Sept. 19, 2002

The Kentucky Wildcats, which will open their 100th season of basketball in November, have been picked as the nation’s seventh-ranked team by Slam Magazine, it announced Thursday.

UK finished the 2002 season with a 22-10 record after being eliminated by eventual NCAA Champion Maryland in the Sweet 16. Smith will look to replace All-American forward Tayshaun Prince, who was a first-round draft pick by the Detroit Pistons in the June NBA Draft. But Smith will counter with his most veteran squad in his six seasons in the Bluegrass. Three seniors and five juniors lead a UK roster that will open the season in Hawaii at the Maui Invitational.

Kansas is rated No. 1 in the poll and UK is the highest of four Southeastern Conference teams to earn mention in the top-20 poll. Florida is ranked No. 8 followed by Alabama at No. 10 and 14th-ranked Mississippi State. Other teams on the 2002-03 UK schedule include Michigan State at No. 9 and Virginia at No. 19, which the Cats could face in the second round of the Maui Invitational.

The complete poll follows:

SLAM MAGAZINE PRESEASON MEN'S BASKETBALL TOP 20

1. KANSAS2. ARIZONA3. DUKE4. OKLAHOMA5. TEXAS6. PITTSBURGH7. KENTUCKY8. FLORIDA9. MICHIGAN STATE10. ALABAMA11. XAVIER12. OREGON13. UCLA14. MISSISSIPPI STATE15. UCONN16. MARQUETTE17. VILLANOVA18. MARYLAND19. VIRGINIA20. SYRACUSE.