Michigan is ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25.
The Wolverines spent the entirety of last season ranked in the top ten spots of the Associated Press poll before finishing the season with a loss to Louisville in the National Championship game.
Michigan returns last year’s freshmen stars Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary and Nik Stauskas but will also have to lean on highly touted freshmen Derrick Walton and Zak Irvin to help replace Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Wolverines are one of four Big Ten teams in the preseason top 25 and the second highest rated conference school. Michigan State is ranked highest among league teams at No. 2 while Ohio State (11) and Wisconsin (20) are also ranked. Michigan will also face No. 4 Duke, No. 6 Arizona and could face No. 14 VCU in the non-conference season.
Michigan was ranked 9th in the USAToday Preseason Coaches Poll released earlier this month.
Find the full Associated Press Preseason Top 25 after the jump.
1. Kentucky (27) 21-12 1,546 _
2. Michigan St. (22) 27-9 1,543 9
3. Louisville (14) 35-5 1,501 2
4. Duke (2) 30-6 1,435 6
5. Kansas 31-6 1,357 3
6. Arizona 27-8 1,311 21
7. Michigan 31-8 1,120 11
8. Oklahoma St. 24-9 1,093 17
8. Syracuse 30-10 1,093 16
10. Florida 29-8 1,048 14
11. Ohio St. 29-8 1,036 7
12. North Carolina 25-11 954 _
13. Memphis 31-5 741 19
14. VCU 27-9 680 _
15. Gonzaga 32-3 538 1
16. Wichita St. 30-9 512 _
17. Marquette 26-9 510 15
18. UConn 20-10 448 _
19. Oregon 28-9 408 25
20. Wisconsin 23-12 338 18
21. Notre Dame 25-10 332 23
22. UCLA 25-10 244 24
23. New Mexico 29-6 213 10
24. Virginia 23-12 189 _
25. Baylor 23-14 180 _
Others receiving votes: Tennessee 176, Creighton 145, Indiana 111, Colorado 83, Iowa 83, Harvard 46, Boise St. 22, Villanova 14, Arizona St. 11, Georgetown 11, UNLV 8, Washington 8, LSU 6, Pittsburgh 6, Stanford 6, Boston College 5, La Salle 4, Missouri 3, Saint Louis 3, St. John’s 3, Cincinnati 1.
