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Duke ranked 1st in Preseason Coaches Poll

North Carolina State v Duke

DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 06: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils directs his team during their game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 88-80. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

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The first Coaches Poll of the season was released on Thursday morning, and it should come as no surprise that Duke was picked to finish first.

The top five makes sense as well, as they are the five teams that we have highlighted in our Contender Series.

The only two real head-scratchers for me are Dayton and Virginia Tech. I think coaches are underestimating how good Buzz Williams’ boys will be, and Dayton outside the top 30 doesn’t exactly make sense, either.

1. Duke (27 first-place votes)
2. Kansas (1)
3. Villanova (1)
4. Kentucky (2)
5. Oregon (1)
6. North Carolina
7. Virginia
8. Xavier
9. Michigan State
10. Wisconsin
11. Arizona
12. Indiana
13. Gonzaga
14. Louisville
15. Purdue
16. UConn
17. Syracuse
18. West Virginia
19. Saint Mary’s
20. UCLA
21. Maryland
22. Texas
23. Creighton
24. Rhode Island
25. Cincinnati