Gators basketball in top 10 of preseason polls

The preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll was released Friday and, like the USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll announced last Thursday, has the North Carolina Tar Heels slotted as the overwhelming No. 1 team in the country with 62 of 65 first-place votes. North Carolina, which received 30 of 31 first-place votes in the USA TODAY/ESPN poll and returns all five starters from 2010, is one spot ahead of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Four Southeastern Conference teams made the respective polls including Kentucky [No. 2-USA, No. 2-AP], Vanderbilt [No. 7, No. 7], the Florida Gators [No. 10, No. 8] and Alabama [No. 17, No. 19].

The 2010-11 Gators were ranked No. 11 and No. 13 heading into last season, which saw them win the SEC and end the year with a record of 29-8 (13-3 SEC) that included an appearance in the Elite Eight round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES POLL
Preseason 1-5: UNC (30), Kentucky (1), Ohio State, UConn, Syracuse
6-10: Duke, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Memphis, Florida
11-15: Pittsburgh, Baylor, Kansas, Wisconsin, Xavier
16-20: Arizona, Alabama, Michigan, Texas A&M, UCLA
21-25: Marquette, Cincinnati, Gonzaga, California, Missouri

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 POLL
Preseason 1-5: UNC (62), Kentucky, Ohio State (1), UConn (2), Syracuse
6-10: Duke, Vanderbilt, Florida, Louisville, Pittsburgh
11-15: Memphis, Baylor, Kansas, Xavier, Wisconsin
16-20: Arizona, UCLA, Michigan, Alabama, Texas A&M
21-25: Cincinnati, Marquette, Gonzaga, California, Missouri

*Numbers in parenthesis represent first-place votes.