Kansas is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press men's basketball poll for the first time since Week Six of last season.
The Jayhawks (9-1), who have won nine straight games since a season-opening loss to Duke on Nov. 5 in the Champions Classic, moved from No. 2 in last week's poll to No. 1 on Monday following previously unbeaten Louisville's 70-57 loss to Texas Tech on Tuesday in the Jimmy V. Classic.
The Jayhawks received 47 first-place votes out of 65. Gonzaga (15 first place votes) is this week's No. 2 team followed by Louisville (one first place vote), Duke (two) Ohio State, Kentucky, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia and Baylor. Memphis is No. 11 followed by Auburn, Dayton, Michigan, Michigan State, Arizona, Butler, Villanova, Florida State, San Diego State, Tennessee, Washington, Penn State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Previously undefeated Ohio State, which was ranked No. 3 last week, lost at Minnesota, 84-71, on Sunday, leaving the Jayhawks the logical pick to vault to No. 1.
"Certainly, we'll welcome being ranked No. 1," KU coach Bill Self said Monday. "I don't believe that any team out there is deserving, at this juncture, of separating themselves to earn that. But based on where we started and how we've played the last nine games, I do believe my guys deserve to be ranked high and the No. 1 ranking is something that will be rewarding today, in the short term, but not mean anything moving forward except a bigger bullseye on our back."
The Jayhawks have been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll at some point in eight of Self's 17 seasons at KU.
"I think every team wants to be No. 1," KU junior guard Marcus Garrett said prior to KU's 98-57 victory over UMKC on Saturday at the Sprint Center.
KU sophomore forward David McCormack, who had 28 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes Saturday, said Self addressed the No. 1 topic after the game.
"I mean he touched on it, not so much a long speech, just that we may be No. 1, don't let it get to our heads. If we are there we need to maintain it by doing what we need to do as a team," McCormack said.
Noted sophomore guard Ochai Agbaji, who had five points, four rebounds and three assists versus the Kangaroos: "The bigger picture is we have other goals this season. Early on the rankings do not matter. Our goal now is to win conference, start dominating that again. I'm ready for that. Rankings don't really matter."
KU coach Self thought Ohio State might grasp the No. 1 ranking, but that was prior to the Buckeyes' loss to Minnesota.
"It's been a strange year," Self said. "I don't think very often you have a situation ... you look at the Top Ten and there's only one undefeated team (Ohio State prior to Sunday's loss). in the past you look at the Top 10 at this time of the season and there are usually several (unbeaten squads). San Diego State is undefeated (as well as Auburn). There are not very many."
Prior to the UMKC rout, Self said, "Yeah, why not?" when asked if he would be happy with a No. 1 ranking. "We've done what we're supposed to do, played pretty well since the first game. We weren't effective at all that game. We can't get that back. Since then we've been fairly good, fairly consistent."
Of being No. 1 at this time, he noted: "I don't think it means a lot. I don't think being No. 1 is exactly where anyone wants to be. They haven't stayed long. I'd welcome it with our program later in the season more than now. March is an ideal time to be there. Early in the season it doesn't matter that much."
KU will put its No. 1 ranking on the line Saturday at 8-2 Villanova. Tipoff is 11 a.m. Central time at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
