The First ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll Is Out

And to no surprise, North Carolina is the number one team in the nation. This comes on the same day that Tar Heels star Tyler Hansbrough suffered a stress fracture his right shin during practice and is out indefinitely.

But with a healthy Hansbrough and a team that is just loaded with talent, the Tar Heels could finish the season where it started – at number one.

But an unhealthy Hansbrough, who received every Player of the Year award available last season, could give everyone ranked in the top 10 a legitimate shot at the national title.

North Carolina, a Final Four team last season received all 30 first place votes.

Expectations are apparently high at Connecticut this year. The Huskies, which lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year, and finished the season unranked is number two in the first poll.

Louisville, which reached the Elite Eight and lost to North Carolina checks in at number three.

UCLA, which reached the Final Four for the third consecutive season is my pick to win it all. The Bruins have probably the best recruiting class in the nation and a solid returning class as well is ranked fourth.

And don’t look now, but Duke is back! The Blue Devils are ranked fifth after a disappointing season (for them that is) losing in the second round of the tournament.

NCAA tournament runner up Memphis is 12th in the poll.

Davidson, the darling of last year’s tournament that reached the Elite Eight and lost to eventual champion Kansas is ranked 20th.

So where’s Kansas?

The defending champion Jayhawks, which lost key players to the NBA Draft barely checks in at number 23.

Here’s a look at the entire Top 25 along with the also rans.

NCAA Division I: ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
RANK TEAM RECORD PTS PVS

1. North Carolina (31) 0-0 775 3
Tournament Results: Lost to No. 1 Kansas 84-66 (4/5), Def. Mount St. Mary’s 113-74 (3/21), Def. Arkansas 108-77 (3/23), Def. Washington State 68-47 (3/27), Def. Louisville 83-73 (3/29)
This Week: 11/15 vs. Pennsylvania (0-0) Tickets

2. Connecticut 0-0 707 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to San Diego 70-69 (3/21)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Western Carolina (0-0) Tickets

3. Louisville 0-0 694 6
Tournament Results: Def. Boise State 79-61 (3/21), Def. Oklahoma 78-48 (3/23), Def. Tennessee 79-60 (3/27), Lost to North Carolina 83-73 (3/29)
This Week: No Games Scheduled Tickets

4. UCLA 0-0 650 4
Tournament Results: Def. Mississippi Valley State 70-29 (3/20), Def. Texas A&M 51-49 (3/22), Def. Western Kentucky 88-78 (3/27), Def. Xavier 76-57 (3/29), Lost to No. 2 Memphis 78-63 (4/5)
This Week: 11/12 vs. Prairie View A&M (0-0), 11/14 at UC Santa Barbara (0-0) Tickets

5. Duke 0-0 578 16
Tournament Results: Def. Belmont 71-70 (3/20), Lost to West Virginia 73-67 (3/22)
This Week: 11/10 vs. Presbyterian (0-0), 11/16 vs. Rhode Island (0-0) Tickets

6. Pittsburgh 0-0 576 18
Tournament Results: Def. Oral Roberts 82-63 (3/20), Lost to No. 20 Michigan State 65-54 (3/22)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (0-0) Tickets

7. Michigan State 0-0 572 13
Tournament Results: Def. Temple 72-61 (3/20), Def. No. 19 Pittsburgh 65-54 (3/22), Lost to Memphis 92-74 (3/28)
This Week: 11/16 vs. Idaho (0-0) Tickets

8. Texas 0-0 538 5
Tournament Results: Def. Austin Peay 74-54 (3/21), Def. Miami (FL) 75-72 (3/23), Def. Stanford 82-62 (3/28), Lost to Memphis 85-67 (3/30)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Stetson (0-0) Tickets

9. Notre Dame 0-0 525 19
Tournament Results: Def. George Mason 68-50 (3/20), Lost to No. 21 Washington State 61-41 (3/22)
This Week: 11/16 vs. USC Upstate (0-0) Tickets

10. Purdue 0-0 465 20
Tournament Results: Def. Baylor 90-79 (3/20), Lost to No. 12 Xavier 85-78 (3/22)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Detroit (0-0) Tickets

11. Gonzaga 0-0 437 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to No. 23 Davidson 82-76 (3/21)
This Week: 11/15 vs. Mont St Billings Tickets

12. Memphis 0-0 425 2
Tournament Results: Def. Texas-Arlington 87-63 (3/21), Def. Mississippi State 77-74 (3/23), Def. Michigan State 92-74 (3/28), Def. Texas 85-67 (3/30), Def. No. 4 UCLA 78-63 (4/5), Lost to No. 1 Kansas 75-68 (4/7)
This Week: 11/15 vs. Fairfield (0-0) Tickets

13. Tennessee 0-0 408 7
Tournament Results: Def. American University 72-57 (3/21), Def. No. 10 Butler 76-71 (3/23), Lost to Louisville 79-60 (3/27)
This Week: 11/15 vs. Chattanooga (0-0) Tickets

14. Oklahoma 0-0 387 NR
Tournament Results: Def. Saint Joseph’s 72-64 (3/21), Lost to No. 13 Louisville 78-48 (3/23)
This Week: 11/14 vs. American University (0-0) Tickets

15. Arizona State 0-0 304 NR
Tournament Results: Def. Alabama State 64-53 (3/18), Def. Southern Illinois 65-51 (3/20), Lost to Florida 70-57 (3/25)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Mississippi Valley State (0-0) Tickets

16. Miami (FL) 0-0 233 NR
Tournament Results: Def. Saint Mary’s 78-64 (3/21), Lost to No. 7 Texas 75-72 (3/23)
This Week: 11/15 vs. Florida Southern Tickets

17. Marquette 0-0 219 21
Tournament Results: Def. Kentucky 74-66 (3/20), Lost to No. 11 Stanford 82-81 (3/22)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Houston Baptist (0-0) Tickets

18. Georgetown 0-0 175 12
Tournament Results: Def. UMBC 66-47 (3/21), Lost to No. 23 Davidson 74-70 (3/23)
This Week: No Games Scheduled Tickets

19. Florida 0-0 161 NR
Tournament Results: Def. San Diego State 73-49 (3/19), Def. Creighton 82-54 (3/21), Def. Arizona State 70-57 (3/25), Lost to Massachusetts 78-66 (4/1)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Toledo (0-0), 11/16 vs. Bradley (0-0) Tickets

20. Davidson 0-0 158 9
Tournament Results: Def. Gonzaga 82-76 (3/21), Def. No. 8 Georgetown 74-70 (3/23), Def. Wisconsin 73-56 (3/28), Lost to Kansas 59-57 (3/30)
This Week: No Games Scheduled Tickets

21. USC 0-0 153 NR
Tournament Results: Lost to Kansas State 80-67 (3/20)
This Week: 11/15 vs. UC Irvine (0-0) Tickets

21. Wisconsin 0-0 153 10
Tournament Results: Def. Cal State Fullerton 71-56 (3/20), Def. Kansas State 72-55 (3/22), Lost to Davidson 73-56 (3/28)
This Week: 11/16 vs. Long Beach State (0-0) Tickets

23. Kansas 0-0 130 1
Tournament Results: Def. Portland State 85-61 (3/20), Def. UNLV 75-56 (3/22), Def. Villanova 72-57 (3/28), Def. Davidson 59-57 (3/30), Def. No. 3 North Carolina 84-66 (4/5), Def. No. 2 Memphis 75-68 (4/7)
This Week: 11/16 vs. UMKC (0-0) Tickets

24. Wake Forest 0-0 129 NR
Tournament Results: No Games Played
This Week: 11/14 vs. North Carolina Central (0-0) Tickets

25. Villanova 0-0 122 24
Tournament Results: Def. No. 22 Clemson 75-69 (3/21), Def. Siena 84-72 (3/23), Lost to Kansas 72-57 (3/28)
This Week: 11/14 vs. Albany (0-0) Tickets

Others Receiving Votes
UNLV 60, Saint Mary’s 59, Ohio State 54, Baylor 47, Xavier 27, Syracuse 23, Texas A&M 19, LSU 19, Arizona 18, Virginia Tech 15, Brigham Young 13, West Virginia 10, Washington 8, Siena 8, Kentucky 7, Vanderbilt 7, Oklahoma State 4, Clemson 2, Washington State 1.

Dropped From Rankings
Xavier 8, Washington State 15, West Virginia 17, Vanderbilt 25.

The USA TODAY/ESPN Board of Coaches is made up of 31 head coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. This season’s board: Mike Adras, Northern Arizona; Dana Altman, Creighton; Tommy Amaker, Harvard; Tevester Anderson, Jackson State; Ronnie Arrow, South Alabama; Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s; Eddie Biedenbach, North Carolina-Asheville; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Rick Byrd, Belmont; Charles Coles, Miami (Ohio); Steve Fisher, San Diego State; Tim Floyd, Southern California; Greg Graham, Boise State; Tom Green, Fairleigh Dickinson; Rob Jeter, Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Jeff Jones, American; Billy Kennedy, Murray State; Dan Leibovitz, Hartford; Fran McCaffery, Siena; Mike McConathy, Northwestern State; Bob McKillop, Davidson; Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph’s; Ron “Fang” Mitchell, Coppin State; Matt Painter, Purdue; Tom Pecora, Hofstra; John Pelphrey, Arkansas; Doc Sadler, Nebraska; Scott Sutton, Oral Roberts; Bob Williams, UC-Santa Barbara; Gary Williams, Maryland; Doug Wojcik, Tulsa.