MSU jumps to No. 2 in AP poll

The Michigan State men’s basketball team improved to No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and No. 3 in the coaches’ poll.

Both were released Monday.

In last week’s polls, the Spartans were No. 6 in the AP poll and No. 7 in the coaches’ poll.

The Spartans (24-5) have won eight of their last nine, including Sunday’s 88-57 triumph over Penn State. MSU has two regular-season games remaining – Wednesday at Rutgers and Saturday at home against Ohio State.

Kansas is the new No. 1 team in the AP poll, replacing Villanova, which dropped to No. 3.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL

1. Kansas (63 first-place votes), 25-4 record, 1,623 points (2 last week)

2. Michigan State (2), 24-5, 1,510 (6)

3. Villanova, 25-4, 1,479 (1)

4. Virginia, 22-6, 1,405 (3)

5. Xavier, 25-4, 1,356 (5)

6. Oklahoma, 22-6, 1,297 (3)

7. Miami, 23-5, 1,211 (12)

8. North Carolina, 23-6, 1,205 (7)

9. Oregon, 23-6, 1,065 (13)

10. West Virginia, 22-7, 1,056 (14)

11. Louisville, 22-7, 822 (11)

12. Indiana, 23-6, 819 (18)

13. Utah, 23-7, 751 (22)

14. Maryland, 23-6, 733 (10)

15. Purdue, 22-7, 613 (20)

16. Iowa, 20-8, 572 (8)

17. Duke, 21-8, 495 (15)

18. Arizona, 22-7, 450 (9)

19. Baylor, 21-8, 447 (19)

20. Texas A&M, 22-7, 419 (21)

21. Iowa State, 20-9, 413 (17)

22. Kentucky, 21-8, 405 (16)

23. Texas, 19-10, 338 (25)

24. SMU, 24-4, 196 (24)

25. California, 21-8, 178 (NR)

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 93, Seton Hall 60, Wichita State 43, Saint Joseph’s 29, Notre Dame 14, Texas Tech 12, Cincinnati 4, Saint Mary’s (Calif.) 3, Vanderbilt 3, UALR 2, Valparaiso 2, Dayton 1, Stephen F. Austin 1.

COACHES’ POLL

1. Kansas (31 first-place votes), 25-4 record, 799 points

2. Villanova, 25-4, 734

3. Michigan State (1), 24-5, 733

4. Virginia, 22-6, 673

5. Xavier, 25-4, 637

6. Oklahoma, 22-6, 623

7. Miami, 23-5, 607

8. North Carolina, 23-6, 584

9. West Virginia, 22-7, 518

10. Oregon, 23-6, 510

11. Indiana, 23-6, 434

12. Maryland, 23-6, 405

13. Purdue, 22-7, 330

13. Utah, 23-7, 330

15. Iowa, 20-8, 321

16. Arizona, 22-7, 307

17. Baylor, 21-8, 288

18. Texas A&M, 22-7, 261

19. Kentucky, 21-8, 226

20. Iowa State, 20-9, 221

21. Duke, 21-8, 211

22. Texas, 19-10, 187

23. Wichita State, 23-7, 68

24. Saint Mary's, 24-4, 61

25. California, 21-8, 58

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 52, Notre Dame 42, Seton Hall 39, Texas Tech 36, Providence 28, Pittsburgh 17, Saint Joseph's 17, South Carolina 16, Dayton 14, Valparaiso 6, St. Bonaventure 4, Colorado 2, Arkansas-Little Rock 1.