:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1541487/20120331_jla_sd2_464.0.jpg)
Thad Matta's latest incarnation of basketball Buckeyes have high expectations once again. After coming up just short against Kansas in the 2012 Final Four, Deshaun Thomas, Aaron Craft, and company will aim for a better finish with the nation's coaches pegging them as the fourth best side in the country.
Joining Ohio State representing the Big Ten are #1 overall Indiana, fifth ranked Michigan, fourteenth ranked Michigan State, and 21st ranked Wisconsin. Last year's NIT runner ups, Minnesota, received votes but didn't make the cut this go around.
Is Ohio State ranked too highly? Is fourth just right? Let us know in the comments and check out the top 25 in its entirety below.
| Rank | School (first-place votes) | 2011-12 record | Points | Last year's final ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana (21) | 27-9 | 761 | 13 |
| 2 | Louisville (5) | 30-10 | 738 | 4 |
| 3 | Kentucky (5) | 38-2 | 718 | 1 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 31-8 | 617 | 3 |
| 5 | Michigan | 24-10 | 605 | 22 |
| 6 | North Carolina State | 24-13 | 581 | 20 |
| 7 | Kansas | 32-7 | 563 | 2 |
| 8 | Duke | 27-7 | 516 | 14 |
| 9 | Syracuse | 34-3 | 502 | 5 |
| 10 | Florida | 26-11 | 422 | 9 |
| 11 | Arizona | 23-12 | 411 | NR |
| 12 | North Carolina | 32-6 | 401 | 6 |
| 13 | UCLA | 19-14 | 396 | NR |
| 14 | Michigan State | 29-8 | 391 | 7 |
| 15 | Creighton | 29-6 | 325 | 21 |
| 16 | Memphis | 26-9 | 307 | NR |
| 17 | Missouri | 30-5 | 289 | 11 |
| 18 | Baylor | 30-8 | 266 | 8 |
| 19 | UNLV | 26-9 | 203 | NR |
| 20 | San Diego State | 26-8 | 196 | NR |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 26-10 | 191 | 12 |
| 22 | Gonzaga | 26-7 | 166 | NR |
| 23 | Notre Dame | 22-12 | 122 | NR |
| 24 (tie) | Florida State | 25-10 | 61 | 15 |
| 24 (tie) | Texas | 20-14 | 61 | NR |
| Others receiving votes: Saint Louis (26-8) 58; Virginia Commonwealth (29-7) 40; Cincinnati (26-11) 33; Murray State (31-2) 30; Kansas State (22-11) 13; Saint Mary's (27-6) 11; New Mexico (28-7) 10; Tennessee (19-15) 10; Minnesota (23-15) 9; Pittsburgh (22-17) 9; Marquette (27-8) 8; Stanford (26-11) 7; Butler (22-15) 6; Oklahoma State (15-18) 6; Colorado State (20-12) 4; Middle Tennessee (27-7) 3; Drexel (29-7) 2; Georgia (15-17) 2; Miami (Fla.) (20-13) 2; St. Joseph's (20-14) 2; Marshall (21-14) 1. | ||||