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The Runnin' Utes' reputation precedes them this season.

The latest preseason accolade is the biggest: Utah basketball is ranked No. 25 in the first AP poll of the year, released Friday morning. It's the first time the team has been ranked in the preseason poll since the 2000-01 season and the first time in the rankings overall since the 2008-2009 season — also the last time the program was in the NCAA tournament.

Coming off a 21-win season and returning its top six scorers, the Utes look to be a Pac-12 contender this year. A preseason media poll picked Utah as the No. 2 team in the conference, owing to the returning experience and particularly star guard Delon Wright.

Utah's standing in the polls will be tested early: After an exhibition against Pacific of Oregon on Thursday, and the official season opener on Nov. 14 against Ball State, the Utes will face No. 16 San Diego State on Nov. 18 at Viejas Arena. Utah will also play two preseason ranked teams in its nonconference schedule in No. 11 Wichita State at home and No. 5 Kansas in Kansas City, Missouri.

Arizona, checking in at No. 2, is the only other Pac-12 team ranked in the top 25 this week.

Coach Larry Krystkowiak has made his position on preseason polls clear in the last month: He doesn't put much stock in them.

"We won't be sneaking up on anybody as we move forward," he said last week at Pac-12 media day. "We're going to have to be ready. The fact that we've got a lot of guys back, a lot of production back, it's still no sure thing that all of a sudden we're going to be winning games again. We still have to bring it." —

AP Top 25

Record Pts Prv

1. Kentucky (52) 29-11 1,604 —

2. Arizona (5) 33-5 1,518 4

3. Wisconsin (8) 30-8 1,483 12

4. Duke 26-9 1,415 8

5. Kansas 25-10 1,346 10

6. North Carolina 24-10 1,274 19

7. Florida 36-3 1,153 1

8. Louisville 31-6 1,114 5

9. Virginia 30-7 1,090 3

10. Texas 24-11 1,061 —

11. Wichita St. 35-1 1,027 2

12. Villanova 29-5 885 6

13. Gonzaga 29-7 840 —

14. Iowa St. 28-8 781 9

15. VCU 26-9 574 24

16. San Diego St. 31-5 560 13

17. UConn 32-8 552 18

18. Michigan St. 29-9 521 11

19. Oklahoma 23-10 426 21

20. Ohio St. 25-10 340 22

21. Nebraska 19-13 309 —

22. SMU 27-10 285 —

23. Syracuse 28-6 178 14

24. Michigan 28-9 167 7

25. Harvard 27-5 98 —

25. Utah 21-12 98 —

Others receiving votes • Stanford 71, Iowa 58, Colorado 57, UCLA 35, Minnesota 34, Kansas St. 27, Arkansas 21, Pittsburgh 20, Memphis 15, NC State 14, Louisiana Tech 9, Cincinnati 8, LSU 8, George Washington 7, Dayton 6, Notre Dame 6, Oklahoma St. 6, Florida St. 5, Georgetown 5, Illinois 3, Maryland 3, BYU 2, UNLV 2, Baylor 1, Stephen F. Austin 1, UTEP 1, West Virginia 1.