Sports Illustrated Slots Louisville At No. 7

We're just nine days away from the start of the 2014-15 college hoops season, which means the various preseason top 25 releases are now slowing towards a halt.

The last (I believe) major network to release its preseason rankings s Sports Illustrated, which let the world know on Tuesday that it believes Louisville is the No. 7 team in the country heading into the season.

On April 14, Montrezl Harrell texted coach Rick Pitino, saying that he wanted to enter the NBA draft. Two hours later Harrell changed his mind. In those 120 minutes Louisville went from being a bubble team back to being a Final Four contender. The Cardinals' forward, who was named first team All-AAC last season, after averaging 14.0 points and 8.4 rebounds, is that good-and he's worked to get better. In the off-season he put himself through lonely, late-night workouts in Louisville's practice facility, perfecting his ballhandling and midrange jumper. Though he made just two three-pointers last season, Harrell was 7 for 18 from behind the arc in the Cardinals' three preseason intrasquad scrimmages. "I'm still going to stick to what I do best, which is finishing around the rim," he says. "But I'm going to be able to step away and take people off the bounce too. That's going to help our team out a lot more." Read more from Seth Davis.

SI has Kentucky at No. 1, followed by Arizona, Wisconsin, Duke and Kansas.