Tar Heels Tumble To No. 5, Duke Moves Up

SETH CURRY (Eugene Tanner/AP Photo)

Kentucky is back at No. 1 in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Saint Louis is back in the Top 25 for the first time since 1993-94.

The Wildcats (6-0) replaced North Carolina, which had been No. 1 since the preseason poll, on Monday, receiving 46 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel. The Tar Heels (5-1) dropped to fifth following their 90-80 loss to UNLV in the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational.

Ohio State (6-0) moved up from third to second and had 17 first-place votes, while Duke (7-0), which won the EA Sports Maui Invitational, jumped from sixth to third and had the other two No. 1 votes.

Syracuse, North Carolina, Louisville, Baylor, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Florida rounded out the top 10.

UNLV (7-0) used the win over North Carolina to move in at 18th. The Runnin’ Rebels were ranked for four weeks last season. 

North Carolina is at Kentucky on Saturday, a matchup that would have had No. 1 facing No. 2.