/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67780642/sarr_uk_ath.0.jpg)
The 2020-21 college basketball season begins in less than two weeks, and the first Coaches Top 25 Poll has been unveiled.
The Kentucky Wildcats, ranked No. 10 in the first AP Poll, checked in at No. 9 in the Coaches Poll. They are the highest-ranked SEC team, followed by Tennessee (14) and Alabama (25).
Baylor is the No. 1 team, followed by Gonzaga, Villanova, Virginia and Kansas.
Other teams on Kentucky’s schedule in this poll include UCLA (21) and Texas (22). Louisville and Florida received the most votes of teams outside of the top 25. LSU got the fourth-most votes.
Coaches Top 25 Poll
- Baylor Bears
- Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Villanova Wildcats
- Virginia Cavaliers
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Duke blue Devils
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Creighton Bluejays
- Michigan State Spartans
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Tennessee Volunteers
- West Virginia Mountaineers
- North Carolina Tar Heels
- Arizona State Sun Devils
- Houston Cougars
- Florida State Seminoles
- Oregon Ducks
- UCLA Bruins
- Texas Longhorns
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Alabama Crimson Tide
Others receiving votes: Louisville 55; Florida 52; Michigan 38; Louisiana State 27; San Diego St. 23; Dayton 23; Richmond 21; Maryland 15; Indiana 14; Seton Hall 12; Memphis 12; Connecticut 11; Stanford 10; Oklahoma State 9; Northern Iowa 8; Brigham Young 8; Syracuse 4; Providence 4; Purdue 3; Arkansas 2; Western Kentucky 1; Stephen F. Austin 1; Saint Mary’s 1; Loyola-Chicago 1; Georgia Tech 1.
But that’s not all.
The SEC has announced its preseason media picks, which include Tennessee being picked to win the league this season. Kentucky was picked to finish second.
In addition, freshman forward Brandon Boston is a First-Team All-SEC pick, while senior center Olivier Sarr was named to the Second Team.
Florida junior forward Keyontae Johnson was selected as the Preseason SEC Player of the Year.
First Team All-SEC
- John Petty Jr. – Alabama
- Keyontae Johnson – Florida
- Brandon Boston Jr. – Kentucky
- Trendon Watford – LSU
- John Fulkerson – Tennessee
Second Team All-SEC
- Olivier Sarr – Kentucky
- Javonte Smart – LSU
- Dru Smith – Missouri
- AJ Lawson – South Carolina
- Yves Pons – Tennessee
- Savion Flagg – Texas A&M
SEC Player of the Year
- Keyontae Johnson – Florida
Preseason Media Poll
2. Kentucky Wildcats
3. LSU Tigers
10. Missouri Tigers
11. Texas A&M Aggies
12. Mississippi State Bulldogs
13. Georgia Bulldogs