MSU hoops the runaway No. 1 team in the nation in preseason coaches' poll

For Michigan State basketball, the preseason hype is twice as nice.

The Spartans are ranked the No. 1 team in the land according to the USA Today coaches poll that was released Thursday.

Michigan State also was No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

In the coaches' poll, the Spartans received 30 of 32 first-place votes, despite the recent news that Joshua Langford could be out until at least January.

Kentucky is No. 2, Kansas No. 3 and Duke No. 4.

Michigan State opens the season against Kentucky in New York on Nov. 5, and plays at home against Duke on Dec. 3. It also could meet Kansas in the Maui Invitational in November.

Coaches top 25

1. Michigan State (30 first-place votes)

2. Kentucky

3. Kansas (1)

4. Duke (1)

5. Louisville

6. Florida

7. Gonzaga

8. Maryland

9. Virginia

10. Villanova

11. North Carolina

12. Texas Tech

13. Seton Hall

14. Oregon

15. Memphis

16. Ohio State

17. Arizona

18. Baylor

19. Utah State

20. St. Mary's

21. Xavier

22. Purdue

23. Auburn

24. LSU

25. Tennessee

Others receiving votes: VCU 76; Marquette 62; Washington 59; Florida State 47; Michigan 28; Colorado 28; Houston 17; Creighton 13; Davidson 11; Southern California 9; Providence 8; Mississippi State 7; Wisconsin 6; UCLA 6; Texas 6; Syracuse 6; Georgetown 6; Liberty 5; Dayton 5; Harvard 4; Oklahoma 3; Illinois 2; NC State 1.

Voters: Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Glenn Braica, St. Francis (N.Y.); Tim Cluess, Iona; Jon Coffman, Purdue Fort Wayne; Tom Crean, Georgia; Scott Drew, Baylor; Matt Driscoll, North Florida; Steve Forbes, East Tennessee State; Mark Fox, California; John Gallagher, Hartford; Steve Hawkins, Western Michigan; Ron Hunter, Tulane; George Ivory, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; Chris Jans, New Mexico State; James Jones, Yale; Greg Kampe, Oakland; Danny Kaspar, Texas State; Shantay Legans, Eastern Washington; Grant McCasland, North Texas; Mike McConathy, Northwestern State; Robert McCullum, Florida A&M; Greg McDermott, Creighton; Matt McMahon, Murray State; Dan Monson, Long Beach State; Chris Mooney, Richmond; Matt Painter, Purdue; Dave Pilipovich, Air Force; Brett Reed, Lehigh; Tubby Smith, High Point; Zach Spiker, Drexel.