SPARTANS

MSU moves up to No. 8 in AP, No. 9 in coaches polls

Detroit News and wire reports

The Michigan State men’s basketball team continues to make its way back up the Associated Press Top 25.

The Spartans (20-4), who spent a month at No. 1 before a three-game losing streak sent them tumbling in the polls, jumped two spots to No. 8 in Monday’s new rankings, thanks to an 89-73 victory Sunday over Michigan — their fourth straight victory.

Michigan State moved up one position in the coaches poll to No. 9, earning a first-place vote.

Villanova is No. 1 for the first time in the AP poll.

The Wildcats (20-3) made the jump from third following then-No. 1 Oklahoma’s loss to Kansas State and then-No. 2 North Carolina’s losses to Louisville and Notre Dame.

Villanova received 32 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel. Maryland, which received 13 No. 1 votes, moved up two spots to second.

Oklahoma, which had been No. 1 for the last three weeks, dropped to third and received seven first-place votes. Iowa, which got 11 first-place votes, is fourth and is followed in the top 10 by Xavier, Kansas, Virginia, Michigan State, North Carolina and West Virginia.

Kansas and Virginia both received one first-place vote.

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25

1. Villanova (32 first-place votes), 20-3, 1,566 points (No. 3 last week)

2. Maryland (13), 21-3, 1,499 (4)

3. Oklahoma (7), 19-3, 1,472 (1)

4. Iowa (11), 19-4, 1,471 (5)

5. Xavier, 21-2, 1,382 (6)

6. Kansas (1), 19-4, 1,311 (7)

7. Virginia (1), 19-4, 1,223 (9)

8. Michigan State, 20-4, 1,144 (10)

9. North Carolina, 19-4, 1,136 (2)

10. West Virginia, 19-4, 1,082 (14)

11. Oregon, 20-4, 905 (16)

12. Miami (Fla.), 18-4, 826 (17)

13. Louisville, 19-4, 819 (19)

14. Iowa State, 17-6, 781 (13)

15. Texas A&M, 18-5, 663 (8)

16. SMU, 20-2, 593 (12)

17. Arizona, 19-5, 497 (23)

18. Purdue, 19-5, 456 (18)

19. Dayton, 19-3, 413 (24)

20. Providence, 18-6, 349 (11)

21. Baylor, 17-6, 333 (15)

22. Kentucky, 17-6, 228 (20)

23. Southern Cal, 18-5, 225 (NR)

24. Texas, 16-7, 199 (NR)

25. Wichita Statem 17-6, 132 (21)

Others receiving votes: South Carolina 128, Indiana 91, Notre Dame 75, San Diego St. 22, Duke 14, Seton Hall 14, Gonzaga 10, LSU 10, VCU 10, Valparaiso 9, Stony Brook 8, Saint Mary’s (Cal) 6, Saint Joseph’s 5, UNC Wilmington 4, Hawaii 3, Utah 3, Chattanooga 2, George Washington 2, UConn 2, Michigan 1, Monmouth (NJ) 1.

COACHES TOP 25

1. Villanova (11 first-place votes), 20-3, 753 (No. 4 last week) 

2. Maryland (11), 21-3, 749 (3) 

3. Oklahoma (3), 19-3, 708 (2) 

4. Xavier, 21-2, 683 (5) 

5. Iowa (3), 19-4, 674 (7) 

6. Kansas (2), 19-4, 670 (6) 

7. Virginia, 19-4, 616 (9) 

8. North Carolina (1), 19-4, 599 (1) 

9. Michigan State (1), 20-4, 567 (10) 

10. West Virginia, 19-4, 490 (12) 

11. Miami (Fla.) 18-4, 433 (15) 

12. Oregon, 20-4, 423 (17) 

13. Texas A&M, 18-5, 388 (8) 

14. Arizona, 19-5, 311 (20) 

15. Iowa State, 17-6, 307 (14) 

16. Purdue, 19-5, 293 (16) 

17. (tie) Dayton, 19-3, 237 (24) 

17. (tie) Providence, 18-6, 237 (11) 

19. Baylor, 17-6, 222 (13) 

20. South Carolina, 20-3, 185 (23) 

21. Kentucky, 17-6, 178 (19) 

22. Indiana, 19-5, 119 (21) 

23. Southern Cal, 18-5, 106 (NR)

24. Wichita State, 17-6, 92 (22) 

25. Texas, 16-7, 70 (NR)

Others receiving votes: Notre Dame 64, Gonzaga 53, Duke 41, Saint Mary’s 28, Pittsburgh 25, Seton Hall 21, Valparaiso 15, Monmouth 12, Utah 12, VCU 8, LSU 5, Saint Joseph’s 2, UALR 1, California 1, Clemson 1, Stony Brook 1.