Kansas men’s basketball is No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll released Thursday, marking the 20th time in the last 23 seasons the Jayhawks have been ranked nationally in the coaches’ preseason poll.

Kansas is the seven-time defending Big 12 men’s basketball champion entering the 2011-12 season. The Jayhawks have won or tied for 11 of the 15 Big 12 regular-season titles and eight postseason titles. KU returns one starter and eight letterwinners from last season’s 35-3 team, which went 14-2 in conference play, won the Big 12 regular-season title and the conference postseason championship. The Jayhawks advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Last season, KU entered the year No. 7 nationally and was ranked no lower than seventh throughout the season. KU ended the year fourth nationally in the coaches’ poll.

Kansas is guaranteed to play eight games against teams ranked in the preseason coaches’ poll: No. 2 Kentucky, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 12 Baylor (twice), No. 19 Texas A&M (twice) and No. 25 Missouri (twice). Additionally, KU could play No. 6 Duke, No. 9 Memphis, No. 18 Michigan or No. 20 UCLA at the EA Sports Maui Invitational (Nov. 21-23). The Jayhawks face Georgetown in the bracket play in Maui on Nov. 21 and will play either UCLA or Chaminade on Nov. 22.

ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll (preseason)

Rank – Team (first place votes) – points

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