As of now the 2006 Comcast Battle in Seattle will feature a top 25 match up.

Coach Mark Few and Gonzaga are on a mission to show that they are more than just Adam Morrison and enter the poll at 23. In the meantime, Nevada continues to climb up the polls with a perfect 3-0 record.

Ranked 23rd last week, Nevada has moved up to 20th in the country while Gonzaga is making it’s first appearance in the rankings this season.

The Bulldogs were one of two teams to enter the latest USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, which was released Monday.

Gonzaga has coped with loss before, but the departure of Adam Morrison – the nation’s leading scorer last season – to the NBA after his junior season combined with the graduation of leading rebounder J.P. Batista left some major doubt.

However, the Bulldogs jumped into the poll at No. 23 after starting the season with a 4-0 record. Sophomore forward Josh Heytvelt has picked up the mantle as the leader along with senior point guard Derek Raivio. Together, the duo are averaging 34 points.

That unblemished start will face a major challenge on Wednesday in a matchup against second-ranked North Carolina (3-0) in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

The Wolf Pack returns four starters from last year’s 27-6 team, including preseason All-American senior forward Nick Fazekas, senior guard Kyle Shiloh and junior guards Ramon Sessions and Marcelus Kemp.

Under the direction of third-year head coach Mark Fox, the team also features four other returning letterwinners and six new faces (one redshirt freshman and five true freshmen). Nevada won its third straight WAC regular-season title last season and earned the team’s third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, garnering the league’s automatic NCAA bid after winning the 2006 WAC Tournament.

The USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 college basketball coaches’ poll, with number of first-place votes and record in parentheses, total points and previous ranking:

(Records through November 19, 2006)

TEAM PTS (PVS)
—- — —

1. FLORIDA (30) (4-0) 774 (1)
2. NORTH CAROLINA (3-0) 738 (2)
3. OHIO ST (1) (4-0) 675 (4)
4. PITTSBURGH (5-0) 675 (5)
5. UCLA (1-0) 630 (6)
6. LSU (2-0) 605 (7)
7. WISCONSIN (3-0) 604 (9)
8. DUKE (3-0) 537 (10)
9. ALABAMA (3-0) 464 (11)
10. TEXAS A&M (4-0) 446 (12)
11. MEMPHIS (1-0) 419 (13)
12. KANSAS (2-1) 408 (3)
13. WASHINGTON (4-0) 327 (15)
14. SYRACUSE (4-0) 267 (20)
15. ARIZONA (2-1) 249 (16)
16. GEORGETOWN (2-1) 247 (8)
17. MARQUETTE (4-0) 243 (17)
18. CONNECTICUT (4-0) 222 (19)
19. GEORGIA TECH (3-0) 199 (21)
20. NEVADA (3-0) 170 (23)
21. TENNESSEE (4-0) 140 (24)
22. KENTUCKY (2-0) 138 (22)
23. GONZAGA (4-0) 111 (NR)
24. MARYLAND (5-0) 107 (NR)
25. TEXAS (3-1) 104 (18)

Dropped Out: No. 14 BOSTON COLLEGE, No. 25 CREIGHTON
Others Receiving Votes: BOSTON COLLEGE 96, WICHITA ST 92, LOUISVILLE 72, MICHIGAN ST 58, XAVIER 50, SOUTHN ILLINOIS 43, ILLINOIS 38, AIR FORCE 34, SAN DIEGO ST 30, MICHIGAN 25, OKLAHOMA ST 19, TEXAS TECH 11, ORAL ROBERTS 7, VIRGINIA 7, BUTLER 6, WINTHROP 4, BYU 2, CREIGHTON 2, OREGON 2, GEO WASHINGTON 1, VIRGINIA TECH 1.