Led by Grayson Allen and Marvin Bagley, Duke Tops Preseason Coaches Poll

Grayson Allen, Marvin Bagley and Duke are looming over college basketball.

USA Today’s preseason coaches poll is out, and there are familiar faces all around as Duke returns to the No.1 spot for the second straight season.

The Blue Devils are followed by Michigan State at No. 2, Kansas and Kentucky at Nos. 3 and 4, and Arizona in fifth.

Duke brings back the mercurial Grayson Allen and has surrounded him with a number of elite freshmen recruits, including potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Marvin Bagley, big man Wendell Carter and guards Trevon Duval and Gary Trent Jr. After an early exit in last year’s tournament, the Blue Devils are positioned to bounce back as quickly as the new pieces start to jell.

Michigan State returns plenty of experience, including forward Miles Bridges, and four Big Ten teams grace the rankings, including Minnesota, Northwestern and Purdue. The Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC provided three teams each.

Duke, Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky will all be present at the Champions Classic in Chicago Nov. 14.

Full results are below.

1. Duke
2. Michigan State
3. Kansas
4. Kentucky
5. Arizona
6. Villanova
7. Florida
8. Wichita State
9. North Carolina
10. West Virginia
11. USC
12. Miami
13. Cincinnati
14. Notre Dame
15. Minnesota
16. Louisville
17. Xavier
18. UCLA
19. Gonzaga
20. Northwestern
21. Purdue
22. Saint Mary’s
23. Seton Hall
24. Baylor
25. Alabama