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College basketball rankings: Kansas Jayhawks at No. 7 in USA Today/Coaches Poll

Despite losing several players to the NBA, Kansas, going for their ninth consecutive Big 12 title, is the highest ranked conference team in the preseason poll.

By Jonathan Tjarks

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Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire

Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor may be in NBA training camps, but the beat keeps going on in Lawrence, as the Kansas Jayhawks open the 2012-2013 season ranked No. 7 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.

The top 10 is a who's who of the nation's elite programs, with Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan and N.C. State ranked ahead of Bill Self's squad.

Only two other Big 12 teams -- Baylor at No. 18 and Texas at No. 24 -- are currently ranked.

The Jayhawks will be expecting big things from two seniors -- Elijah Johnson and Jeff Withey -- who have been role players in their first few years in Lawrence, but have the talent to emerge as stars in their own right now that Self lost Robinson (No. 5 overall) and Taylor (No. 41 overall) to the NBA draft.

Kansas' long-time Border War rival, Missouri, is ranked No. 17 in their first year in the SEC.