Nov. 24--The season has just begun, and already the Top 25 has seen some major shuffling.
In just the third poll, Kentucky is my new No. 1 team after North Carolina tumbled. It's a familiar spot for the Wildcats, who spent almost all of last season there.
Three new teams made my ballot for the Associated Press poll (last week's ranking in parentheses; records through Sunday).
1. (2) Kentucky 4-0.
2. (3) Maryland 3-0.
3. (14) Michigan State 3-0.
4. (4) Kansas 1-1.
5. (7) Iowa State 2-0.
6. (6) Duke 4-1.
7. (8) Oklahoma 2-0.
8. (9) Villanova 4-0.
9. (1) North Carolina 3-1.
10. (11) Arizona 4-0.
11. (13) Indiana 3-0.
12. (12) Gonzaga 2-0.
13. (5) Virginia 4-1.
14. (15) California 3-0.
15. (NR) Miami 5-0.
16. (10) Wichita State 2-1.
17. (16) Notre Dame 3-0.
18. (18) Purdue 5-0.
19. (19) Connecticut 3-0.
20. (21) Vanderbilt 3-0.
21. (23) Oregon 4-0.
22. (NR) SMU 3-0.
23. (24) Texas A 4-0.
24. (NR) Xavier 3-0.
25. (17) Utah 4-1.
Dropped out: Baylor (20), Butler (22), Michigan (25)
--Miami made the jump from unranked to No. 15 on my ballot because of an impressive outing at the Puerto Rico Tip-off with victories against Mississippi State, Utah and Butler.
--Michigan State, sorry I doubted you. After I ranked them No. 14 last week, the Spartans showed they were undervalued with an impressive victory against Kansas in the Champions Classic.
--I'm not punishing Kansas or Duke because they lost to quality opponents in a Final Four type of atmosphere in the Champions Classic, which is more than most of the undefeated teams ranked below them can say.
--The AP poll dropped Wichita State from No. 9 to No. 20. I wasn't as tough on the Shockers. Tulsa is an underrated opponent. The Golden Hurricane won 23 games last season under coach Frank Haith and returned nearly every top performer.
--North Carolina falls from the top spot to No. 9 as Northern Iowa finally caught the vulnerable Tar Heels, dealing with the absence of injured point guard Marcus Paige.
sryan@tribpub.com
