MSU hoops slips to No. 4 in AP poll; Duke stays No. 1
Duke proved on a national stage at the Champions Classic last week why so many voters had the Blue Devils atop their Top 25 ballot before the season began.
Now, even more voters have them there.
The Blue Devils, who beat then-No. 2 Michigan State 88-81 in Chicago, pulled in 54 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel in the AP Top 25 released Monday. That was an increase of 20 first-place votes over the first regular-season poll released last week.
Michigan State (2-1), which rebounded with a 93-71 victory Sunday over Stony Brook, dropped to No. 4 in the poll.
Arizona was the only other team to receive a No. 1 nod, getting 11 first-place votes and taking the Spartans’ place at No. 2. Kansas moved up to third after topping then-No. 7 Kentucky in the other game at the Champions Classic, while Michigan State and Villanova rounded out the top 5.
2017-18 MICHIGAN STATE BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Wichita State remained at No. 6, while Florida and Kentucky flip-flopped their spots. North Carolina was ninth and Southern California rounded out the top 10.
Arizona has won each of its first three games by at least 25 points, but gets a stiffer test against undefeated North Carolina State on Wednesday night, while the Jayhawks cruised to No. 3 thanks to their win over the Wildcats and a laugher over South Dakota State.
Kentucky continued its slow slide, but not so much because of its nip-and-tuck loss to Kansas on a neutral floor. Rather, the Wildcats sleepwalked through a 78-61 victory over East Tennessee State on Friday night in what was a 6-point game at halftime.
Michigan (3-0) received nine points in the latest poll.
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
1. Duke (54 first-place votes) 4-0, 1,613 points, No. 1 last week
2. Arizona (11) 3-0, 1,527, 3
3. Kansas 3-0, 1,504, 4
4. Michigan State 2-1, 1,390, 2
5. Villanova 3-0, 1,345, 5
6. Wichita State 2-0, 1,321, 6
7. Florida 3-0, 1,117, 8
8. Kentucky 3-1, 1,104, 7
9. North Carolina 2-0, 1,079, 9
10. USC 3-0, 1,055, 10
11. Miami (Fla.) 3-0, 918, 11
12. Cincinnati 3-0, 893, 12
13. Notre Dame 3-0, 857, 13
14. Minnesota 4-0, 754, 14
15. Xavier 3-0, 750, 15
16. Texas A&M 2-0, 618, 16
17. Gonzaga 3-0, 540, 17
18. Purdue 4-0, 527, 19
19. Louisville 2-0, 466, 18
20. Seton Hall 4-0, 370, 22
21. Saint Mary's 4-0, 344, 21
22. Baylor 3-0, 206, 25
23. (tie) West Virginia 2-1, 191, 24
23. UCLA 3-0, 191, 23
25. Alabama 3-0, 133, NR
Others receiving votes: Virginia 93, Texas Tech 81, TCU 36, Northwestern 20, Nevada 19, Providence 11, Maryland 9, Michigan 9, Texas 7, Creighton 6, Oklahoma 5, Temple 4, Oregon 4, Arkansas 3, Texas Arlington 2, Rhode Island 1, Belmont 1, Stephen F Austin 1.