The Blue Devils received 55 of 65 first-place votes cast by the 65-member national media panel, easily outdistancing Michigan State, another Final Four team last season. Kansas State is third, followed by Ohio State and Pittsburgh.
Georgia and Georgia Tech, meanwhile, each received votes in the poll, with the Bulldogs three positions away from a top 25 spot.
Michigan State is No. 1 on eight ballots; Kansas State, which matches its highest ranking since 1962, earns the other two first-place votes.
Villanova, Kansas, North Carolina, Florida and Syracuse round out the top 10.
San Diego State is No. 25, the first-ever ranking for the Aztecs.
This is Duke's seventh preseason No. 1 ranking, tying it with North Carolina, one behind all-time leader UCLA.
The Associated Press Top 25
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' preseason 2010-11 college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final 2009-10 record, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and 2009-10 final ranking:
1. Duke (55) 35-5 1,613 3
2. Michigan St. (8) 28-9 1,558 13
3. Kansas St. (2) 29-8 1,414 7
4. Ohio St. 29-8 1,368 5
5. Pittsburgh 25-9 1,310 18
6. Villanova 25-8 1,198 9
7. Kansas 33-3 1,172 1
8. North Carolina 20-17 1,034 __
9. Florida 21-13 997 __
10. Syracuse 30-5 920 4
11. Kentucky 35-3 917 2
12. Gonzaga 27-7 889 22
13. Illinois 21-15 773 __
14. Purdue 29-6 771 10
15. Missouri 23-11 700 __
16. Baylor 28-8 625 19
17. Butler 33-5 607 11
18. Washington 26-10 572 __
19. Memphis 24-10 551 __
20. Georgetown 23-11 363 14
21. Virginia Tech 25-9 288 __
22. Temple 29-6 265 12
23. Tennessee 28-9 252 15
24. BYU 30-6 198 17
25. San Diego St. 25-9 158 __
Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 126, Texas 107, Georgia 67, West Virginia 65, Minnesota 55, Florida St. 28, Wichita St. 28, UNLV 21, Richmond 17, Murray St. 15, Vanderbilt 14, N.C. State 10, Arizona 8, Connecticut 8, Colorado 7, Mississippi St. 7, UCLA 5, Miami 4, Ohio 4, Utah St. 4, Xavier 4, Dayton 3, Old Dominion 2, Georgia Tech 1, New Mexico 1, Wofford 1.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/10/233370