Former Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino and current Kentucky head coach Mark Pope wave to the crowd during Big Blue Madness on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Staff
Kentucky men’s basketball earned the No. 23 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll on Monday.
The Wildcats, entering the first year under new head coach Mark Pope, have a completely rejuvenated roster full of transfers from around the country.
ESPN, in a story released about the rankings, projected the Wildcats’ starting five to be San Diego State star transfer Lamont Butler, Dayton sharpshooter Koby Brea, future NBA talent and BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson, Wake Forest veteran Andrew Carr and Drexel big man Amari Williams.
If the rankings are indicative of how voters expect the SEC to shape out, Kentucky was the eighth highest ranked SEC school, putting the Wildcats firmly in the middle of the pack in the conference.
As for the top, Alabama was the highest ranked SEC squad, clocking in at No. 2 in the country with returning stars Mark Sears and Grant Nelson along with Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi and Auburn transfer Aden Holloway.
The Tide came in one spot behind the debut No. 1 team in the country, the Kansas Jayhawks.
Behind Kansas and Bama, UConn, coming off back-to-back national championships, former one-seed Houston and Iowa State rounded out the top five.
As for Kentucky, things don’t get any easier looking at No. 6 and No. 7 as the Gonzaga Bulldogs, which are set to face the Cats in December, and Duke, set to face UK in the Champion’s Classic, just missed out on the top five.
Auburn was the second-highest SEC team in the poll, checking in at No. 11 with Johni Broome, with Tennessee following behind at No. 12 with a returning Zakai Zeigler.
Continuing the streak of SEC schools, Buzz Williams’ Texas A&M Aggies slotted in at No. 13 with three returning starters in Wade Taylor IV, Manny Obaseki and Henry Coleman III.
Skipping a few slots, the next SEC school was John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks at the No. 16 spot with former Cats D.J. Wagner and Adou Thiero being projected starters.
Looking down the list to No. 19, SEC newcomer Texas claimed the spot while Todd Golden’s Florida Gators, with a returning Walter Clayton Jr., took the No. 21 spot.
After the Wildcats, Ole Miss took the No. 24 spot to round out the SEC representation in the second year of head coach Chris Beard.
Looking at the receiving votes category, Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm received 91 votes to be the second-highest unranked team, Ohio State, with former Cat Aaron Bradshaw, received 29 votes, Mississippi State claimed six votes and Louisville, in year one of Pat Kelsey, grabbed four.
A full list of the rankings can be found below:
Kansas Jayhawks
Alabama Crimson Tide
UConn Huskies
Houston Cougars
Iowa State Cyclones
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Duke Blue Devils
Baylor Bears
North Carolina Tar Heels
Arizona Wildcats
Auburn Tigers
Tennessee Volunteers
Texas A&M Aggies
Purdue Boilermakers
Creighton Bluejays
Arkansas Razorbacks
Indiana Hoosiers
Marquette Golden Eagles
Texas Longhorns
Cincinnati Bearcats
Florida Gators
UCLA Bruins
Kentucky Wildcats
Ole Miss Rebels
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Receiving votes: Illinois (92), St. John’s (91), Xavier (73), Texas Tech (58), Wake Forest (37), Kansas State (30), Michigan State (29), Ohio State (29), Michigan (19), BYU (14), Oregon (12), McNeese State (11), Miami (Fl) (11), Boise State (9), Saint Louis (9), Clemson (9), Providence (9), Mississippi State (6), VCU (6), Wisconsin (5), Saint Mary’s (5), Louisville (4), UAB (4), Little Rock (3), Grand Canyon (3), Arizona State (2), San Diego State (2), Princeton (2), High Point (1), Maryland (1).