Duke reclaim top spot in AP poll following win over Michigan
Duke have reclaimed the number one spot in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll following their victory over previous leaders Michigan.
The Blue Devils climbed two places to head Monday’s rankings, extending their own record to 148 appearances at the summit of the sport.
Jon Scheyer’s side secured 56 of the 61 first-place votes to overtake the Wolverines following Saturday’s 68-63 triumph in Washington.
It marks the second consecutive season the Durham-based programme has reached the pinnacle under their fourth-year head coach.
March Madness implications
The victory carried significant weight, featuring the top two sides in the NCAA selection committee’s preliminary top 16 seeds.
Duke boast a nation-leading 12 Quadrant 1 victories and have defeated nine opponents currently residing in the AP Top 25.
Last season’s Final Four participants have now returned to the top ranking for the first time since the 2023-24 campaign concluded.
Prior to Scheyer taking charge in 2022, the programme had been led for decades by retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Arizona rise as Michigan fall
Arizona moved up to second place after defeating BYU and securing a valuable road win at Houston.
The Wildcats collected the remaining five first-place votes to sit just behind the leaders.
Michigan’s first stint at number one since 2013 proved short-lived, with the Wolverines dropping to third after a single week.
Big 12 challengers Iowa State and Houston complete the top five.
Gators and Crimson Tide surge
Reigning national champions Florida vaulted five places to seventh, returning to the top 10 for the first time since November.
The Gators have found their rhythm, winning 12 of their last 13 contests including a current seven-game streak.
Alabama recorded the week’s most significant climb, jumping eight spots to 17th.
The Crimson Tide secured a double-overtime victory against Arkansas to extend their winning run to six games.
Meanwhile, UConn slipped to sixth following a home defeat by Creighton, while Purdue, Gonzaga and Illinois rounded out the top 10.