The first USA TODAY men’s basketball poll is out with the Pac-12 mostly MIA
College basketball is cyclical and for the beginning of the 2022-23 men’s basketball season, the coaches don’t seem too impressed with the Pac-12.
Just three teams from the Conference of Champions are in the first USA TODAY men’s basketball coaches poll of the year.
UCLA, Arizona and Oregon are all ranked. USC received votes, but that was it. Defending champion Kansas is No. 5 and national runner-up North Carolina will begin the season as the No. 1 team in the country.
The basketball poll is much more fluid than the football poll and no doubt, other teams not even mentioned in the first poll will be ranked sometime this season.
No. 3 Houston will come to Matthew Knight Arena on Nov. 20 and the Ducks will play either No. 19 Alabama or Michigan State in the Phil Knight 85 Invitational in Portland Nov. 25.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
778 points
Gonzaga Bulldogs
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
759 points
Houston Cougars
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
713 points
Kentucky Wildcats
Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
697 points
Kansas Jayhawks
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
660 points
Baylor Bears
Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
632 points
UCLA Bruins
Mitchell Leff-USA TODAY Sports
560 points
Duke Blue Devils
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
552 points
Creighton Blue Jays
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
500 points
Arkansas Razorbacks
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
498 points
Tennessee Volunteers
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
486 points
Texas Longhorns
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
449 points
Arizona Wildcats
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
352 points
Indiana Hoosiers
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
334 points
Auburn Tigers
Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
318 points
TCU Horned Frogs
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
317 points
Villanova Wildcats
Mitchell Leff-USA TODAY Sports
300 points
Virginia Cavaliers
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
287 points
Alabama Crimson Tide
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
176 points
San Diego State Aztecs
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
173 points
Oregon Ducks
Ethan Landa – DucksWire
128 points
Michigan Wolverines
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
122 points
Illinois Illini
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
115 points
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
107 points
Dayton Flyers
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
75 points
