RUSTON - Louisiana Tech received 646 points and ranks No. 12 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, released Tuesday.

Head coach Kurt Budke's squad, which is also ranked No. 12 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, returns four starters and seven letter winners from last year's team that posted a 31-3 mark and captured both the Western Athletic Conference regular season and conference tournament titles.

Connecticut received all 44 first place votes to rank No. 1 followed by Duke, Texas, Tennessee, Kansas State, Stanford, Purdue, Penn State, LSU and Texas Tech round out the top 10. Georgia ranks No.11 followed by Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Ohio State, UC-Santa Barbara, Utah and Colorado.

Tech opens its regular season Nov. 21 when it travels to face Stephen F. Austin.