SWX Right Now-Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WAZags Ranked No. 23 in Preseason Coaches Poll

Gonzaga Basketball

Zags Ranked No. 23 in Preseason Coaches Poll

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Gonzaga is ranked No. 23 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, released Thursday afternoon. (Photo:SWX) Gonzaga is ranked No. 23 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, released Thursday afternoon. (Photo:SWX)

Coaches across the country predicted Thursday that Gonzaga is the 23rd-best college basketball team in the nation – right after Cincinnati and just before California.

North Carolina is No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, following by Kentucky, Ohio State, Connecticut and Syracuse. Duke, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Memphis and Florida make up the rest of the top 10. The Tarheels received 30 of the 31 first-place votes. Kentucky got the remaining vote.

The Zags appear to have a more manageable schedule this year compared to last, as just two teams on their schedule are currently ranked: Arizona is No. 16 and Xavier is No. 15. Teams on Gonzaga's schedule that received votes in the preseason coaches poll include: Michigan State, Butler, St. Mary's, Notre Dame and Brigham Young.

Gonzaga begins the season with an exhibition game Oct. 28 against Carroll College. They start the regular season Nov. 11 with a game against Eastern Washington. Both games will be televised locally on KHQ/SWX.

 

Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll:

1 North Carolina (30) 0-0 774
2 Kentucky (1) 0-0 721
3 Ohio State 0-0 702
4 Connecticut 0-0 655
5 Syracuse 0-0 649
6 Duke 0-0 635
7 Vanderbilt 0-0 567
8 Louisville 0-0 514
9 Memphis 0-0 482
10 Florida 0-0 474
11 Pittsburgh 0-0 471
12 Baylor 0-0 358
13 Kansas 0-0 331
14 Wisconsin 0-0 313
15 Xavier 0-0 277
16 Arizona 0-0 269
17 Alabama 0-0 194
18 Michigan 0-0 187
19 Texas A&M 0-0 161
20 UCLA 0-0 147
21 Marquette 0-0 145
22 Cincinnati 0-0 141
23 Gonzaga 0-0 125
24 California 0-0 111
25 Missouri 0-0 110

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