The Kansas Jayhawks are all over the map in terms of predictions. Some believe that Bill Self's squad will finally loosen their long-standing stranglehold atop the Big 12 men's basketball standings in 2011-12. Others believe that KU will always be KU even in a transition year after losing so many players and be right at the top at the end. The preseason Associated Press Top 25 seems to back up the latter more than the former, yet it's clear that no one quite believes that the Jayhawks are a contender for the national title at this point.
KU comes in this week at No. 13 preseason and Big 12 colleague Baylor comes in at No. 12. It's clear, then, that there are a few favorites for the conference this season. Texas A&M is listed at No. 20 and Missouri comes in at No. 25 to round out the Big 12 teams featured. North Carolina and Kentucky are Nos. 1 and 2 respectively.
FULL PRESEASON AP TOP 25:
1 North Carolina 0-0 1620 (62) NR
2 Kentucky 0-0 1501 NR
3 Ohio State 0-0 1482 (1) NR
4 Connecticut 0-0 1433 (2) NR
5 Syracuse 0-0 1338 NR
6 Duke 0-0 1301 NR
7 Vanderbilt 0-0 1120 NR
8 Florida 0-0 1086 NR
9 Louisville 0-0 1055 NR
10 Pittsburgh 0-0 1027 NR
11 Memphis 0-0 997 NR
12 Baylor 0-0 892 NR
13 Kansas 0-0 755 NR
14 Xavier 0-0 747 NR
15 Wisconsin 0-0 720 NR
16 Arizona 0-0 616 NR
17 UCLA 0-0 404 NR
18 Michigan 0-0 401 NR
19 Alabama 0-0 395 NR
20 Texas A&M 0-0 357 NR
21 Cincinnati 0-0 353 NR
22 Marquette 0-0 335 NR
23 Gonzaga 0-0 283 NR
24 California 0-0 230 NR
25 Missouri 0-0 139 NR