USC is one of two teams from the Pac-12 ranked inside the men’s basketball AP Top 25.

The Trojans debuted at No. 21 in the preseason poll released on Monday. Arizona leads the league at No. 12. UCLA, which won the conference’s regular-season crown last season, was in the receiving votes category of the first poll (effectively No. 28).

It’s the first time USC has been ranked in a preseason men’s basketball poll since the 2017-18 season, when the Trojans were slotted at No. 10. It’s also just the second time it has happened in the last 15 years.

There are dreams of a breakthrough season in Los Angeles for coach Andy Enfield and his squad after an offseason roster reload featured several big-name additions.

USC went 22-11 last season, including 14-6 in conference play. It was a fourth consecutive 20-win campaign under Enfield and it garnered a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

But USC bowed out in the first round with a 72-62 loss to Michigan State.

The Trojans were picked to finish second in the preseason Pac-12 media poll. Three of the top five scorers from last year’s team are gone, but USC does return Boogie Ellis after an All-Pac-12 campaign.

All-conference defensive team members Kobe Johnson and Joshua Morgan return as well, as does promising big man Vincent Iwuchukwu. In addition, USC added the No. 4 recruiting class in the country, headlined by the consensus No. 1 overall player in the freshman class, guard Isaiah Collier, 4-star guard Bronny James, and graduate transfer forward DJ Rodman.

USC begins its season in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas against Kansas State on Nov. 6.

The rest of the preseason AP poll can be seen below:

  1. Kansas
  2. Duke
  3. Purdue
  4. Michigan State
  5. Marquette
  6. UConn
  7. Houston
  8. Creighton
  9. Tennessee
  10. FAU
  11. Gonzaga
  12. Arizona
  13. Miami (FL)
  14. Arkansas
  15. Texas A&M
  16. Kentucky
  17. San Diego State
  18. Texas
  19. North Carolina
  20. Baylor
  21. USC
  22. Villanova
  23. Saint Mary’s
  24. Alabama
  25. Illinois

Receiving votes: Wisconsin 53, Colorado 49, UCLA 47, St. John’s 47, Maryland 34, Virginia 27, Auburn 27, TCU 24, Mississippi St. 20, Kansas St 13, Xavier 8, Memphis 7, Missouri 6, Boise St. 4, Indiana 3, Florida 2, Coll of Charleston 2, New Mexico 1, Drake 1