Gonzaga goes wire to wire in the AP college basketball poll

Gonzaga finished the season right where it started in the AP college basketball poll.

The Bulldogs became the 14th team to be ranked No. 1 from start to finish in the history of the AP rankings and the first since Kentucky in 2015. Others to accomplish the feat in the last three decades include UNLV in 1991 and national champion Duke in 1992.

The Zags (26-0) received all 60 first-place votes in Monday’s final poll, the 17th of the season. It’s the first time Gonzaga has been a unanimous No. 1 in the media poll.

Illinois moved up to second and Baylor dropped to third following a loss to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament. Michigan remained fourth. The top-four ranked teams received No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

The next four teams in order, Alabama, Houston, Ohio State and Iowa, are second seeds. Texas and Arkansas rounded out the top 10.

Gonzaga was No. 1 in the preseason poll by one point over Baylor.

BYU entered the rankings for the first time this season, sharing the 23rd spot with USC, after falling to Gonzaga 88-78 in the WCC Tournament championship game.

The Zags also have victories over No. 8 Iowa, No. 12 Kansas, No. 13 West Virginia and No. 15 Virginia.

The NCAA Tournament hasn’t been kind to the top-ranked team in the final AP poll. Kentucky in 2012 was the only team to capture the national championship in the last two decades and only four programs have won it all since 1985.

The Zags open the NCAA Tournament on Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s Appalachian State-Norfolk State game.

Gonzaga was a unanimous No. 1 in the USA Today coaches poll for the second straight week with 32 first-place votes. The rest of the top 10 mirrored the AP top 10. BYU received 55 points, 18 behind No. 25 Oregon.

The Zags were second in the preseason poll, two points behind Baylor.

Gonzaga remained No. 1 in the NET rankings, followed by Baylor, Illinois, Michigan and Houston. BYU is No. 20.