Houston, Kansas top AP men’s hoops poll; FAU in for 1st time

Houston and Kansas remained firmly atop The Related Press males’s faculty basketball ballot Monday after a document weekend of High 25 losses, whereas Florida Atlantic took benefit of the chaos to crack the rating for the primary time in class historical past.

Eleven groups within the High 25 went down Saturday, tying a document that has stood for almost 12 years, whereas Connecticut and Marquette additionally misplaced Sunday to present the AP ballot one in every of its largest shake-ups in current historical past.

The banged-up Cougars, who needed to battle off South Florida to keep away from their very own upset loss, watched their benefit over the Jayhawks shrink ever so barely, pulling in 34 of 60 first-place votes from a nationwide media panel. Kansas obtained 23 votes to stay second whereas Purdue picked up the opposite three to remain third.

Alabama remained at No. 4 whereas UCLA, using a 13-game profitable streak, climbed two spots to spherical out the highest 5.

“We have dodged plenty of bullets this 12 months by way of accidents and stuff,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson stated. “Generally you simply received to get fortunate. I believed we received fortunate [against South Florida]. We might’ve misplaced that sport.”

Loads of different groups weren’t so lucky.

Tennessee fell 4 spots to No. 9 after dropping to unranked Kentucky; UConn dropped from sixth to No. 15 after falling to Marquette and St. John’s, giving the Huskies 4 losses of their previous 5 video games; Arizona fell two to No. 11 after dropping to Oregon and Kansas State fell two to No. 13 after dropping to TCU; Arkansas plummeted 10 spots to No. 25 after losses to Alabama and Vanderbilt; and Missouri and Wisconsin dropped out altogether after every misplaced twice final week.

Kansas could have had essentially the most spectacular week, beating Oklahoma on Tuesday earlier than squeaking by Iowa State 62-60 on Saturday — although the Cyclones had been notable sufficient in defeat that they really climbed two spots to No. 12 within the ballot.

“We are able to play higher, however it was an incredible week,” Jayhawks coach Invoice Self stated. “I do not imply to say this in a approach that comes off unsuitable, however folks would get fired as much as play in opposition to Kansas due to time, and you then add a nationwide championship onto it, I imply, it is a large sport for folk. Large video games for us, too. So typically I feel we take a look at it like, ‘Nicely, we needs to be doing this higher,’ which is true in some circumstances, however typically we’re getting some fairly good efforts from different opponents.

“So with the ability to win these video games,” Self stated, “I feel, is a mark of a reasonably first rate group.”

Gonzaga climbed to sixth within the ballot Monday and was adopted by Texas, Xavier, Tennessee and Virginia. Arizona was eleventh, with the Cyclones forward of Large 12 rivals Kansas State and TCU. UConn, Auburn, Miami, Charleston, Clemson and Marquette made the highest 20. The ultimate 5 had been Baylor, Windfall, Rutgers, FAU and Arkansas.

FAU, which has only one NCAA match look in three a long time of Division I hoops, continued its rise below Dusty Might, a onetime scholar supervisor for Bob Knight who additionally labored for Mike White at Florida.

“This group could be very poised,” Might stated of his Owls, who’ve received 15 straight after an early loss to Ole Miss. “Even when there’s friction, they keep collectively and love one another and help one another. That is an indication of a very good group.”

RISING AND FALLING

Xavier climbed 4 spots to No. 8 after pushing its profitable streak to 11 video games, Charleston moved up 4 to No. 18 on the heels of its 17-game profitable streak and Marquette moved up 5 spots regardless of its shut loss to the Musketeers.

Arkansas took the most important tumble, 10 spots to No. 25, whereas UConn dropped 9 to No. 15.

IN AND OUT

Clemson debuted at No. 19 after coach Brad Brownell picked up his four-hundredth victory and the Tigers improved on one of the best begin in ACC play in class historical past (7-0) with a 72-64 win over Duke on Saturday. Baylor, Rutgers and FAU additionally entered the ballot on the expense of San Diego State, Wisconsin, Missouri and the Blue Devils.

“If you are going to be good, it’s worthwhile to have a superpower,” Brownell stated. “Possibly it is protection, taking pictures, rebounding — you recognize, hopefully it is a number of issues to be actually good. I feel our superpower is our camaraderie. The unity, the real care and love for each other, is clearly evident. I feel that is why we’re profitable.”

WAITING IN THE WINGS

North Carolina State and Saint Mary’s are the primary groups to land outdoors the High 25. NC State went from receiving no votes per week in the past to just about making the ballot after wins over Virginia Tech and Miami.