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November 12, 2002
With five returning starters, Arizona was No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll Monday for the third time in six years.
Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas -- all of the Big 12 -- held the next three spots in the poll, the third time one conference has had that many teams in the preseason top five.
Arizona, seventh in last season's final poll before reaching the NCAA Tournament's round of 16, received 50 first-places votes and 1,773 points from the national media panel.
The Wildcats, who play at Kansas on Jan. 25, were the preseason No. 1 for the 1997-98 and 2000-01 seasons.
"We've never had the depth of athleticism that we have on this team," Arizona coach Lute Olson said, referring to the three seniors, five sophomores and four freshmen. "I think our teams have always been fun to watch, but this year we'll try to create even more havoc on the defensive end of the court."
Pittsburgh was No. 5 with Duke, Florida, Alabama, Michigan State and Xavier completing the top 10.
The ACC had the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in last season's preseason poll in Duke and Maryland, which went on to win it all. The last preseason No. 1 team to win the national championship was Kentucky in 1995-96.
The ACC is the only other league to have three teams in the preseason top five. In 1973-74, North Carolina State was No. 2, Maryland No. 4 and North Carolina No. 5. In 1997-98, Duke, North Carolina and Clemson were third through fifth.
GAINESVILLE -- Florida entered its final exhibition game Monday night with injuries to three starters.
Minus senior guard Brett Nelson, junior center Bonell Colas and freshman Christian Drejer, UF relied on eight players to beat the EA Sports All-Stars 91-79. Freshman forward Matt Walsh had 17 points, leading six Gators in double figures.
Nelson, who has a stress fracture in his right foot, watched the game on crutches and could be out for up to a month.
"We're not sure if it's the beginning of a stress fracture or if it actually is a stress fracture," coach Billy Donovan said. "If it's a stress fracture, he could be out four or five weeks. If it was caught early, it could be a week and a half to two weeks."
Donovan said Drejer has a severe ankle sprain that required him to be hospitalized, and he likely will be out four weeks.
Colas is day to day with a groin strain, Donovan said.
MIAMI ROLLS: Senior James Jones and junior Darius Rice scored 19 points each to lead the host Hurricanes to a 102-71 exhibition victory over the Southeast Atlanta All-Stars at the Knight Sports Complex.
AKRON: Recruit Mark Williams quit school and returned home to Sebring before playing his first game with the Zips, coach Dan Hipsher said. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 19.6 points as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton.
MARYLAND: Coach Gary Williams received a raise and a contract extension, his reward for winning the national title last season. His contract was extended by one year to 2009.