Connecticut leads, Kansas makes big surge in men’s basketball poll

The new USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll is out, and as one might expect given all the significant showdowns last weekend, it looks quite a bit different than it did a week ago.

The top three teams, however, remain the same as No. 1 Connecticut and No. 2 Purdue continue to monopolize the first place votes. The top-ranked Huskies claim 25 of them, with the Boilermakers getting the other seven. North Carolina, which bounced back from a midweek loss at Georgia Tech with an impressive win against archrival Duke, stays put at No. 3.

Kansas surges up five places and moves ahead of Houston at No. 4 after beating the Cougars on Saturday. Tennessee, which lost earlier in the week to South Carolina, falls just one position to No. 6 thanks to Saturday’s win at Kentucky. That result also knocked the Wildcats out of the top 10, as they tumble seven spots to No. 15.

Marquette, one of just four top-10 teams that did not lose at least once during the week, climbs to No. 7. Another group of Wildcats, Arizona, replaces Kentucky at No. 8, and Wisconsin and Duke round out the top 10.

Alabama is the big mover of the week. Now alone atop the SEC standings, the Crimson Tide climb six places to No. 16. No. 11 Auburn and No. 13 Baylor each gain five positions.

Surging South Carolina makes its season debut in the poll, checking in at No. 20. San Diego State also moves back in at No. 24. New Mexico dips five places but hangs on to the No. 25 slot, just three points ahead of Saint Mary’s.

Oklahoma and TCU fall out after another hard week of Big 12 competition.