Jayhawks ranked No. 7 in preseason AP Top 25

Like the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll preseason poll released last week, the Kansas men’s basketball team is No. 7 in the preseason Associated Press (AP) poll released Friday.

The ranking is the seventh time in the Bill Self era that the Jayhawks enter the season slotted seventh or higher, including two of the last three years: No. 1 in 2009-10 and No. 7 in 2010-11. Self, the 2012 Naismith, Sporting News and Rupp national coach of the year, is entering his 10th season at KU where he has a 269-53 (83.5 percent) record. Overall, Self is 476-158 (75.1 percent) entering his 20th season.

The No. 7 AP ranking marks the 15th time since the 1992-93 season that Kansas will enter the season seventh or higher.

Kansas is the eight-time defending Big 12 men’s basketball champion has won or tied for 12 of the 16 Big 12 regular-season titles and eight postseason titles. KU returns three starters – seniors Elijah Johnson, Travis Releford and Jeff Withey – and eight letterwinners from last season’s 32-7 team, which went 16-2 in conference play, won the Big 12 regular-season title, advanced to the school’s 14th Final Four and its ninth NCAA title game.

Last season, KU entered the year No. 13 nationally in the Associated Press poll and ended No. 6. The AP’s final poll is released prior to the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks were ranked in the top 10 in each of the final nine AP polls of 2011-12.

Kansas is scheduled to play four games against teams ranked in the 2012-13 preseason AP poll: No. 4 Ohio State; No. 14 Michigan State and No. 19 Baylor (twice).

2012-13 PRESEASON ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
Rk. Team (First-Place Votes); 2011-12 record; Last AP rank*
1. Indiana (43); 27-9; 16
2. Louisville (20); 30-10; 17
3. Kentucky (2); 38-2; 1
4. Ohio State; 31-8; 7
5. Michigan; 24-10; 13
6. North Carolina State; 24-13; NR
7. KANSAS; 32-7; 6
8. Duke; 27-7; 8
9. Syracuse; 34-3; 2
10. Florida; 26-11; 25
11. North Carolina; 32-6; 4
12. Arizona; 23-12; NR
13. UCLA; 19-14; NR
14. Michigan State; 29-8; 5
15. Missouri; 30-5; 3
16. Creighton; 29-6; 19
17. Memphis; 26-9; NR
18. Nevada Las Vegas; 26-9; 23
19. Baylor; 30-8; 9
20. San Diego State; 26-8; 22
21. Gonzaga; 26-7; NR
22. Notre Dame; 22-12; NR
23. Wisconsin; 26-10; 14
24. Cincinnati; 26-11; NR
25. Florida State 25-10; 10

— KU Sports Information —