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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga moves up to No. 4, Tennessee takes over top spot in AP Top 25

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Gonzaga took a step up in the rankings after a chaotic week for the best teams in college basketball.

The Zags climbed one spot to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll, jumping ahead of Michigan, which was one of three top four teams to lose last week. Six of last week’s top 10 suffered at least one defeat.

Tennessee, which knocked Gonzaga from the top spot with a 76-73 win over the Zags on Dec. 9, moved from third to first. The Volunteers’ only other stint at No. 1 was during the 2008 season.

Duke, which went 1-1, dropped from No. 1 to No. 2.

Michigan plunged from second to fifth after absorbing its first loss of the season. Virginia also lost for the first time, falling to Duke 72-70 on Saturday. The Cavaliers actually moved up from fourth to third, thanks in part to an impressive rout of No. 9 Virginia Tech earlier in the week.

Michigan and Virginia were the last two remaining unbeatens in Division I.

Tennessee received 48 first-place votes, Duke 11. Virginia and No. 6 Michigan State each had two. The Volunteers have a 55-point edge over the Blue Devils.

Nevada, Kentucky, Kansas and Virginia Tech round out the top 10.

The Zags received 1,374 points, gaining 59 points from last week, but they’re closer to fifth (Michigan, 1,364) than third (Virginia, 1,451). Michigan State trails Gonzaga by 19 points.

Gonzaga extended its winning streak to nine, routing Loyola Marymount and Portland. The Zags (18-2) have just one game this week, visiting Santa Clara on Thursday night.

The Zags are 1-1 against the current top two, defeating Duke at the Maui Invitational and losing to Tennessee in Phoenix.

San Francisco, which shares second with Saint Mary’s in the WCC, received two votes.

Tennessee also took over the top spot in the USA Today poll. Virginia dropped from first to third while Duke held steady at No. 2.

Gonzaga moved up to fourth, 27 points behind the Cavaliers. Michigan fell two spots to No. 6. The Zags hold an 11-point lead over No. 5 Michigan State.