College Basketball Top 25: Duke Climbs to No. 2 in Newest AP Poll

After running the gauntlet in the toughest early-season tournament field at the Battle 4 Atlantis, Duke leaps to No. 2 in the latest AP Poll unveiled on Monday. Previously second-ranked Louisville, which fell to Duke in the tournament finale minus Gorgui Dieng, swapped places with the Blue Devils and dipped to No. 5.

Indiana holds steady at No. 1, receiving 47 of a possible 65 first-place votes. Duke received the other 18.

Big Ten rivals Michigan and Ohio State trade places at No. 3 and No. 4. The Wolverines jumped the Buckeyes after topping Pittsburgh and Kansas State–two potential NCAA tournament teams–to win the NIT Season Tip-Off. Syracuse (No. 6), Florida (No. 7) and Kentucky (No. 8) all stay put, while Arizona moves up a spot to No. 9 and Kansas skips two spots to round out the Top 10.

North Carolina falls out of the Top 10, dropping five spots to No. 14 after losing to Butler in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational. UCLA (previously No. 11), which picked up the most stunning loss of the season on Sunday night while most East Coasters were in bed, tumbles out of the poll altogether.

Gonzaga surges five spots from No. 17 to No. 12 after holding off Clemson, steamrolling an experienced Oklahoma team and running away from Davidson late in the finale of the Old Spice Classic. Oklahoma State and Cincinnati each jump five spots as well, State climbing from No. 20 to No. 15 and Cincy from No. 22 to No. 17. Colorado skies four spots from No. 23 to No. 19.

In addition to UCLA, Memphis (previously No. 19), Connecticut (previously No. 21) and Baylor (previously No. 24) slid out of the Top 25. The Tigers dropped their first two games in the Battle 4 Atlantis (to VCU and Minnesota) while the Bears lost on Sunday to Charleston at home.

UNLV, fresh of losing to Oregon in the Global Sports Classic semifinals, is hanging onto the poll by a thread. The Runnin Rebels dipped six spots from No. 18 to No. 24.

No. 20 Georgetown, No. 21 Minnesota and No. 22 Illinois and No. 25 New Mexico are all first-time poll occupants. Georgetown and Minnesota each move into the poll despite having lost once this past week.