The last of the unbeatens are 1-2-3 in the Top 25 – again.
North Carolina, Memphis and Kansas, the only Division I teams yet to lose this season, were the top teams in the Associated Press’ college basketball poll for a seventh straight week Monday.
Arizona State moved in at No. 22, the Sun Devils’ first ranking since the final poll of the 1994-95 season.
North Carolina (17-0), which beat North Carolina Asheville and North Carolina State last week, kept the No. 1 ranking it has held since the preseason poll. The Tar Heels received 45 first-place votes and 1,765 points from the 72-member national media panel.
Memphis (15-0) beat East Carolina and Marshall in its first two Conference USA games last week, and the Tigers were No. 1 on 24 ballots and had 1,739 points.
Kansas (16-0), which defeated Loyola (Md.) and Nebraska last week, received three first-place votes.
Three teams lost for the first time last week – Washington State, Vanderbilt and Mississippi – and each dropped at least two places in the poll.
Arizona State coach Herb Sendek welcomed the ranking as a sign that his rebuilding effort is paying off. But he said it’s premature for Sun Devils fans to celebrate.
“It most certainly is an indication that we’re making progress,” said Sendek, who went 8-22 last season.
