The 2024-25 college basketball season is under two weeks away, with the UConn Huskies and South Carolina Gamecocks set to defend their national championships in men’s and women’s hoops, respectively.
UConn replaces four of five starters from Dan Hurley’s second straight national championship squad, and the Huskies ranked third in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball preseason coaches poll behind Kansas and Alabama.
Meanwhile, Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team was picked first in the women’s poll after an undefeated 38-0 season, just ahead of UConn and USC.
That means UConn had both its men’s and women’s programs inside the top five of the USA TODAY coaches polls, the only school to accomplish said feat and one of 12 to have both programs ranked inside the top 25.
Here is a look at each of those programs, including where they are ranked in each poll as well as conference affiliation:
Top 25 Programs in Men’s and Women’s Coaches Poll
| School | Rank (Men’s) | Rank (Women’s) | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Crimson Tide | 2 | 25 | SEC |
| UConn Huskies | 3 | 2 | Big East |
| Duke Blue Devils | 5 | 11 | ACC |
| Iowa State Cyclones | 6 | 9 | Big 12 |
| Baylor Bears | 8 | 12 | Big 12 |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | 10 | 16 | ACC |
| Creighton Bluejays | 14 | 20 | Big East |
| Indiana Hoosiers | 18 | 24 | Big Ten |
| Texas Longhorns | 19 | 4 | SEC |
| UCLA Bruins | 22 | 6 | Big Ten |
| Kentucky Wildcats | 23 | 22 | SEC |
| Ole Miss Rebels | 25 | 21 | SEC |