The Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team is the preseason favorite to win the 2024 national championship after being picked first in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls released Monday afternoon. The Jayhawks received 46 out of a possible 65 votes in the AP poll and 23 out of a possible 32 votes in the coaches poll to begin the season. It’s the fourth time in AP poll history KU has been picked first to begin the year and the first since the 2018-19 season. It’s KU’s first appearance as the #1 team since the final poll of the 2019-20 season. Kansas was followed by Duke, Purdue, Michigan State, Marquette, and defending champion Connecticut in the AP poll. The top five were slightly different in the coaches poll with KU being followed by Purdue, Duke, Michigan State and UConn.
Kansas State starts the year receiving votes in both polls but unranked.
KU begins the season with the first of two preseason games Sunday, October 29 against Illinois. The game tips at 5:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on 1400 AM & 96.9 FM KVOE.
