FORT LAUDERDALE, Sporting Alert – Kentucky stayed atop of the NCAA Men’s College Basketball AP Top 25 Rankings for week 4, following a release on Monday.
The Wildcats (6-0) received 59 first place votes from the media panel for 1,619 points, after picking up a pair of double-digit victories over Boston University and South Florida last week.
Kentucky returns to action on Monday against Illinois State at home, before traveling to face UCLA on Thursday.
John Calipari’s side is averaging 80.5 points per game and holding opponents to 62.2 at the other end.
Returning at No. 2 this week is Maryland.
The undefeated Terrapins (6-0) received four first place votes in Week 3 of the men’s College Basketball AP Top 25 Rankings for 1,512 points.
They secured wins over Illinois State, Rhode Island and Cleveland State during the fixtures last week and will take on No. 9 North Carolina in a top 10 clash on Tuesday night.
Also holding their spot from last week is Michigan State (7-0) at No. 3.
The Spartans collected the other two first place votes for 1,510 points, after winning the DirecTV Wooden Legacy tournament over the weekend behind the leadership of Denzel Valentine, who was named tournament MVP.
Kansas (4-1) is at No. 4 with the top five completed by the undefeated Iowa State (5-0).
Oklahoma (4-0) moved over Duke into sixth, with the defending champions slipping one place to No. 7, despite winning four games in a row since losing to Kentucky.
Villanova (6-0), preseason No. 1 North Carolina (5-1) and Virginia (5-1) rounded out the top 10 this week.
Dropping from the AP Top 25 rankings this week were Indiana 13, California 14, Notre Dame 17, Connecticut 18, Wichita State 20 and LSU 22, so there are five new teams getting promoted.
Providence, Louisville, Baylor, West Virginia and Syracuse were the newcomers in this week’s rankings.
Syracuse (6-0) has been recognized for picking up some impressive victories on the season thus far — advancing 12 places to No. 14 in this poll with three wins, including victories over No. 18 Connecticut and No. 25 Texas A&M to win the Battle 4 Atlantis.
West Virginia is at No. 20, Providence, at No. 23, Louisville, at No. 24 and Baylor back in the AP top 25 rankings in 25th.
Dropped from AP Top 25 rankings: Indiana 13, California 14, Notre Dame 17, Connecticut 18, Wichita St 20, LSU 22.
Others receiving AP Top 25 votes: Connecticut 153, Utah 72, Butler 62, George Washington 45, Indiana 26, Northern Iowa 25, Notre Dame 22, California 19, Pittsburgh 11, Dayton 8, South Carolina 5, San Diego State 5, Georgetown 4, UTEP 3, Iowa 2, Northwestern 2, LSU 2, Arkansas-Little Rock 2, Davidson 1, Colorado State 1, Northeastern 1, Louisiana Tech 1, Monmouth 1
AP College Basketball Top 25 Rankings
RK TEAM RECORD
1 Kentucky (59) 6-0
2 Maryland (4) 6-0
3 Michigan State (2) 7-0
4 Kansas 4-1
5 Iowa State 5-0
6 Oklahoma 4-0
7 Duke 6-1
8 Villanova 6-0
9 North Carolina 5-1
10 Virginia 5-1
11 Purdue 6-0
12 Xavier 7-0
13 Gonzaga 4-1
14 Syracuse 6-0
15 Oregon 5-0
16 Vanderbilt 5-1
17 Cincinnati 7-0
18 Texas A&M 6-1
19 Arizona 6-1
20 West Virginia 6-0
21 Miami (FL) 5-1
22 SMU 4-0
23 Providence 6-1
24 Louisville 5-0
25 Baylor 4-1
