TULSA, Okla., Sporting Alert – Michigan State is the new No. 1 team in the NCAA Men’s Basketball AP Top 25 rankings, according to the latest release on Monday.
The Spartans (7-0) replaced previous No. 1 Kentucky at the top of the poll after the Wildcats suffered its first defeat of the season last week.
Michigan State received 62 of the 65 first place votes for 1,617 points after posting a pair of victories over then-No. 24 Louisville and Binghamton last week to extend its undefeated run in the early fixtures this term.
Kansas (6-1) moved up two places to No. 2 this week in the AP Top 25 poll after earning two wins last week over Loyola (MD) and Harvard.
The Jayhawks, who collected one first place vote, also welcome the availability of standout freshman Cheick Diallo, who was finally cleared to play by the NCAA.
Preseason No. 1 North Carolina, which received the other two first place votes, is back in the top three this week after moving up six places to No. 3 this week on the back of a big win over then-No. 2 Maryland last Tuesday night.
The Tar Heels (7-1) also had senior guard Marcus Paige returning from a hand injury that had sidelined him since the preseason and forced him to sit the first six games to start the season.
Iowa State moved one place up to No. 4, but Kentucky dropped four places No. 5 this week after going down 87-77 to UCLA.
Maryland (7-1), Oklahoma (5-0), Duke (8-1), Villanova (7-0) and Virginia (7-1) completed the top 10.
A pair of teams with eight straight wins — Purdue (8-0) and Xavier (8-0) — are sitting No. 11 and No. 12, while Arizona (7-1), West Virginia (7-0) and Providence (8-1) rounded out the top 15.
Jumping the highest in this week’s NCAA Men’s Basketball AP Top 25 rankings was Baylor, as the Bear (6-1) climbed nine spots to No. 16.
No. 15 Providence (8-1) and Butler (6-1) are up eight places this week, but Oregon (6-1) slipped nine slots to No. 24 after losing 80-69 to UNLV.
Falling from the top 25 this week were Syracuse 14 and Texas A&M 18.
NCAA Men’s Basketball AP Top 25 Rankings
Week 5 Complete Poll
RK TEAM RECORD
1 Michigan State (62) 9-0
2 Kansas (1) 6-1
3 North Carolina (2) 7-1
4 Iowa State 6-0
5 Kentucky 7-1
6 Maryland 7-1
7 Oklahoma 5-0
8 Duke 8-1
9 Villanova 7-0
10 Virginia 7-1
11 Purdue 8-0
12 Xavier 8-0
13 Arizona 7-1
14 West Virginia 7-0
15 Providence 8-1
16 Baylor 6-1
17 Miami (FL) 7-1
18 Butler 6-1
19 SMU 6-0
20 Gonzaga 5-2
21 Vanderbilt 6-2
22 Louisville 6-1
23 Cincinnati 8-1
24 Oregon 6-1
25 Utah 7-1
Dropped from rankings: Syracuse 14, Texas A&M 18
Others receiving votes: Connecticut 82, Syracuse 78, Texas A&M 69, George Washington 60, UNLV 40, UCLA 19, South Carolina 15, Dayton 7, Arkansas-Little Rock 5, Georgetown 4, Florida 4, Pittsburgh 3, Iowa 3, Northwestern 2, Indiana 2, Notre Dame 1, Navy 1
