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NCAA Basketball: Observations from the release of the AP Poll

By Carmine Carcieri

Jan 30, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Isaiah Briscoe (13) is fouled while shooting by Kansas Jayhawks forward Jamari Traylor (31) during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won the game 90-84 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Isaiah Briscoe (13) is fouled while shooting by Kansas Jayhawks forward Jamari Traylor (31) during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won the game 90-84 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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What are the top takeaways from the release of the NCAA basketball AP Poll?

Excitement continues to fill the air for college basketball fanatics. Tomorrow is the start of November, which means the 2016-17 season is set to begin rather shortly.

Related Story: Do you want to be FanSided's Sports Fan of the Year?

Preseason polls continue to take center stage, at least for the next couple of weeks. Conference awards and predictions have all been completed by the coaches and the USA Today poll was released last week.

On Monday, the AP Poll was unveiled with Duke taking the number one ranking, Kentucky coming in at number two and Kansas, Villanova and Oregon following to round out the top-five.

But there are many other observations that can be taken away from the preseason poll. So without further ado, here is Busting Brackets’ top takeaways from Monday’s release.

  • In the USA Today Coaches Poll, Kansas was number two, while Kentucky checked in at number three. It was the opposite in the AP Poll, as the voters seem to be higher on Kentucky’s young core of talent. Personally, I believe that Kansas should enter the season as the higher ranked team of the two due to the experienced backcourt of Frank Mason II and Devonte’ Graham.
  • The ACC and Big Ten each had five teams ranked in the top-25. The Big 12 had four schools in the top-25, the Big East had three schools and the SEC had one school. According to ESPN, this is the first time that the SEC has had only one team in the Preseason AP Poll since 1992-93.
  • Obviously earning the number one overall ranking is a testament to Duke’s talent, depth and combination of experience and youth. However, the last team to win the National Championship after being ranked first in the Preseason AP Poll was North Carolina back in 2008-09 (according to ESPN). That doesn’t mean the Blue Devils won’t win the chip, but they must hope that Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum become healthy rather quickly.
  • Wisconsin and Arizona squeaked into the top-10, while Michigan State landed at 12th. The Badgers return virtually everyone of significance from last year’s Sweet 16 team. The Wildcats have one of the best freshman classes in the nation. Michigan State has already lost two key big men to knee injuries, putting Miles Bridges in position to play the five.
  • There are a lot of question marks for the teams that are ranked 14th-through-18th. Mark Few recently said that his Gonzaga team would be a work in progress. Purdue lacks a consistent point guard. UCLA has a lot of talent, but could struggle as they hand Lonzo Ball the keys to the car. Saint Mary’s has to capitalize on a more difficult non-conference schedule this year. And UConn will need Amida Brimah to have a big senior campaign.
  • Iowa State received love in the AP Poll, as they were ranked 24th, one spot above the Maryland Terrapins. The Cyclones lost Georges Niang and Jameel McKay, so their front court is a concern. However, they do return Monte Morris, who should be one of the top players in the country.
  • Creighton and Rhode Island, who I view as two intriguing teams because of their backcourts, check in at 22nd and 23rd respectively. Maurice Watson Jr. and Marcus Foster combine to make up the best guard duo in the Big East, while E.C. Matthews, Jarvis Garrett and Jared Terrell will do major damage in the Atlantic 10.
  • I’m a bit surprised that Cincinnati didn’t make the top-25, but I’m also stunned that Miami received as many votes as they did (35) and Butler received 16 more votes than fellow Big East team Seton Hall.

Like I mentioned last week when breaking down the USA Today poll, these preseason rankings will not matter a few weeks down the road. It is nice to look back on them when March rolls around though.

Next: Three burning questions for Virginia Tech

Duke is the clear cut best team in the country, especially if Giles and Tatum are 100 percent healthy. There are probably 10-to-11 teams that have a realistic shot of winning a National Title in April with the rest of the top-25 looking at a possible long run in March as their consolation prize. It’s going to be an awesome season, so buckle up your seatbelt now.

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