By JIM O’CONNELL
(AP) — Villanova held onto its impressive lead as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll.
The Wildcats (11-0) are on top for a third straight week receiving 56 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.
UCLA remained ranked second with three No. 1 votes. Kansas, Baylor (which got the other six first-place votes), Duke and Kentucky remained third through sixth for a third consecutive week.
Gonzaga moved up one spot to seventh while North Carolina, which lost 103-100 to Kentucky on Saturday, dropped one place to eighth.
Creighton and Louisville moved up one spot each to round out the top 10.
West Virginia was 11th followed by Virginia, Butler, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana, Xavier, Arizona, Saint Mary’s and Oregon.
The last five teams are Florida State, South Carolina, Southern California, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.
Butler’s 83-78 victory over Indiana gave the Bulldogs the week’s biggest jump, from 18th to No. 13. The loss dropped Indiana from ninth to No. 16.
South Carolina’s 67-64 loss to Seton Hall saw the Gamecocks fall from 16th to No. 22.
There is only one double-ranked this week but it means an awful lot to the people of a certain commonwealth as No. 6 Kentucky visits No. 10 Louisville on Wednesday.
AP POLL
1-Villanova (11-0)
2. UCLA (12-0)
3. Kansas (10-1)
4. Baylor (11-0)
5. Duke (10-1)
6. Kentucky (10-1)
7. Gonzaga (11-0)
8. North Carolina (10-2)
9. Creighton (11-0)
10. Louisville (10-1)
11. West Virginia (9-1)
12. Virginia (9-1)
13. Butler (10-1)
14. Wisconsin (10-2)
15. Purdue (9-2)
16. Indiana (8-2)
17. Xavier (9-2)
18. Arizona (9-2)
20. Saint Mary’s (8-1)
21. Florida State (11-1)
22. South Carolina (9-1)
23. Southern Cal (10-0)
24. Cincinnati (9-2)
25. Notre Dame (9-2)
