Coaches can be the driving force of a team, motivating their young players to victory. However, it isn’t typically the coach who receives the spotlight, as that usually belongs to the players who put in their all on the basketball court.
Today’s poll may have March Madness implications. The Duke Blue Devils top the list for the second year in a row. They’re followed by the Michigan State Spartans and the Kansas Jayhawks, who are in second and third place respectively. Does this mean the Blue Devils are a shoo-in for 2018’s March Madness? The answer is….not exactly.
The Blue Devils have been number one on USA Today’s preseason poll a total of seven times since the poll’s inception. However, these polls haven’t provided the Devils with much luck. The team from Duke finished as NCAA Champions in just one of those prior seasons, as they successfully defended their title in 1992.
Congratulations to Mike Krzyzewski, coach for the men’s basketball team of the Duke Blue Devils. He’s coached that team since 1980, leading his boys to five NCAA Championships, 12 Final Fours, 12 ACC regular season titles, and 14 ACC Tournament championships.
USA Today College Basketball Coaches Poll 2017: Top 25 Preseason Rankings
- Duke Blue Devils (774 points)
- Michigan State Spartans (747 points)
- Kansas Jayhawks (723 points)
- Kentucky Wildcats (678 points)
- Arizona Wildcats (654 points)
- Villanova Wildcats (623 points)
- Florida Gators (549 points)
- Wichita State Shockers (543 points)
- North Carolina Tar Heels (515 points)
- West Virginia Mountaineers (458 points)
- USC Trojans (396 points)
- Miami Hurricanes (383 points)
- Cincinnati Bearcats (349 points)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (305 points)
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (303 points)
- Louisville Cardinals (295 points)
- Xavier Musketeers (284 points)
- UCLA Bruins (275 points)
- Gonzaga Bulldogs (242 points)
- Northwestern Wildcats (208 points)
- Purdue Boilermakers (167 points)
- Saint Mary’s Gaels (152 points)
- Seton Hall Pirates (139 points)
- Baylor Bears (107 points)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (82 points)
