The preseason USA Today/ESPN poll was released yesterday and Pitt came in ranked fourth. The Panthers return four of five starters and nearly all of their bench, losing only starting guard Jermaine Dixon and little-used guard Chase Adams.
↵Defending national champion Duke received 29 of the 31 first-place votes and was No. 1 in the poll. Michigan State received the other two first-place votes and was second, followed by No. 3, Kansas State.
↵Pitt was one of four Big East teams represented in the poll - the others were Villanova, Syracuse, and Georgetown.