Where does Auburn rank in the first USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll of the season?

Auburn Tigers forward Chris Moore (5) and Auburn Tigers forward Chad Baker-Mazara (10) pump up the crowd during the Tipoff at Toomer’s at Toomer’s Corner at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024.

Auburn basketball looks to give the Auburn fan base something to look forward to this season after the football team’s disappointing start to the 2024 season.

Bruce Pearl’s bunch could do just that this season as the Tigers are expected to perform at a high level based on the preseason polls. The Associated Press poll placed Auburn at No. 11 in its debut poll last week. The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll feels the same sentiments by also giving Auburn the No. 11 slot in its preseason poll.

Auburn is one of nine SEC teams to find a place in the poll and is the second-highest-ranked squad from the conference. No. 2 Alabama is the only SEC school to begin the season ranked higher than Auburn, with Tennessee (No. 12), Texas A&M (No. 15), Arkansas (No. 16), Texas (No. 19), Florida (No. 21), Kentucky (No. 23), and Ole Miss (No. 25) following suit.

In non-conference play, Auburn will battle three top-10 teams (No. 4 Houston, No. 5 Duke, and No. 6 Iowa State), with the opportunity to meet No. 3 UConn and No. 10 North Carolina as part of the Maui Invitational.

This season’s schedule will be a challenging one, but it is one that head coach Bruce Pearl and the rest of the Tigers are ready to approach head-on. Here is a look at this season’s first USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

2024-25 Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Rank

School

Last Year’s Record

Points

1

Kansas

23-11

743 (15)

2

Alabama

25-12

718 (6)

3

Connecticut

37-3

717 (6)

4

Houston

32-5

698 (4)

5

Duke

27-9

625

6

Iowa State

29-8

591

7

Gonzaga

27-8

575

8

Baylor

24-11

545

9

Arizona

27-9

510

10

North Carolina

29-8

498

11

Auburn

27-8

465

12

Tennessee

27-9

437

13

Purdue

34-5

390

14

Creighton

25-10

342

15

Texas…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/where-does-auburn-rank-first-170048168.html

Author : Auburn Wire

Publish date : 2024-10-23 17:00:00

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