College Baskeball: Duke Takes Top Spot in Divided Coaches’ Poll

For the sixth straight week, the coaches’ poll has a change at the top. And for the third time in those six weeks, Duke is the lucky beneficiary.

The Blue Devils returned to their familiar perch at No. 1 on Monday, marking the sixth different week this season Mike Krzyzewski’s team headlines the poll. Duke received 18 of the 31 available first-place votes.

Formerly top-ranked Indiana, which fumbled a double-digit lead in a loss to Illinois last week before thumping Ohio State in Columbus on Sunday, dipped one spot to second. The  Hoosiers pulled in six first-place votes.

Gonzaga is third and received one first-place vote. The West Coast Conference leader is undefeated in league play and has won six-straight since a backbreaking loss to Butler at the buzzer. Gonzaga is followed in the poll by Miami (fourth) and Michigan (fifth). The Hurricanes received five first-place votes while the Wolverines scored one. In all, five different teams received No. 1 bids.

Florida (No. 6), Syracuse (No. 7), Michigan State (No. 8), Arizona (No. 9) and Butler (No. 10) fill out the  Top 10. Kansas, losers of three in a row and two in the last week, took the poll’s biggest tumble, sagging from fifth to thirteenth.

A season-high six teams fell out of the poll while five newcomers joined — there was a two-way tie at No. 25 last week. Cincinnati, Minnesota, Oregon, Missouri, Wichita State and Ole Miss toppled out of the rankings.

Wisconsin (No. 19), Marquette (No. 20), Notre Dame (No. 21), Colorado State (No. 24) and Memphis (No. 25) cracked the Top 25. The Badgers surged 11 spots from the fifth-leading votes getter on the periphery of the poll to No. 19. The Rams entered the poll for the first time while the Tigers rejoined the rankings for the first time since Week 3.