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Michigan State men's basketball starts season at No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time ever

The Spartans received 60 of 65 possible votes for first place and will start the season at No.1 for the first time in school history

October 21, 2019
Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman (23) walks to the locker room before the men's basketball NCAA Final Four game against Texas Tech at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on April 6, 2019. (Nic Antaya/The State News)
Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman (23) walks to the locker room before the men's basketball NCAA Final Four game against Texas Tech at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on April 6, 2019. (Nic Antaya/The State News) —
Photo by Nic Antaya | The State News

There was speculation that Michigan State men’s basketball would start the preseason at No. 1 in the Associated Press college basketball poll, but on Tuesday Oct. 21, the AP Top 25 confirmed it.

Michigan State received 60 of 65 first-place votes, carrying with them both the Big Ten preseason player and coach of the year, with senior guard Cassius Winston and head coach Tom Izzo.

This marks the first time Michigan State has ever started the preseason at No. 1 in the AP polls in school history.

Rounding out the top five is Kentucky at No. 2, Kansas at No. 7, Duke at No. 4, and Louisville at No. 5.

Michigan State has said that they would embrace the ranking, should it come.  Now that it is here, they will have to defend it right away as they will take on No. 2 Kentucky on Nov. 5, in the Champions Classic to start their season.



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