Indiana University Athletics
Hoosier Ranked Ninth In Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
10/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 26, 2007
Bloomington, Indiana - For the first time since the 1994-95 season, the Indiana men's basketball team will begin the season ranked in the top ten of a major poll. The Hoosiers are ranked ninth in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll which was released Friday.
The Hoosiers return three starters and seven lettermen from last year's 21-11 squad which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In addition, Indiana's recruiting class is generally regarded as one of the top ten in the country.
This marks the 35th time in 38 years that Indiana has been nationally ranked and second straight season under second-year Coach Kelvin Sampson (IU was rated 22nd and 23rd during the campaign) that the Hoosiers have cracked the top 25.
In addition, IU is rated in the top ten for the first time since December 17, 2003 when it was ranked sixth in the AP poll.
Two of the Hoosiers non-conference opponents are in the top 25. IU will play at #23 Southern Illinois on December 1, and at home against #22 Kentucky on December 8. In addition, Michigan State at #8, is the only other Big Ten member in the first rankings.
ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
October 26, 2007
1. North Carolina (31-7) Points: 739 (10 first-place votes) 2. UCLA (30-6) Points: 734 (12) 3. Memphis (33-4) Points: 731 (8) 4. Kansas (33-5) Points: 669 (1) 5. Georgetown (30-7) Points: 625 6. Louisville (24-10) Points: 620 7. Tennessee (24-11) Points: 598 8. Michigan State (23-12) Points: 503 9. Indiana (21-11) Points: 479 10. Washington State (26-8) Points: 464 11. Duke (22-11) Points: 390 12. Marquette (24-10) Points: 381 13. Oregon (29-8) Points: 360 14. (tie) Gonzaga (23-11) Points: 252 14. (tie) Texas A&M (27-7) Points: 252 16. Texas (25-10) Points: 216 17. Arizona (20-11) Points: 205 18. Southern California (25-12) Points: 189 19. Arkansas (21-14) Points: 173 20. Pittsburgh (29-8) Points: 160 21. Stanford (18-13) Points: 158 22. Kentucky (22-12) Points: 155 23. Southern Illinois (29-7) Points: 137 24. North Carolina State (20-16) Points: 119 25. Villanova (22-11) Points: 111
Others receiving votes: Kansas State (23-12) 94; Syracuse (24-11) 69; Ohio State (35-4) 65; Clemson (25-11) 56; Connecticut (17-14) 55; Butler (29-7) 42; Davidson (29-5) 39; Xavier (25-9) 38; Alabama (20-12) 31; Mississippi State (21-14) 30; Florida (35-5) 26; Wisconsin (30-6) 21; Illinois (23-12) 16; Brigham Young (25-9) 12; Washington (19-13) 12; Nevada (29-5) 8; Bradley (22-13) 7; Virginia (21-11) 7; Virginia Commonwealth (28-7) 5; Utah (11-19) 4; Baylor (15-16) 3; Old Dominion (24-9) 3; Saint Joseph's (18-14) 3; Fresno State (22-10) 2; George Mason (18-15) 2; Utah State (23-12) 2; California (16-17) 1; Maryland (25-9) 1; Notre Dame (24-8)
