AP poll: Few changes in 1st regular-season Top 25

By JIM O'CONNELL, AP Basketball Writer Nov 16, 8:01 pm EST

  • Print

An opening week in which only one ranked team lost meant few changes in the first poll of the regular season.

In fact, there were no changes among the top 14 teams, while Ohio State moved up one spot to join Michigan in a tie at No. 15.

Kansas beat Hofstra 101-65 in its only game and was the runaway No. 1 in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, just as it was in the preseason Top 25. The Jayhawks received 58 first-place votes from the national media panel, three more than in the preseason poll.

Michigan State beat Florida Gulf Coast 97-58 in its opener and was again No. 1 on five ballots to hold second.

Texas, which again had one first-place vote, Kentucky, which dropped from three No. 1 votes to one, and Villanova remained third through fifth.

Defending champion North Carolina, who lost their only first-place vote from the preseason poll, won its games against Florida International, North Carolina Central and Valparaiso last week by an average of almost 25 points.

This week the No. 6 Tar Heels will see the quality of their competition pick up considerably with the possibility of facing five ranked opponents in the next eight games.

They will play Ohio State in the 2K Sports Classic on Thursday in New York, and could face California in the final or third-place game. Also included in the stretch is a home game against No. 2 Michigan State in a rematch of last year’s national championship game, a trip to No. 4 Kentucky and game against No. 3 Texas in Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Dec. 19.

Purdue, which beat Cal State Northridge 89-63 in its only game, remains No. 7.

West Virginia, Duke and Tennessee held on to round out the top 10.

Maryland was the only newcomer to the poll at No. 25. The Terrapins moved into the rankings for the first time since the final poll of the 2006-07 season. They replaced Mississippi State, which fell out from 18th following its season-opening 88-74 loss to Rider.

Butler was 11th and was followed by Connecticut, California, Washington, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Dayton, Georgetown and Louisville. The last five ranked teams were Georgia Tech, Clemson, Illinois, Minnesota and Maryland.

The Big Ten still leads with six ranked teams—Michigan State, Purdue, Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois and Minnesota. The Atlantic Coast Conference (Maryland, North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Clemson) and Big East (Villanova, West Virginia, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville) had five each.

Updated Nov 16, 8:01 pm EST
digg del.icio.us
more
NCAAB

232 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. <i>sportsnbikes@...</i>
    232. Posted by sportsnbikes@... Tue Nov 17 1:11pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I stand corrected...NC has 6 Championships--5 NCAA and 1 in 1924 when the Helms Athletic Foundation crowned the Champs.
  2. <i>sportsnbikes@...</i>
    231. Posted by sportsnbikes@... Tue Nov 17 11:10am EST

    Report Abuse

    James--Kansas Basketball started in 1898! we celebrated our 100 years in 1998, just in case you can't add! And if you look at the dates, the majority of the comments are from the 1st article where it said KU was voted 1st in the poll.

    Scott--I didn't say everyone owes everything to Kansas. What I said was the coaches at North Carolina and Kentucky both got their start at Kansas! I just wanted people to recognize the contributions that KU has given to the college game of basketball!! I also did recognize the ties between the schools! Phog Allen coached both Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith. Deam Smith coached Larry Brown and Roy Williams! Looking at that trail, It started at Kansas when those guys were playing there!! Christ, they're both great programs. Yes NC has more NCAA wins and championships! We all know that. NC has 2 more Championships in the NCAA but KU has 2 Championships from before there was an NCAA tournament so that would mean both schools have 5! We are only 14 wins behind NC in total wins and we have a lower winning percentage because of losses.

    If you want to know more, look it up! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_Jayhawks_Basketball
  3. scott
    230. Posted by scott Mon Nov 16 10:22pm EST

    Report Abuse

    OK if everyone wants to put there dicks on a table to see whos bigger then maybe there is a forum for that two. As for Raja King; Naismith, He is credited with invinting the game but it is FACT he did not. He himself stated he witnessed a group of blacks playing a game where they where puting a ball in an old milk crate and thought it would worth bringing to the forefront. He did'nt invent the game but is just credited with it because no one knows who accually did. Look that up!! As for people trying to credit Kansas for UNC's success; there has and always will be ties between the two schols so that argument will allways be there but has no true basis. Dean played there,Williams coached there and so on. Kansas is a great program and so is UNC.I dont beleive any two schools in history have such close ties and hope they allways do.However ( this is for SPORTSNBIKES@, ) if Kansas is the backbone of the sport and everyone got there start from there; ( implying some how they owe it all to KANSAS ) then why oh why dont they have as many wins or titles as UNC?
  4. JamesA
    229. Posted by JamesA Mon Nov 16 10:19pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I thought this story was about Maryland being ranked? You all are talking about Kansas being the birthplace of Carolina basketball. How can that be when we are celebrating 100 years of b ball at UNC not Kansas?
  5. HAIL2THEREDSKINS
    228. Posted by HAIL2THEREDSKINS Mon Nov 16 9:47pm EST

    Report Abuse

    go terps! im feeling that this is gonna be a good season. i hope we beat unc... again... like we do.
  6. Tracy S.
    227. Posted by Tracy S. Mon Nov 16 4:56pm EST

    Report Abuse

    The Terps have a nice mix of youth and Senior leadership. They will get better as the season wears on. Look for the scoring to be spread around much more than last year.
  7. John O
    226. Posted by John O Mon Nov 16 4:01pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Go terpssss!!!!!!!
  8. Raja King
    225. Posted by Raja King Sat Nov 7 12:04am EST

    Report Abuse

    sportsnbikes: I agree with your last comment 100%. I honestly don't know if Naismith or Allen taught Dean Smith anything special because they knew he was going to be a successful Head coach wherever he goes. That will just be theories & assumptions. Even Dean Smith didn't even know he will become the head coach of UNC basketball. It was his faith and his destiny. One just have to take into account that he had to learn under the genius, Frank McGuire for three years. If Frank McGuire did not break NCAA rules & if he did not recommend Dean Smith for that post at UNC; history might have been different. But nonetheless who am I to take away the great contributions of KU basketball to both the college and professional basketball games.
  9. <i>sportsnbikes@...</i>
    224. Posted by sportsnbikes@... Fri Nov 6 11:03am EST

    Report Abuse

    Raja and UNCtarheel--

    To both of you...I am perfectly aware where basketball was invented. When I said ALL, I should have clarified. I certainly did not mean that basketball was invented there. When I say it all started there, I was referring to the fact that Kansas University is the place where ALL of them got their start in basketball, less Naismith. Look, I am not going to continue to argue and we can agree to disagree. They are both great programs. But I would like for just ONE TIME, for people to recognize the contribution that Kansas University has given to college basketball in the forms of coaches---whether they played there, coached there or whatever!! My statement is that IT STARTED THERE!! Which, if you think about it, Dean Smith started there, Adolph Rupp started there!! Hell even our current coach started his coaching career at KU under Larry Brown! There--there's your ties back to North Carolina!!!!!!!

    Tarheel--anyone can read Wikipedia!

    Raja--everyone knows who McGuire is...come on...Seriously?
  10. Raja King
    223. Posted by Raja King Wed Nov 4 11:16pm EST

    Report Abuse

    sportsnbikes: I will expose you and some other KU fans who make fraudulent claims about the history of UNC basketball. You cannot prove your theory because it is all made up and full of nonsense. You claimed UNC Basketball started from KU because of Dean Smith. I told you Coach Frank McGuire started UNC Basketball in 1957. It is a fact. Go and look him up. You didn't even know Frank McGuire is a Hall of Famer. He was the only Coach inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977 few years before Dean Smith was inducted.

    If you don't know who Frank McGuire is or if you cannot give the man his due respect by starting and building UNC Basketball then there is something very wrong with you. James Naismith was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a CONTRIBUTOR not as a COACH in 1959. I have seen some KU fans make claims that James Naismith is in the coaching hall of fame which is terribly false. Don't believe me? look it up. By the way James Naismith was a Canadian who invented the game in Springfield, Massachusetts. Look that up too if you like.
  11. Unctarheel
    222. Posted by Unctarheel Tue Nov 3 10:36pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Correction to following paragraph:

    I didn't say Dean didn't learn some things from Allen while at Kansas. I simply started that a State (Kansas) or a coach (Allen, McGuire) doesn't make a person who they are or what they become. Dean Smith is the person/coach he is because of himself. The Tradition at Carolina is from the person Dean Smith is, not because KU people say it started at/in Kansas, because, logically, it all started in Springfield, Mass. in 1890.

    Sorry left a word out.

    By the way sportsnbikes, how is it that I am being egotistical? Please explain.
  12. Unctarheel
    221. Posted by Unctarheel Tue Nov 3 7:31pm EST

    Report Abuse

    sportsnbikes:

    I can't deny it all started at KU? Why not? Is that where basketball was invented? But you want to say I don't know the "roots" of basketball. Do you know the roots of basketball? Where was it invented? What year? Where did they first play the game of basketball? If you want to get technical about all of this, we certainly can.

    Basketball was created by James Naismith, who was born in Ontario, Canada. He spent 29 years in Canada before moving to Springfield, Mass. where, in 1890, he invented basketball. In 1898 KU basketball program officially began, following Naismith's arrival. Which he was the only coach in the history of the program to have a losing record.

    So does this mean that the real "roots" of basketball and all the great coaches started in Springfield, Mass.? Or Ontario, Cananda? Who decides that it "ALL" started at Kansas? KU Fans? True Dean Smith played 4 yrs. and coached one year at KU. Yes Dean probably learned some things while at Kansas as a player and/or coach. But the place doesn't make the coach! The person is the one who makes the coach!

    I have proved that it "ALL" did not start at Kansas. And what a notion, I did it with out name calling. And by the way, logically speaking, The "roots" of basketball started in Springfield, Mass.! Argue with that!

    I didn't say Dean didn't learn some things from Allen while at Kansas. I simply started that a State (Kansas) or a coach (Allen, McGuire) makes a person who they are or what they become. Dean Smith is the person/coach he is because of himself. The Tradition at Carolina is from the person Dean Smith is, not because KU people say it started at/in Kansas, because, logically, it all started in Springfield, Mass. in 1890.
  13. <i>sportsnbikes@...</i>
    220. Posted by sportsnbikes@... Tue Nov 3 5:19pm EST

    Report Abuse

    UNCTARHEEL--

    You can't deny that it all started at Kansas. You can't deny that Dean Smith went to Kansas for 4 years and learned from the man who was taught by the inventor of basketball! Quit being so naive and egotistical!! Whether he was an assistant for one year or just a player for 4, HE STARTED AT KANSAS!!!!!!

    James Naismith Phog Allen Dean Smith RoyWilliams

    Let's not forget this one

    James Naismith Phog Allen Adolph Rupp

    No we can't say UNC has a great tradition solely because of their ties to Kansas. However, we should all agree that it played a VERY big part in it!!!!! if not, then you're nothing but a HOMER and not really worthy of any logical discussion on "roots" of college basketball!
  14. K- DAWG
    219. Posted by K- DAWG Mon Nov 2 8:10pm EST

    Report Abuse

    1948 was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay before my time.
  15. Unctarheel
    218. Posted by Unctarheel Mon Nov 2 5:04pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I'm tired of hearing that UNC's tradition came from Kansas or anything similar to that. Why does the tradition at Carolina come from Kansas? Because Dean Smith was born in Kansas? Because Dean Smith played b-ball at Kansas under Phog Allen? Does the coach make the person? Does the state make the person? Dean Smith also was a player/coach while in the Air Force, could he have learned some things from that? Dean Smith was an assistant under Phog Allen for 1 year, is that what made Dean Smith such a Great coach? He also was an assistant under Frank McGuire for 3 years. Could he have learned anything from that?

    I do not believe that being born in Kansas, playing for Kansas, or being an assistant for 1 year at Kansas (or playing, being an assistant, or coaching somewhere else for that matter) has anything to do with Dean Smith being the person he is! Dean Smith is the person he is because he chose to be that way. He is a Great coach because he refused to except anything but the best! From himself and his players. It had nothing to do with Phog Allen or Kansas. Dean Smith felt a burning inside to be a coach, but he was/is much more than a coach. He has been a friend and/or a father figure to hundreds of his players. That is not something taught to you by being a player or an assistant coach, it is something you are born/blessed with. Dean Smith is blessed and has blessed a great many people who have come in contact with him.

    Dean Smith calls North Carolina home, not Kansas!
  16. DookieSince1973
    217. Posted by DookieSince1973 Mon Nov 2 3:13pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I'm bored so here comes some meaningless dribble. I (and probably a few other of my "generation") get really tickled at all the "my conference is better than your conference" talk. It's really kind of cool that this can take place. Back in my younger days, there was only one basketball conference - the ACC. That was it! Now there were absolutely some great, great programs out of the ACC that many years put out teams much better than anything the ACC could offer. UCLA (most certainly the later Wooden years) - but the Pac10 (or maybe Pac8 back then)? The great Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas dynasty teams. Often better than anything the ACC had. But as far as a CONFERENCE, it was the ACC.

    The first challenge (and by many people's opinion, a successful challenge) to ACC conference dominance was the Big East. Being an old school kind of guy, that Big East really bothered me. Not because of the challenge to the ACC, but because they started a lot of things that people seem to love today but us old farts don't like.

    They started the "look at me", playground, showboat style of basketball. And "thugball". Wouldn't have been THAT bad except that they also rewrote the rules to promote this kind of play. Most of you probably don't know that for a time, the Big East allowed SIX fouls per player. And they were the first conference to adopt the NBA walking rule -- that is, the number of steps allowed before a dunk was proportional to the awsomeness of the resulting dunk. It was like a mini-NBA inside college bball. And they certainly put out some great stars to the NBA. Fortunately, while some of the showboat, look at me mentality still holds today, a lot of the Big East "modifications" went by the wayside.

    Now there are a lot of great conferences - even the SEC. I think that's great for college basketball. Having different teams each year or two be the superior team, but still having the other teams be really good, is great! Is one conference better than another? Heck, at least today we can actually have that argument. For quite a bit of my long life, that wasn't even part of the trash talk world. Just wish we could have gotten there without the Big East "Sportscenter highlight" mentality so many current players seem to have. But that's just an old man's opinion. I realize the young folks love it.
  17. DookieSince1973
    216. Posted by DookieSince1973 Mon Nov 2 2:32pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Uhh K-DAWG #195.....the Fab Five was actually the 1948 Kentucky Team coached by Rupp. Given the civility and maturity of William D #194's post, it's possible that he's even more chronologically challenged than I am....so that's likely what he was refering too. Remember there was basketball before the 90s and some of us were actually around to enjoy a heck of a lot of it.
  18. <i>sportsnbikes@...</i>
    215. Posted by sportsnbikes@... Mon Nov 2 1:59pm EST

    Report Abuse

    RajaQUEEN--

    Ok so your guys didn't get hired by KU as coaches...nonetheless, they were COACHED at that school during very impressionable times in their lives! They went there...played there...won Championships there. Even better, they all come from the KU tree, be it playing there or coaching there!
  19. DookieSince1973
    214. Posted by DookieSince1973 Mon Nov 2 1:55pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I probably was a Dookie before tonyteeup #126 was born. Duke is always the best team out there?? No way. Not a prayer. Are they always really good...YES. Will any opponent always worry A LOT about playing them...YES. Will they have 25+ wins again this year...most likely.

    Last year, Duke lost to Villanova in the tournament. Villanova certainly was the best team out there that game. Year before, like K-DAWG pointed out three times, they did "almost" lose to Belmont...but they didn't so they must have been the better team out there....then of course they got their butts kicked by West Virginia...weren't the better team that day.

    But that's what you have to deal with as a Dookie. Don't win the National Championship or even reach the Final Four - you stink. Talk about respect!

    Always the best team out there? Nope. Always the best team any particular season? Nope. Best team this year? Probably not, there are some pretty darn good teams this year.

    Always really good? YEP! They are always one of the teams that other programs (if they win) use to define an outstanding year. Hey, we beat DUKE! And there aren't a heck of a lot of empty seats in ANY arena when Duke comes to town. When was the last time you ever saw fans storm the court because they beat Purdue. How many times have you seen fans storm the court when they beat Duke? -- Like maybe EVERY time! Its the ultimate respect.
  20. dave
    213. Posted by dave Mon Nov 2 10:10am EST

    Report Abuse

    All i can say

    c--a--t--s cats cats cats true blue
  21. rod s
    211. Posted by rod s Mon Nov 2 8:00am EST

    Report Abuse

    Richard .198 you said it...Duke is good but UNC is better. this season maybe be a little bit bumpy with to many big guys and not enough guards but if anyone can pull it of its ROY i cant wait for the season to start... GO HEELS
  22. K- DAWG
    210. Posted by K- DAWG Mon Nov 2 12:57am EST

    Report Abuse

    Sorry about that triple post.
  23. K- DAWG
    209. Posted by K- DAWG Mon Nov 2 12:57am EST

    Report Abuse

    "Illinois is going to win the Big Ten". The same thing was said about them in football and how many wins do they have? Two! They don't have a chance against MSU, Purdue and Ohio St. They'll finish 4th or 5th, possibly behind Michigan or Penn St. With a 6 or 7 seed at best.
  24. K- DAWG
    208. Posted by K- DAWG Mon Nov 2 12:52am EST

    Report Abuse

    "Duke is always the best team" have you even watched a Duke NCAA Tournament game in the last five years? Last year, they almost lost to Belmont! Let me repeat for emphasis BELMONT!!!
Sign in to post a comment, or sign up for a free account

Video Spotlight

More Videos »

YAHOO! SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

- Site Map

Copyright © 2009 2009 STATS LLC and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the STATS/AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of STATS LLC and The Associated Press.