COLLEGE BASKETBALL : Preseason Poll Ranks UNLV No. 1

as No. 1.

The Runnin’ Rebels, who won the national championship after being the preseason No. 1 last season, were banned from this year’s NCAA Tournament and won’t be able to defend their title. But that didn’t stop the voters from making them No. 1 today.

All but 15 of the 65 voters on the national board of writers and broadcasters listed UNLV first on their ballots. The Runnin’ Rebels had 1,601 points, well ahead of Arkansas, 1,506, and Arizona, 1,488, which each received five first-place votes.

Michigan State was fourth with one first-place vote and 1,302 points and was followed in the Top Ten by North Carolina, Duke, Alabama, Indiana, Georgetown and Ohio State.

UCLA is ranked 11th.

UNLV has four starters back from the team that beat Duke, 103-73, in the most lopsided championship game ever played. All-American Larry Johnson and defensive star Stacey Augmon both opted to return to the Runnin’ Rebels rather than go to the NBA, only to find out in July they could not defend their title.

Coach Jerry Tarkanian, the center of the 14-year-old allegations, and the school offered several alternative punishments to the NCAA’s Infractions Committee last month, and it is possible the postseason ban for 1991 may yet be overturned.

North Carolina had 1,282 points, 120 more than Duke, which received two first-place votes. Alabama had 1,110 points to edge Indiana by 21. Georgetown had the final two first-place votes and 1,054 points, while Ohio State’s 887 points made the Buckeyes the third Big Ten team in the Top Ten with Michigan State and Indiana.

North Carolina and Indiana both have freshmen to thank for their lofty rankings. The Tar Heels have the nation’s top recruiting class with five players led by 7-foot Eric Montross, while Indiana’s young team will be augmented by highly publicized guard Damon Bailey, who was scrutinized nationally throughout his successful high school career in the Hoosier state.

THE TOP 25 The top 25 in the AP preseason college basketball poll, first-place votes in parentheses, with 1989-90 record. 1. UNLV (50) 35-5

2. Arkansas (5) 30-4

3. Arizona (5) 25-7

4. Michigan St. (1) 28-6

5. North Carolina 21-13

6. Duke (2) 29-9

7. Alabama 26-9

8. Indiana 18-11

9. Georgetown (2) 24-7

10. Ohio State 17-13

11. UCLA 22-11

12. Pittsburgh 12-17

13. Syracuse 26-7

14. LSU 23-9

15. Oklahoma 27-5

16. Georgia Tech 28-7

17. Connecticut 31-6

18. Virginia 20-12

19. Temple 20-11

20. Missouri 26-6

21. Georgia 20-9

22. Texas 24-9 23. Louisville 27-8

24. Southern Miss. 20-12

25. St. John’s 24-10