Memphis replaced North Carolina as the No. 1 team in college basketball Monday, the Tigers’ first appearance atop The Associated Press poll in 25 years.
Kansas, the nation’s only other undefeated NCAA Division I men’s team, moved up to No. 2 while the Tar Heels dropped to fifth after their loss to Maryland on Saturday. Drake and Baylor were two new entries to the rankings, joining the Top 25 for the first time in a long time.
Washington State, which beat Oregon 69-60 on Sunday to improve to 16-1, moved up two spots to sixth.
Memphis’ only other appearance at No. 1 was as short as possible — a one-week stint in 1983. “That team went to No. 1 on a Monday and lost that night. We get to enjoy Monday and Tuesday and until we play at Tulsa on Wednesday night,” Memphis coach John Calipari said.
North Carolina was ranked No. 1 in preseason and for the first 10 polls of the regular season.
Memphis (17-0) moved up one spot with 49 first-place votes and 1,777 points from the 72-member national media panel. Kansas (18-0) advanced from third to second with 23 first-place votes and 1,751 points. Tennessee and Duke moved from sixth and seventh to third and fourth, respectively. They were followed by North Carolina (18-1).
Drake, which came in at No. 22, is ranked for the first time since the final poll of the 1974-75 season. No. 25 Baylor was last in the rankings in February 1969.
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