North Carolina has emerged as the top team in the initial USA Today/ESPN men’s basketball rankings for the 2011-12 season. North Carolina who returns a core of top players, including sophomore forward Harrison Barnes obtained 30 of the 31 total votes obtained the #1 ranking over Kentucky who received one vote.

ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
RK TEAM RECORD PTS PREV
1 North Carolina (30) 0-0 774 8
Tournament Results: Def Long Island 102-87 (3/18), Def Washington 86-83 (3/20), Def Marquette 81-63 (3/25), Lost to Kentucky 76-69 (3/27)
This Week: 11/11 at Michigan State, 11/13 at North Carolina-Asheville  Tickets
2 Kentucky (1) 0-0 721 3
Tournament Results: Def Princeton 59-57 (3/17), Def West Virginia 71-63 (3/19), Def Ohio State 62-60 (3/25), Def North Carolina 76-69 (3/27), Lost to No. 1 Connecticut 56-55 (4/2)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Marist  Tickets
3 Ohio State 0-0 702 5
Tournament Results: Def UTSA 75-46 (3/18), Def George Mason 98-66 (3/20), Lost to Kentucky 62-60 (3/25)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Wright State  Tickets
4 Connecticut 0-0 655 1
Tournament Results: Def Bucknell 81-52 (3/17), Def Cincinnati 69-58 (3/19), Def San Diego State 74-67 (3/24), Def Arizona 65-63 (3/26), Def No. 3 Kentucky 56-55 (4/2), Def No. 2 Butler 53-41 (4/4)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Columbia, 11/14 vs. Wagner  Tickets
5 Syracuse 0-0 649 18
Tournament Results: Def Indiana State 77-60 (3/18), Lost to Marquette 66-62 (3/20)
This Week: 11/12 vs. Fordham, 11/14 vs. Manhattan  Tickets
6 Duke 0-0 635 7
Tournament Results: Def Hampton 87-45 (3/18), Def Michigan 73-71 (3/20), Lost to Arizona 93-77 (3/24)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Belmont, 11/12 vs. Presbyterian  Tickets
7 Vanderbilt 0-0 567 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to Richmond 69-66 (3/17)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Oregon, 11/13 vs. Cleveland State  Tickets
8 Louisville 0-0 514 22
Tournament Results: Lost to Morehead State 62-61 (3/17)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Tennessee-Martin, 11/13 vs. Lamar  Tickets
9 Memphis 0-0 482 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to Arizona 77-75 (3/18)
This Week: No games scheduled.  Tickets
10 Florida 0-0 474 10
Tournament Results: Def UC Santa Barbara 79-51 (3/17), Def UCLA 73-65 (3/19), Def Brigham Young 83-74 (3/24), Lost to Butler 74-71 (3/26)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Jackson State  Tickets
11 Pittsburgh 0-0 471 12
Tournament Results: Def North Carolina-Asheville 74-51 (3/17), Lost to Butler 71-70 (3/19)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Albany, 11/13 vs. Rider  Tickets
12 Baylor 0-0 358 NR
Tournament Results: No Games Played
This Week: 11/11 vs. Texas Southern, 11/13 vs. Jackson State  Tickets
13 Kansas 0-0 331 4
Tournament Results: Def Boston University 72-53 (3/18), Def Illinois 73-59 (3/20), Def Richmond 77-57 (3/25), Lost to Virginia Commonwealth 71-61 (3/27)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Towson  Tickets
14 Wisconsin 0-0 313 15
Tournament Results: Def Belmont 72-58 (3/17), Def Kansas State 70-65 (3/19), Lost to Butler 61-54 (3/24)
This Week: 11/12 vs. Kennesaw State  Tickets
15 Xavier 0-0 277 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to Marquette 66-55 (3/18)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Morgan State  Tickets
16 Arizona 0-0 269 9
Tournament Results: Def Memphis 77-75 (3/18), Def Texas 70-69 (3/20), Def Duke 93-77 (3/24), Lost to Connecticut 65-63 (3/26)
This Week: 11/9 vs. Duquesne, 11/13 vs. Ball State  Tickets
17 Alabama 0-0 194 NR
Tournament Results: Def Coastal Carolina 68-44 (3/15), Def New Mexico 74-67 (3/21), Def Miami (FL) 79-64 (3/23), Def Colorado 62-61 (3/29), Lost to Wichita State 66-57 (3/31)
This Week: 11/11 vs. North Florida, 11/14 vs. Oakland  Tickets
18 Michigan 0-0 187 NR
Tournament Results: Def Tennessee 75-45 (3/18), Lost to Duke 73-71 (3/20)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Ferris State, 11/14 vs. Towson  Tickets
19 Texas A&M 0-0 161 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to Florida State 57-50 (3/18)
This Week: 11/9 vs. Liberty, 11/13 vs. Southern University  Tickets
20 UCLA 0-0 147 NR
Tournament Results: Def Michigan State 78-76 (3/17), Lost to Florida 73-65 (3/19)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Loyola Marymount  Tickets
21 Marquette 0-0 145 20
Tournament Results: Def Xavier 66-55 (3/18), Def Syracuse 66-62 (3/20), Lost to North Carolina 81-63 (3/25)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Mount St. Mary’s, 11/14 vs. Norfolk State  Tickets
22 Cincinnati 0-0 141 NR
Tournament Results: Def Missouri 78-63 (3/17), Lost to Connecticut 69-58 (3/19)
This Week: 11/13 vs. Alabama State  Tickets
23 Gonzaga 0-0 125 NR
Tournament Results: Def St. John’s 86-71 (3/17), Lost to Brigham Young 89-67 (3/19)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Eastern Washington, 11/14 vs. Washington State  Tickets
24 California 0-0 111 NR
Tournament Results: Def Ole Miss 77-74 (3/16), Lost to Colorado 89-72 (3/18)
This Week: 11/11 vs. UC Irvine, 11/13 vs. George Washington  Tickets
25 Missouri 0-0 110 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to Cincinnati 78-63 (3/17)
This Week: 11/11 vs. Southeast Missouri State, 11/14 vs. Mercer  Tickets
  • Others receiving votes: Florida State 108, Texas 107, Michigan State 73, Temple 59, Washington 29, Butler 25, New Mexico 22, Creighton 19, Villanova 18, Purdue 17, UNLV 16, West Virginia 13, George Mason 12, Mississippi State 11, St. John’s 11, Saint Mary’s 5, Virginia 5, Virginia Commonwealth 4, Drexel 2, Kansas State 2, Long Beach State 2, Notre Dame 1, Brigham Young 1
  • Dropped from rankings: Butler 2, Virginia Commonwealth 6, Brigham Young 13, Notre Dame 14, Texas 16, Purdue 17, Florida State 19, Washington 23, Kansas State 24

Ref: ESPN, USA Today,