Villanova slips to third in poll after first loss
The Villanova Wildcats dropped two spots to third in the Associated Press college basketball poll Monday after suffering their first loss of the season.
The Villanova Wildcats dropped two spots to third in the Associated Press college basketball poll Monday after suffering their first loss of the season.
Michigan State (14-1) moved up to No. 1 in the poll, receiving 43 of 65 first-place votes. No. 2 Duke, up two spots, received 21 first-place votes and Villanova (13-1) had one.
Unranked Butler beat the Wildcats, 101-93, Saturday in a Big East game at Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis. The Cats return to action this Saturday night when they play Marquette (10-4) at the Wells Fargo Center.
Michigan State won both of its games last week and hasn't lost since Nov. 14, when Duke beat the Spartans, 88-81, at the Champions Classic in Chicago. The Spartans are No. 1 for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
"Any time we can be ranked No. 1 is a good thing," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said after the Spartans beat Savannah State, 108-52. "I also think there are five or six teams that could be No. 1."
One thing there certainly isn't: an undefeated team left in college basketball.
No. 3 Arizona State lost to No. 17 Arizona and No. 10 TCU lost to No. 12 Oklahoma on the same day as Villanova, leaving the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers as the last team to finish a season undefeated.
The Sun Devils (12-1) dropped to No. 4 and the Horned Frogs fell from the program's highest ranking to No. 16.
No. 5 Xavier, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wichita State, and Kansas rounded out the top 10.
'Nova women 21st
In the AP women's rankings, Villanova (11-1) slipped from 18th to 21st. Last week, the Wildcats lost to Creighton, 69-54, and beat Providence, 63-55.
Villanova will host Butler on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
UConn (11-0) remained the unanimous No. 1 choice by the 32-member national media panel.