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Preseason college basketball rankings: Syracuse at No. 9 on USA Today/Coaches Poll

Despite significant losses, the Syracuse Orange are still slotted inside the top 10 in the preseason coaches poll.

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Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire

The first college basketball poll for the 2012-13 season is out, and the Syracuse Orange come in at No. 9 in the USA Today preseason coaches poll. The Orange are the second-highest Big East team, with Louisville slotted at No. 2. Indiana edged out the Cardinals for the No. 1 overall spot, and defending national champion Kentucky comes in at No. 3.

The Orange were ranked No. 2 in the recently released Big East coaches poll, falling behind a near-unanimous No. 1 Louisville team. Jim Boeheim's club set a new school mark with a 34-3 record last season, but the Orange were hit hard by graduation and early entry to the NBA draft. The returning and incoming talent, however, were still strong enough to land them inside the top 10 in the country. C.J. Fair and Brandon Triche are expected to be the leaders for Boeheim as he tries to exit the Big East on a high note in 2012-13.

The complete preseason coaches poll 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