UNLV Still on Top, UCLA Still No. 10 in College Basketball Poll

With UNLV holding the top spot for the seventh consecutive week, the top 11 teams in the college basketball poll remained unchanged today. UCLA retains its No. 10 ranking.

The Runnin’ Rebels (6-0) received 62 of 63 first-place votes and 1,574 points in the nationwide voting of sportswriters and broadcasters to easily outdistance Arkansas (10-1), which had 1,465 points.

Syracuse (12-0) received the other first-place vote and had 1,428 points, 32 more than Arizona (10-1). Indiana (12-1) was fifth with 1,262 points and was followed in the Top Ten by Ohio State, North Carolina, Duke, St. John’s and UCLA.

The Buckeyes (10-0) held sixth with 1,251 points, 59 more than North Carolina (9-1). Duke (9-2) had 1,146 points, while St. John’s (9-0) had 1,031 and the Bruins (10-1) had 991.

Of the Top Ten teams, only one had a victory closer than 10 points last week, and that was Ohio State’s 82-80 win over Mississippi State on Friday night, the Bulldogs’ first loss of the season.

Pittsburgh (11-2) again led the Second Ten with 908 points, but voting took place before the Panthers were upset by Hawaii in the championship game of the Rainbow Classic at Honolulu on Sunday.

Pittsburgh was followed by Connecticut, Oklahoma, Louisiana State, Georgetown, Kentucky, East Tennessee State, Virginia, Nebraska and South Carolina.

The last five spots went to Southern Mississippi, Iowa, New Mexico State, Georgia Tech and Michigan State.

THE TOP 25

The top 25 teams in the AP college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and records through Dec. 30. 1. UNLV (62): 6-0 2. Arkansas: 10-1 3. Syracuse (1): 12-0 4. Arizona: 10-1 5. Indiana: 12-1 6. Ohio State: 10-0 7. North Carolina: 9-1 8. Duke: 9-2 9. St. John’s: 9-0 10. UCLA: 10-1 11. Pittsburgh: 11-2 12. Connecticut: 8-1 13. Oklahoma: 10-2 14. LSU: 7-2 15. Georgetown: 7-2 16. Kentucky: 8-2 17. E. Tennessee St.: 9-1 18. Virginia: 7-2 19. Nebraska: 12-1 20. South Carolina: 9-2 21. Southern Miss.: 5-1 22. Iowa: 11-1 23. N. Mexico State: 8-1 24. Georgia Tech: 7-3 25. Michigan State: 7-3