:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1556995/136089674.0.jpg)
The preseason USA Today Coaches Top 25 college basketball poll is out, and that just means college hoops is that much closer to tipping off. The Mountain West is well represented in this poll as the UNLV Runnin' Rebels are ranked at No. 19 and the San Diego St. Aztecs are No. 20. Also, The New Mexico Lobos and Colorado St. Rams are receiving votes.
What is most remarkable in this poll is that this is the first time that UNLV has been ranked in the preseason since the 1992-93 preseason. UNLV's No. 19 ranking this year is its highest in the preseason poll since the team began the 1990-91 season as the nation's No. 1 team. The No. 19 ranking is the highest a Mountain West team has been ranked in the coaches' poll to begin a season since former member Utah was No. 15 in 1999-2000.
Having two teams ranked, and then another two receiving votes is a great sign of respect that the league is receiving.
There are also a few teams who Mountain West school teams play who are ranked:
• No. 9 Syracuse vs. San Diego State
• No. 12 North Carolina vs. UNLV
• No. 13 UCLA vs. San Diego State
• No. 14 Michigan State vs. Boise State
Here is the complete USA Today Coaches Poll:
| Rank | School (first-place votes) | 2011-12 record | Points | Last year's final ranking | |
| 1 | Indiana (21) | 27-9 | 761 | 13 | |
| 2 | Louisville (5) | 30-10 | 738 | 4 | |
| 3 | Kentucky (5) | 38-2 | 718 | 1 | |
| 4 | Ohio State | 31-8 | 617 | 3 | |
| 5 | Michigan | 24-10 | 605 | 22 | |
| 6 |
North Carolina State | 24-13 | 581 | 20 | |
| 7 | Kansas | 32-7 | 563 | 2 | |
| 8 | Duke | 27-7 | 516 | 14 | |
| 9 | Syracuse | 34-3 | 502 | 5 | |
| 10 | Florida | 26-11 | 422 | 9 | |
| 11 | Arizona | 23-12 | 411 | NR | |
| 12 | North Carolina | 32-6 | 401 | 6 | |
| 13 | UCLA | 19-14 | 396 | NR | |
| 14 | Michigan State | 29-8 | 391 | 7 | |
| 15 | Creighton | 29-6 | 325 | 21 | |
| 16 | Memphis | 26-9 | 307 | NR | |
| 17 | Missouri | 30-5 | 289 | 11 | |
| 18 | Baylor | 30-8 | 266 | 8 | |
| 19 |
UNLV | 26-9 | 203 | NR | |
| 20 | San Diego State | 26-8 | 196 | NR | |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 26-10 | 191 | 12 | |
| 22 | Gonzaga | 26-7 | 166 | NR | |
| 23 | Notre Dame | 22-12 | 122 | NR | |
| 24 (tie) | Florida State | 25-10 | 61 | 15 | |
| 24 (tie) | Texas | 20-14 | 61 | NR | |
Others receiving votes: Saint Louis (26-8) 58; Virginia Commonwealth (29-7) 40; Cincinnati (26-11) 33; Murray State (31-2) 30; Kansas State (22-11) 13; Saint Mary's (27-6) 11; New Mexico (28-7) 10; Tennessee (19-15) 10; Minnesota (23-15) 9; Pittsburgh (22-17) 9; Marquette (27-8) 8; Stanford (26-11) 7; Butler (22-15) 6; Oklahoma State (15-18) 6; Colorado State (20-12) 4; Middle Tennessee (27-7) 3; Drexel (29-7) 2; Georgia (15-17) 2; Miami (Fla.) (20-13) 2; St. Joseph's (20-14) 2; Marshall (21-14) 1