Team (first place votes) – points
1. Kentucky (16) – 767
2. Michigan State (3) – 749
3. Louisville (10) – 741
4. Duke (3) – 710
5. Arizona – 637
6. KANSAS – 623
7. Syracuse – 551
8. Florida – 550
9. Michigan – 548
10. Ohio State – 533
11. North Carolina – 494
12. Oklahoma State – 462
13. Memphis – 334
14. Gonzaga – 270
15. Virginia Commonwealth – 258
16. Wichita State – 233
17. Marquette – 230
18. Oregon – 175
19. Connecticut – 167
20. New Mexico – 153
21. Wisconsin – 148
22. Notre Dame – 128
23. UCLA – 121
24. Indiana – 118
25. Virginia – 103
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