When USA Today unveiled its preseason Top 25 basketball teams yesterday, the Pitt men came in at… When USA Today unveiled its preseason Top 25 basketball teams yesterday, the Pitt men came in at No. 4.

Receiving 621 points, the Panthers are ranked behind No. 1 Duke, with 772 points, Michigan State and Kansas State.

Fellow Big East team Villanova was ranked closely behind Pitt at No. 6.

Meanwhile, the Pitt women’s basketball team was picked by the coaches to finish No. 13 in the 16-team Big East at the league’s media day yesterday.

Connecticut was once again picked to win the league, as they look to three-peat as NCAA national champions.

The Panthers boast five seniors with plenty of experience in Shayla Scott, Jania Sims, Brittaney Thomas, Chelsea Cole and Taneisha Harrison.

Head coach Agnus Berenato expects Sims to take control of a leadership position on this year’s team.

“Jania Sims is the leader on the court, the leader off the court,” she said at the team’s media day last week.

But the rest of the roster is composed of freshmen, as the team has no sophomores or juniors.

Pitt’s women’s team begins its season on Nov. 17 against Minnesota in Minneapolis as a part of the Super Six Series.