Syracuse a unanimous No. 1 in AP poll; Virginia, UConn, Gonzaga back in Top 25

2/3/2014

Syracuse, off to the best start in school history, is the first unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press college basketball poll since Duke was for six weeks in 2010-11.

The Orange (21-0) are on top of the poll for the first time since a six-week run in 2011-12. They received all the first-place votes Monday from the 65-member national media panel.

Arizona (21-1) and Syracuse, which had been 1-2 for the last eight weeks, switched places after the Wildcats lost at California on Saturday. The Orange remained unbeaten with a 91-89 overtime win over Duke on Saturday.

Florida, Wichita State, the only other unbeaten in Division I, and San Diego State remained third through fifth and were followed by Villanova, Cincinnati, Kansas, Michigan State and Michigan.

No. 20 Virginia, No. 22 Connecticut and No. 23 Gonzaga returned to the rankings. They replaced Ohio State and Wisconsin, which both reached as high as No. 3 this season, and Massachusetts.

1. Syracuse (65);21-0

2. Arizona;21-1

3. Florida;19-2

4. Wichita St.;23-0

5. San Diego St.;19-1

6. Villanova;19-2

7. Cincinnati;21-2

8. Kansas;16-5

9. Michigan St.;19-3

10. Michigan;16-5

11. Duke;17-5

12. Creighton;18-3

13. Saint Louis;20-2

14. Louisville;18-4

15. Texas;17-4

16. Iowa St.;16-4

17. Iowa;17-5

18. Kentucky;16-5

19. Oklahoma St.;16-5

20. Virginia;17-5

21. Oklahoma;17-5

22. UConn;17-4

23. Gonzaga;20-3

24. Memphis;16-5

25. Pittsburgh;18-4

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 79, Ohio St. 45, VCU 44, SMU 15, New Mexico 12, California 9, UCLA 9, Harvard 4, George Washington 3, LSU 3, Tennessee 2, American U. 1, Southern Miss. 1.