Kansas stays atop poll; Buckeyes fall to No. 18

12/15/2009

Kansas was the runaway No. 1 pick in the Associated Press men's basketball poll yesterday, just as it has been each week since the season began last month.

Kansas State and New Mexico entered the rankings this week. The Wildcats joined the poll for the first time since the 2007-08 season, a drought dwarfed by the Lobos, whose previous appearance in the Top 25 was in March 1999.

The Jayhawks (9-0) received 61 first-place votes were well ahead of Texas (8-0), which received one first-place vote and was No. 2 for the third straight week.

Kentucky (10-0), which was No. 1 on one ballot, and Purdue (9-0) both moved up one spot to third and fourth. Syracuse was fifth.

Ohio State fell three spots to No. 18 after losing at Butler, which is ranked 17th.

It's been almost a decade since Connecticut has had a run this long at No. 1.

The top-ranked Huskies remained No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll for the 30th straight week, matching the longest run atop the poll in school history. UConn, which received all 40 first-place votes, tied the mark set from 1999-2001.

The Huskies are still six short of the all-time record of 36 consecutive weeks at No. 1, held by Louisiana Tech from 1980-82.

The Huskies (8-0), who have won their games by an average of 45 points, play Iona on Sunday before a showdown against No. 2 Stanford on Dec. 23.

Tennessee flipped places with Notre Dame, moving up to No. 3 after beating Rutgers. LSU is fifth, followed by Baylor, Ohio State and Duke.

No. 22 Georgia Tech 95, Chattanooga 64.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Gani Lawal scored 29 points to lead Georgia Tech.

Derrick Favors had 14 points, Glen Rice added 11 and Mfon Udofia and Maurice Miller had 10 each for the Yellow Jackets (7-1) in their first true road game of the season.

Ty Patterson scored 22 points for the Mocs (5-5), while Vanderbilt transfer Keegan Bell added 13.

The Yellow Jackets shot 60.8 percent from the field.