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As we have seen with other preseason polls, the Zags will be starting the season in the back end of the Top 25.
The USA Today Coaches Poll was released moments ago and, not surprisingly, Gonzaga has been tabbed in the latter portion of the Top 25 at #22.
The hype-drown Hoosier of Indiana garnered the #1 spot with Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio State, and Michigan rounding out the top five. The top ranked school on the West Coast is Arizona at #11 followed by UCLA at #13. UNLV and San Diego State are at #19 and #20, respectively.
Personally, I consider this to be one of the most wide open seasons in college basketball in recent memory. Indiana is extremely skilled but they are by no means a juggernaut in the mold of a Kentucky or Noth Carolina in seasons past.
Saint Mary's is the only other WCC team receiving votes in the Coaches Poll. They check in at #31.
As we expected, there is only one ranked team on Gonzaga's schedule to start the season and is Baylor at #18. There will obviously be plenty of movement throughout the season but I don't expect many other teams on the Zags' schedule to wind up ranked.
The entire USA Today Top 25 can be seen below.
| Rank | School (first-place votes) | 2011-12 record | Points | Last year's final ranking | |
| 1 | Indiana (21) | 27-9 | 761 | 13 | |
| 2 | Louisville (5) | 30-10 | 738 | 4 | |
| 3 | Kentucky (5) | 38-2 | 718 | 1 | |
| 4 | Ohio State | 31-8 | 617 | 3 | |
| 5 | Michigan | 24-10 | 605 | 22 | |
| 6 |
North Carolina State | 24-13 | 581 | 20 | |
| 7 | Kansas | 32-7 | 563 | 2 | |
| 8 | Duke | 27-7 | 516 | 14 | |
| 9 | Syracuse | 34-3 | 502 | 5 | |
| 10 | Florida | 26-11 | 422 | 9 | |
| 11 | Arizona | 23-12 | 411 | NR | |
| 12 | North Carolina | 32-6 | 401 | 6 | |
| 13 | UCLA | 19-14 | 396 | NR | |
| 14 | Michigan State | 29-8 | 391 | 7 | |
| 15 | Creighton | 29-6 | 325 | 21 | |
| 16 | Memphis | 26-9 | 307 | NR | |
| 17 | Missouri | 30-5 | 289 | 11 | |
| 18 | Baylor | 30-8 | 266 | 8 | |
| 19 |
UNLV | 26-9 | 203 | NR | |
| 20 | San Diego State | 26-8 | 196 | NR | |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 26-10 | 191 | 12 | |
| 22 | Gonzaga | 26-7 | 166 | NR | |
| 23 | Notre Dame | 22-12 | 122 | NR | |
| 24 (tie) | Florida State | 25-10 | 61 | 15 | |
| 24 (tie) | Texas | 20-14 | 61 | NR | |
Others receiving votes: Saint Louis (26-8) 58; Virginia Commonwealth (29-7) 40; Cincinnati (26-11) 33; Murray State (31-2) 30; Kansas State (22-11) 13; Saint Mary's (27-6) 11; New Mexico (28-7) 10; Tennessee (19-15) 10; Minnesota (23-15) 9; Pittsburgh (22-17) 9; Marquette (27-8) 8; Stanford (26-11) 7; Butler (22-15) 6; Oklahoma State (15-18) 6; Colorado State (20-12) 4; Middle Tennessee (27-7) 3; Drexel (29-7) 2; Georgia (15-17) 2; Miami (Fla.) (20-13) 2; St. Joseph's (20-14) 2; Marshall (21-14) 1
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