Kentucky takes over top spot in latest AP top 25 poll
Kentucky moves into the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press college basketball poll, replacing Duke, which dropped to sixth following its final-seconds loss to Kansas in the Champions Classic.
The Wildcats (4–0), who also beat then-No. 13 Michigan State in the Champions Classic, received 42 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel in the poll released Monday . Kentucky was ranked No. 1 for two weeks last season.
Defending national champion Villanova (5–0) moved up one spot to second with 21 No. 1 votes following a four-win week that included one at then-No. 15 Purdue.
Indiana (3–0), which moved up three places to third, received the other two first-place votes. This is the Hoosiers' highest ranking since they were third in the next-to-last poll of 2012–13.
North Carolina moved up one place to fourth and was followed by Kansas, Duke, Virginia, Arizona, Xavier and Louisville.
Gonzaga jumped three spots to 11th and was followed by Creighton and Oregon, which fell from No. 4 to 13th after losing to Baylor.
UCLA was No. 14 followed by Saint Mary's, Wisconsin, Purdue, Syracuse, West Virginia and newcomer Baylor.
The last six are Iowa State, Texas, Rhode Island, Michigan State, Michigan and Florida State. Michigan and Florida State, the week's other newcomers, tied for 25th.
Baylor (3-0), Michigan (4-0) and Florida State (4-0) replace Cincinnati and California, which were 24th and 25th last week. Cincinnati and California were both ranked for one week.
The Atlantic Coast Conference leads with six ranked teams while the Big Ten and Big 12 have five each.
The Top 25
1. Kentucky (40), 4–0
2. Villanova (20), 5–0
3. Indiana (1), 3–0
4. North Carolina, 4–0
5. Kansas, 2–1
6. Duke, 4–1
7. Virginia, 3–0
8. Arizona, 3–0
9. Xavier, 5–0
10. Louisville, 3–0
11. Gonzaga, 3–0
12. Oregon, 2–1
12. Creighton, 4–0
14. UCLA, 4–0
15. Saint Mary's, 1–0
16. Wisconsin, 2–1
17. Syracuse, 3–0
18. Purdue, 2–1
19. West Virginia, 3–0
20. Baylor, 3–0
21. Iowa St., 3–0
22. Texas, 3–0
23. Rhode Island, 4–1
24. Michigan St., 2–2
25. Florida St., 4–0
Others receiving votes: Michigan 83, Maryland 56, California 54, Miami 40, Cincinnati 34, Wichita St. 29, Florida 27, Seton Hall 15, Virginia Tech 12, Butler 11, Dayton 11, Notre Dame 6, Colorado 4, Ohio St. 2, Rutgers 1, Ohio 1, Tennessee St. 1.
