Texas survived its first week as the No. 1 team in The Associated
Press college basketball poll. The second won't be any easier.
The Longhorns (17-0) moved into the top spot for the first
time in school history last week and they stayed there Monday,
receiving 57 first-place votes from the 65-member national media
panel. They won 90-83 at Iowa State in their first game in the top
spot and then beat Texas A&M 72-67 in overtime in their first
home game as a No. 1 team.
Texas headed to No. 10 Kansas State on Monday night, then
plays at Connecticut on Saturday.
Kentucky (18-0), which was No. 1 on eight ballots, Kansas,
Villanova and Syracuse remained second through fifth. Michigan
State, Duke and Tennessee all moved up one place to sixth through
eighth, respectively.
Pittsburgh, which moved into the Top 25 for the first time
this season just two weeks ago and has started 5-0 in the Big East,
jumped from 16th to ninth. Kansas State was 10th, its first
appearance in the top 10 since being ninth in the final poll of the
1972-73 season.
West Virginia was 11th, followed by Georgetown, Purdue, BYU,
Gonzaga, Temple, Clemson, Wisconsin, Georgia Tech and Northern
Iowa, which is ranked for the second time in school history.
The last five were Ohio State, Mississippi, Mississippi
State, North Carolina and Baylor. Ohio State and Mississippi State
both returned to poll after being ranked earlier in the season.
The Tar Heels (12-6), who lost two games last week and three
of four, dropped from 12th to No. 24, their first time below 13th
in the poll since February 2006.
Northern Iowa (16-1) moved in on a 15-game winning streak
that began following a loss to DePaul in the opening round of the
Paradise Jam. The Panthers were ranked for three weeks in January
and February 2006.
Ohio State (13-5) was out of the poll the last two weeks but
returned following victories over Purdue and Wisconsin. The
Buckeyes have won three of four since the return of Evan Turner,
who missed six games after breaking bones in his back while
dunking. They split the games he missed, so all but one of their
losses have come when Turner was out.
Mississippi State (15-3) was 18th in the preseason Top 25 but
was gone quickly following a season-opening loss to Rider. The
Bulldogs have won 12 of their last 13 games, including their first
three Southeastern Conference games.
UConn (11-6) dropped out from 15th following losses last week
to Pittsburgh and Michigan that gave the Huskies their first
three-game losing streak since closing 2006-07 with four straight
defeats. They were 12th in the preseason poll and ranked as high as
10th this season.
Miami (15-3) moved into the poll for the first time this
season at No. 23 last week. The Hurricanes didn't fare well as a
ranked team, losing to Virginia Tech and Virginia.
Florida State (14-4) saw a three-week run in the rankings end
after losing to North Carolina State last week. The Seminoles, who
were 25th, followed that loss with a win over Virginia Tech.
