Gonzaga, Virginia, UNC remain 1-2-3 atop new AP Top 25 poll; VT No. 16
NEW YORK (AP) — Gonzaga, Virginia and North Carolina remain 1-2-3 atop an otherwise reshuffled top 10 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
The Zags sit on top for a third straight week, earning 41 of 64 first-place votes on Monday. And the Cavaliers also stayed put behind Gonzaga for a third straight week, claiming the remaining 23 first-place votes.
Gonzaga (29-2) didn’t play last week after wrapping up its regular-season schedule on March 2. The Zags return to the court against Pepperdine on Monday night to start play in the West Coast Conference Tournament. Virginia (28-2) and UNC (26-5) finished tied atop the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season standings with wins Saturday.
Kentucky was fourth, followed by Duke — which lost for a second time to the rival Tar Heels without freshman star Zion Williamson, though coach Mike Krzyzewski has said the 6-foot-7, 285-pound Williamson could be ready for this week’s ACC Tournament.
Michigan State, Texas Tech, Tennessee, LSU and Michigan rounded out the top 10.
Preseason No. 1 Kansas fell to No. 17 for its lowest ranking since the 2013-14 season, which followed last week’s end of the Jayhawks’ 14-year run of winning at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title.
No. 23 Marquette had the biggest fall of the week, sliding seven spots after closing the regular season on a four-game losing streak. Kansas and No. 24 Cincinnati each fell four spots.
Auburn is the only addition at No. 22, returning for the first time since mid-January and after peaking at No. 7 in December. UCF slid out from its No. 25 ranking in the last poll.
AP Poll
| 1 | Gonzaga (41) | 29-2 | 1,572 | 1 |
| 2 | Virginia (23) | 28-2 | 1,559 | 2 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 26-5 | 1,474 | 3 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 26-5 | 1,373 | 6 |
| 5 | Duke | 26-5 | 1,298 | 4 |
| 6 | Michigan State | 25-6 | 1,226 | 9 |
| 7 | Texas Tech | 26-5 | 1,211 | 8 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 27-4 | 1,200 | 5 |
| 9 | LSU | 26-5 | 1,089 | 10 |
| 10 | Michigan | 26-5 | 1,041 | 7 |
| 11 | Houston | 29-2 | 963 | 12 |
| 12 | Florida State | 25-6 | 856 | 14 |
| 13 | Purdue | 23-8 | 831 | 11 |
| 14 | Nevada | 28-3 | 684 | 17 |
| 15 | Kansas State | 24-7 | 680 | 18 |
| 16 | Virginia Tech | 23-7 | 625 | 15 |
| 17 | Kansas | 23-8 | 602 | 13 |
| 18 | Buffalo | 28-3 | 539 | 19 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 22-9 | 466 | 21 |
| 20 | Wofford | 28-4 | 387 | 22 |
| 21 | Maryland | 22-9 | 319 | 24 |
| 22 | Auburn | 22-9 | 268 | NR |
| 23 | Marquette | 23-8 | 109 | 16 |
| 24 | Cincinnati | 25-6 | 108 | 20 |
| 25 | Villanova | 22-9 | 80 | 23 |