NEW YORK -- Wichita State and Cincinnati both debuted in the Associated Press Preseason Poll Top 25 released on Wednesday. The Shockers were tabbed No. 7 in the poll, while the Bearcats ranked 12^th. Both SMU and UCF received votes in the poll.

In October, Cincinnati was narrowly voted the preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference, collecting seven of 12 first-place votes to best Wichita State by a single point in the poll.

It's the fourth time in five years that the Shockers have opened in the AP Top-25. Prior to that, WSU teams had appeared just three other times since 1961 when the AP began publishing preseason rankings.
 
The No. 7 ranking is WSU's highest starting point in 36 years.  The Shockers followed up a 1981 Elite Eight appearance as the AP's preseason No. 6 in November, 1981.
 
Likewise, WSU's No. 8 ranking in last month's USA Today Coaches Poll was its highest debut on that chart since that 1981-82 group -- led by future NBA standouts Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston -- opened at No. 7.
 
The Shockers collected 1270 poll points, 14 fewer than sixth-ranked Villanova. Duke (33), Michigan State (13), Arizona (18) and Kansas (1) split up the first-place votes and slotted 1-4 respectively.

For Cincinnati, the place in the poll marks UC’s highest preseason ranking in the AP poll since prior to the 1999-2000 campaign when the Bearcats were listed second.
 
The Bearcats received a No. 13 rankings in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll on Oct. 19.
 
Cincinnati returns its top three scorers from last season’s squad that won 30 games, posted an undefeated home record and earned its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.