Duke remains in the No. 1 team in the Associated Press men’s basketball top 25 poll entering conference tournament week, becoming the first team in history to spend 150 weeks in the top spot.
The Blue Devils (29-2) received 56 of the 61 first-place votes — up one from last week — after closing out their regular season on an eight-game winning streak with convincing rivalry wins over North Carolina State and North Carolina.
Arizona (29-2) and Michigan (29-2) remain No. 2 and No. 3 and received four and one first-place votes, respectively, after 2-0 weeks. The Wildcats are the No. 1 seed in this week’s Big 12 tournament, winning their last six games after taking their only two losses in consecutive games, while the Wolverines are the No. 1 Big Ten seed and have won four straight games.
Florida (25-6) moved up a spot to No. 4 and Houston (26-5) jumped up two spots to round out the top five, replacing UConn (27-4), which fell two spots to No. 6.
Iowa State (25-6), Michigan State (25-6), Illinois (24-7) and Virginia (27-4) round out the top 10.
St. John’s (25-6) was the biggest riser in this week’s poll, moving up five spots to No. 13 after winning the outright Big East regular-season title. Texas Tech (22-9) fell six spots to No. 16 after an 0-2 week.
Wisconsin (22-9) and Louisville (22-9) are the two returning additions to this week’s poll at No. 23 and No. 24. Miami, previously No. 22, fell out after a one-week absence and former No. 25 Saint Louis fell out after losing to George Mason.
This week’s Top 25:
1. Duke (29-2)
2. Arizona (29-2)
3. Michigan (29-2)
4. Florida (25-6)
5. Houston (26-5)
6. UConn (27-4)
7. Iowa State (27-6)
8. Michigan State (25-6)
9. Illinois (24-7)
10. Virginia (27-4)
11. Nebraska (26-5)
12. Gonzaga (28-3)
13. St. John’s (25-6)
14. Kansas (22-9)
15. Alabama (23-8)
16. Texas Tech (22-9)
17. Arkansas (23-8)
18. Purdue (23-8)
19. North Carolina (24-7)
20. Miami (Ohio) (31-0)
21. Saint Mary’s (27-4)
22. Vanderbilt (24-7)
23. Wisconsin (22-9)
24. Louisville (22-9)
25. Tennessee (21-10)
