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| | Monday, November 6 Arizona edges Duke for top spot | |||||
| Sports Ticker Loren Woods' decision to return for his senior season enabled Arizona to edge out Duke for the top spot in the preseason ESPN/USA Today coaches' basketball poll released Thursday. Arizona received 19 first-place votes and 756 points from the nationwide panel of 31 coaches. Duke picked up the other 12 first-place votes and was just three points behind the Wildcats in the poll. It marks the second time in four years that Arizona was voted as the preseason No. 1. In 1997-98, the Wildcats returned all five starters from their national championship team the previous season, but lost in the NCAA Tournament West Region final to Utah. Last season, Arizona lost Woods, a 7-foot-1 center who averaged 15.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks, for the final month of the season due to a back injury. Without him, the Wildcats lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Wisconsin, capping a 27-7 season. It was believed Woods would apply for early entry to the NBA draft, but he decided to come back to Arizona for his senior year. As a result, the Wildcats will have all five starters back -- Woods, forwards Michael Wright and Richard Jefferson and guards Jason Gardner and Gilbert Arenas. Duke lost Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Chris Carrawell, but returns its four other starters. The Blue Devils finished 29-5 last season, but was upset by Florida in the NCAA Tournament East region semifinals. Stanford, the Pac-10 co-champion with Arizona last season, is ranked third. The Cardinal lost forward Mark Madsen, but feature an imposing front line with Jarron and Jason Collins and Curtis Borchardt, along with swingman Casey Jacobsen. North Carolina, a Final Four team last season, returns four starters and is No. 4 in the poll. The Tar Heels underachieved in 1999-2000 and finished 22-14, but salvaged the season with a run to the Final Four. National champion Michigan State lost its two best starters -- guard Mateen Cleaves and forward Morris Petersen -- but was ranked fifth in the preseason poll. The Spartans will rely on guard Charlie Bell, center Andre Hutson and swingman Jason Richardson, along with talented recruits Zach Randolph and Marcus Taylor. Kansas is No. 6 followed by Maryland, Tennessee, Illinois and Seton Hall. Florida, which lost to Michigan State in the championship game, is No. 11. The Gators were supposed to return all five starters, but forwards Mike Miller and Donnell Harvey applied for early entry to the NBA draft. Kentucky is 12th followed by Connecticut, Cincinnati, Arkansas, Utah, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, UCLA, DePaul and Oklahoma. Wisconsin, which returns four starters from a Final Four team, is No. 22. The Badgers finished 22-14 and fell to Michigan State in the national semifinals. Iowa State, Southern California and Virginia complete the top 25. | ALSO SEE Arizona edges Duke in preseason AP hoops poll ESPN/USA Today Top 25 ESPN.com Preseason Top 25 Fully loaded: Arizona confidently swaggers into season Olson's built a coach's dream in the desert Coach K has that special feeling again AUDIO/VIDEO   SportsCenter runs down the top 10 teams and then gets some colorful comments from Dick Vitale.RealVideo: 56.6 Arizona head coach Lute Olson talks about the pressures of being No. 1.avi: 2231 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1 | |||||