Dec. 07--Michigan State keeps surprising.
The Spartans used an impressive victory and the misfortune of other teams to rise to the top of my Associated Press top 25 poll this week.
Other teams, looking at you Syracuse and Gonzaga, just disappointed.
(Last week's rankings in parentheses; records through Sunday).
1. (3) Michigan State 9-0
2. (4) Kansas 6-1
3. (9) North Carolina 6-1
4. (2) Maryland 7-1
5. (1) Kentucky 7-1
6. (5) Iowa State 6-0
7. (6) Duke 8-1
8. (7) Oklahoma 5-0
9. (8) Villanova 7-0
10. (11) Arizona 7-1
11. (10) Virginia 7-1
12. (12) Purdue 8-0
13. (14) Xavier 8-0
14. (19) SMU 6-0
15. (25) Providence 8-1
16. (23) West Virginia 7-0
17. (NR) Butler 6-1
18. (NR) Baylor 6-1
19. (17) Cincinnati 7-2
20. (22) Louisville 6-1
21. (18) Oregon 6-1
22. (24) Miami 7-1
23. (16) Gonzaga 5-2
24. (13) Syracuse 6-2
25. (20) Vanderbilt 6-2
Drop outs: Texas A (15), Connecticut (21)
--Notes: Michigan State usually reserves its "in-your-face" laughs until March when the Spartans typically exchange their early season stumbles for brilliance and prove doubters wrong. They jump to No. 1 in my poll this week after impressively beating Louisville, their second win this season against a ranked opponent.
--Syracuse may have had the worst week of anyone in the poll. After vaulting into the top 25 last week to No. 13, the Orange dropped an overtime loss to Wisconsin and followed up with a loss to Georgetown without coach Jim Boeheim, who is serving an NCAA-sanctioned suspension. They're hanging onto a spot in the polls thanks to wins last week against Texas A and Connecticut.
--Welcome back, Baylor. The Bears looked impressive in their victory against Vanderbilt on Sunday behind 30 points from Taurean Prince. Baylor's early loss at Oregon probably shouldn't have put such a ding in Baylor's reputation, especially given the way the Ducks' season is shaping up.
--I've kept Arizona ranked higher than some other voters and the overall ranking. The Wildcats cracked my top 10 this week after rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Gonzaga at The Kennel, no easy task. Their only loss this season came on a neutral court against a strong Providence team.
--Kentucky doesn't have to worry about the pressures of going undefeated this season like it did last year. The Wildcats dropped a stunner to UCLA on the road, losing 87-77 as their typically tough defense wilted.
