Michigan State Leads College Basketball Preseason AP Top 25 Rankings

Michigan State took home the top spot in the NCAA basketball preseason AP poll for the first time in school history.

Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

The AP released its preseason Top 25 for the 2019-20 college basketball season on Monday, with Michigan State unsurprisingly taking home top honors.

The Spartans, who return first-team All-American Cassius Winston, garnered 60 of 65 first-place votes, with only Kentucky (two) and Kansas (three) receiving any others. The Wildcats, Jayhawks, Duke and Louisville round out the top five, in order.

Last season's national champion, Virginia, checked in at No. 11 after losing three starters from its title-winning team. Runner-up Texas Tech is No. 13 after also seeing key players depart.

The ACC leads with three teams in the top 10: Duke (No. 4), Louisville (No. 5) and North Carolina (No. 9). The SEC (No. 2 Kentucky and No. 6 Florida) and Big Ten (No. 1 Michigan State and No. 7 Maryland) each have two apiece.

The full preseason Top 25 is below:

1. Michigan State
2. Kentucky
3. Kansas
4. Duke
5. Louisville
6. Florida
7. Maryland
8. Gonzaga
9. North Carolina
10. Villanova
11. Virginia
12. Seton Hall
13. Texas Tech
14. Memphis
15. Oregon
16. Baylor
17. Utah State
18. Ohio State
19. Xavier
20. Saint Mary's
21. Arizona
22. LSU
23. Purdue
24. Auburn
25. VCU

Others receiving votes: Washington 164, Colorado 152, Tennessee 78, Marquette 68, Florida State 36, Davidson 34, Harvard 24, Illinois 14, Missouri 13, Mississippi State 12, Houston 11, Georgetown 11, Cincinnati 8, Notre Dame 7, Creighton 4, Syracuse 3, NC State 3, Vermont 2, Alabama 2, USC 2, Liberty 2, Michigan 2, Dayton 1, Colgate 1, Providence 1.