How a team performs in the preseason is much less important
than how it finishes.

UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley undoubtedly
would agree with that statement.

So there couldn’t have been any fretting in the
UConn practice gym on Monday afternoon when the Huskies learned they held the
No. 4 position in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll.

Some preseason recognition and the right to brag a bit always
is nice, but in no way does a No. 1 ranking forecast who will cut down the nets
in April.

All 25 teams in the poll find themselves in the same
situation. Will the No. 20 team in the preseason really end in that spot in the
postseason? Probably not. Will No. 1 Florida win the national championship? 

Florida dominated the balloting in the poll, garnering 47 of the 59
first-place votes. Duke was No. 2 (10 votes), followed by Illinois (two votes),
UConn and Arizona to round out the top five.

It’s a familiar bunch, with all but Florida reaching
the Final Four last season. Michigan, the defending national champion after
defeating UConn in the title game in April, enters as preseason No. 16 after
the loss of key players and head coach Dusty May.

How are preseason teams judged?

So exactly how do the AP voters – select sportswriters
and broadcasters – come up with their top 25 teams when they have yet to see
them in regular-season action?

A 2023
Associated Press story addressed that question with the focus on football, but
it’s the same principle for men’s and women’s basketball, most likely.

The main consideration, per the AP article, is the
number and quality of returning starters “but only if the team was good the previous
season.” Comings and goings in the transfer portal, as well as the abilities of
the coaching staff, also come into play.

Three voters interviewed said they also consider
information taken from computerized rankings, analytics that predict
performance, depth charts and even preseason magazines.

Does it matter that UConn in No. 4?

Not at all.

At this point, without a look at teams playing games
that count in the standings, it’s all just a best guess for voters.

Remember this: UConn has won six national titles,
coming in 1999, 2004 and 2011 under Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach Jim
Calhoun; in 2014 with Kevin Ollie on the bench; and in 2023 and 2024 with
Hurley in charge.

What were the preseason rankings of those teams?

1999, No. 2

2004, No. 1

2011, unranked

2014, No. 18

2023, unranked

2024, No. 6

From unranked to national champion. Twice. See, it
doesn’t matter where you start – just where you finish.

The Top 25 in full

This is the full
preseason AP Top 25 poll. The teams in italics are on UConn’s regular-season
schedule. The Huskies will play Michigan State in a preseason game on Tuesday
night in East Lansing, Mich.

1. Florida, 47
   first-place votes

2. Duke, 10

3. Illinois,
   2

4. UConn

5. Arizona

6. Michigan
   State

7. Texas

8. Tennessee

9. Virginia

10. Houston

11. Louisville

12. Arkansas

13. St.
    John's

14. Miami (FL)

15. Gonzaga

16. Michigan

17. Kansas

18. Iowa State

19. Texas Tech

20. Alabama

21. Southern
    California

22. UCLA

23. Kentucky

24. Vanderbilt

25. BYU

Others receiving votes:
Missouri 167, Nebraska 70, Purdue 53, OhioState 39, North
Carolina 20, TCU 17, Saint Louis 13, VCU 12, Iowa 12, Virginia Tech 10, Indiana
8, Texas A&M 6, Villanova 6, Auburn 4, Marquette 3, Nevada 2,
Grand Canyon 2, Utah State 2, Santa Clara..