Cincinnati and UAB, two of the five teams that shared the 2003-04 Conference USA men’s basketball regular-season crown, are ranked in the final ESPN/USA Today Men's Basketball Coaches Poll. The Bearcats are 18th in the final poll while the Blazers are No. 23.

In addition to winning a share of its eight C-USA regular-season crown, while claiming its fourth league tournament title, Cincinnati finished with a 25-7 mark. It marked the eighth time in the last nine campaigns that the Bearcats have reached the 25-win plateau and the 10th time under head coach Bob Huggins’ guidance. UC also made its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the third longest active streak in the nation, reaching the second round. This is the 12th time in the last 13 years that Cincinnati has finished ranked in the final Top 25.

UAB, which won a share of its first regular season since winning the 1990 Sun Belt Championship, posted its second straight 20-plus win season under second year head coach Mike Anderson with a 22-10 record. The Blazers led Conference USA in steals (371) for the second consecutive season, while also ranking first in assists with 564. UAB made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994 and the 11th trip to the Big Dance in the program’s 25-year history. The Blazers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1982. It is only the third time in school history that UAB has been ranked in a final poll and the first time since 1994 when it also finished the season ranked 23rd.

Memphis and DePaul each received votes in the final coaches rankings.


FINAL USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES POLL

1. Connecticut
2. Duke
3. Georgia Tech
4. Oklahoma State
5. Saint Joseph’s
6. Stanford
7. Pittsburgh
8. Kentucky
9. Kansas
10. Texas
11. Illinois
12. Gonzaga
13. Mississippi State
14. Xavier
15. Wake Forest
16. Wisconsin
17. Alabama
18. CINCINNATI
19. Syracuse
20. N.C. State
21. Nevada
22. North Carolina
23. UAB
24. Maryland
25. Vanderbilt

ARV: Memphis
DePaul