Men's Basketball Up Two Notches In Poll
12/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 24, 2001
McLEAN, Virginia (SportsTicker) - Duke has been a fixture atop the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll this season, but Florida on Sunday became the third school in five weeks to occupy the No. 2 spot.
The Gators (9-1) climbed one spot and supplanted Maryland (8-2) after posting comfortable victories over High Point and New Orleans. A 72-56 loss at Oklahoma on Friday dropped the Terrapins to sixth.
Illinois was second until a 76-63 loss to Maryland on Nov. 27 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The Fighting Illini remained seventh in this week's poll after wins over Illinois State and Missouri.
Duke (10-0), which owns the nation's longest winning streak at 20 games, again garnered all 31 votes and 775 points from a panel of Division I coaches. The Blue Devils host San Diego State on Saturday in their only game this week.
Gonzaga improved its position two spots to 22nd. The Bulldogs travel to Monmouth this Saturday, then are at Saint Joseph's on New Year's Eve. Losses in the Tournament of Champions to Georgia State and North Carolina knocked Saint Joseph's (6-3) out of the top 25.
Kansas (9-1) moved up one notch to third and is followed by a pair of unbeatens in Virginia (8-0) and Oklahoma State (12-0). Kentucky (7-2), Iowa (10-3) and Missouri (9-2) round out the top 10.
Syracuse (10-2) is the top-rated Big East Conference school at No. 11, with Michigan State (9-3) climbing five spots to 12th and Boston College (11-1) slipping two to 13th.
Oklahoma (9-1) jumped from 21st to 14th after surprising Maryland. The Pac-10's Stanford (6-2), Arizona (6-3) and UCLA (7-2) occupy the next three slots.
Georgetown (9-2), Marquette (10-1), Cincinnati (11-1), Alabama (9-2), Gonzaga (10-2), Miami (11-0), Butler (11-0) and Wake Forest (8-3) complete the poll.
Ball State (7-3) dropped out following Wednesday's defeat to intrastate rival Butler.
Rank School Record Points Last Week 1. Duke (31) 10-0 775 12. Florida 9-1 724 33. Kansas 9-1 697 44. Virginia 7-0 665 55. Oklahoma State 12-0 622 66. Maryland 8-2 604 27. Illinois 10-2 600 78. Kentucky 7-2 586 89. Iowa 10-3 485 1210. Missouri 9-2 418 911. Syracuse 10-2 381 1412. Michigan State 9-3 364 1713. Boston College 11-1 357 1114. Oklahoma 9-1 345 2115. Stanford 6-2 319 1316. Arizona 6-3 292 1017. UCLA 7-2 242 1918. Georgetown 9-2 233 1619. Marquette 10-1 232 1520. Cincinnati 11-1 232 2521. Alabama 9-2 184 2222. Gonzaga 10-2 140 24 23. Miami (Fla.) 11-0 109 NR24. Butler 11-0 103 NR25. Wake Forest 8-3 71 20DROPPED OUT: No. 18 Saint Joseph's (6-3), No. 23 Ball State (7-3).
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Saint Joseph's 57, Ball State 45, Connecticut 42, Western Kentucky 41, Memphis 28, North Carolina State 14, Wyoming 13, Notre Dame 12, Temple 10, Texas 8, Oregon 7, Southern Illinois 7, Utah State 7, Bowling Green 6, New Mexico 5, Brigham Young 4, Pittsburgh 4, South Florida 4, Texas Tech 4, Georgia 3, Louisville 2, Tulsa 2, Mississippi State 1.
The USA TODAY/ESPN Board of
