Cats to open campaign nationally ranked for the 19th time in the last 20 seasons
TUCSON, Ariz. ?- The University of Arizona men's basketball team will open the season as the nation's 10th-ranked team according to the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, which released its 2006-07 preseason college basketball poll on Friday.
With 11 squadmen returning from last season's 20-13 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Arizona collected the preseason No. 10 ranking from the coaches with a total of 478 points. Florida, North Carolina, Kansas and Ohio State held the top four places. Pittsburgh and UCLA tied for fifth in the poll.
It marks the 19th time in the last 20 years in which Arizona has been nationally ranked in the first poll of the season by the coaches. The only break in that streak came to start the 2001-02 campaign. In that span, the Wildcats have been rankled in the top 10 a total of 12 times.
The Wildcats open the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 12, at Virginia. The game can be seen on FSN Arizona beginning at 7 p.m. EST.
Arizona will play a total of six games against four opponents that are ranked in the 2006-07 ESPN/USA Today preseason poll. In addition to Pac-10 foes UCLA (tie No. 5) and Washington (No. 16), two non-conference opponents are included in the poll as well: North Carolina (No. 2) and Memphis (No. 14).
2006-07 ESPN/USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll
Oct. 27, 2006
Rank Team (first place votes) Points
1. Florida (30) 772
2. North Carolina 728
3. Kansas 714
4. Ohio State 595
5. Pittsburgh 583
UCLA 583
7. Louisiana State 556
8. Georgetown 538
9. Wisconsin 530
10. ARIZONA 478
11. Duke 477
12. Alabama 420
13. Texas A&M 335
14. Memphis 328
15. Boston College 284
16. Washington 240
17. Marquette 203
18. Connecticut 200
19. Texas 172
20. Syracuse 138
21. Georgia Tech 137
22. Kentucky 119
23. Creighton 113
24. Tennessee 106
25. Nevada 101
