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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.