Connecticut received nine of 31 first-place votes and 712 points from a nationwide panel of Division I coaches.

Michigan State, a Final Four team from a year ago with three returning starters, is second with eight first-place votes and 688 points. Cincinnati also had eight first-place votes and is No. 3 with 684 points. Auburn is fourth with 616 points.

North Carolina, Ohio State and Temple received two first-place votes apiece and are ranked fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

Florida, Arizona and Duke round out the top 10. Duke finished 37-2 last season but lost four starters, including star center Elton Brand, the top pick in the 1999 draft, and key reserve Corey Maggette from last year's team.

Connecticut defeated Duke, 77-74, in the NCAA Tournament championship game on March 29 at St. Petersburg, Florida, completing a 34-2 season for the Huskies. Star forward Richard Hamilton entered the NBA draft after his junior year and guard Ricky Moore graduated, leaving point guard Khalid El-Amin, forward Kevin Freeman and center Jake Voskuhl as returning starters.

Michigan State was beaten by Duke in the Final Four last season and lost starters Antonio Smith and Jason Klein. The Spartans also will be without star point guard Mateen Cleaves for the first six weeks of the season as he recovers from a stress fracture in his right foot. This year's team features Cleaves and returning starters Andre Hutson and Charlie Bell and key reserve Morris Peterson.

Cincinnati has four returning starters, including star forward Pete Mickeal, and Auburn also returns four starters, including standout forward Chris Porter.

North Carolina will start the season without starting point guard Ed Cota, who was suspended indefinitely while he is being investigated on possible misdemeanor assault charges.

Ohio State, a Final Four team from last year, returns star guards Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd and Temple brings back four starters.

Kansas is 11th in the preseason poll, followed by Kentucky, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, Tennessee, Syracuse, Illinois, St. John's and DePaul.

Purdue, Texas, Maryland, Miami (Fla) and Oklahoma State round out the top 25.