Kansas leaped from fifth to second in the Associated Press college basketball poll released Tuesday, ranking behind only Michigan State.
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 17, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:
Record Pts Prv
1. Michigan St. (51) — 3-0 — 1,608 — 2
2. Kansas (7) — 2-0 — 1,523 — 5
3. Louisville (7) — 3-0 — 1,511 — 3
4. Kentucky — 3-1 — 1,410 — 1
5. Arizona — 3-0 — 1,339 — 6
6. Duke — 2-1 — 1,320 — 4
7. Oklahoma St. — 3-0 — 1,198 — 8
8. Ohio St. — 3-0 — 1,172 — 10
9. Syracuse — 3-0 — 1,135 — 9
10. VCU — 3-0 — 928 — 14
11. Memphis — 1-0 — 871 — 13
12. Wisconsin — 3-0 — 763- 20
13. Gonzaga — 3-0 — 710 — 15
14. Michigan — 2-1 — 705- 7
15. Wichita St. — 4-0- 705- 16
16. Florida — 2-1 — 619 — 11
17. Oregon — 2-0 — 613- 18
18. UConn — 4-0- 600 — 19
19. New Mexico — 2-0- 353- 22
20. Baylor — 3-0 — 342- 23
21. Iowa St. — 3-0 — 296 _
22. UCLA — 2-0 — 291 — 24
23. Creighton — 3-0 — 246 _
24. North Carolina — 2-1 — 213 — 12
25. Marquette — 2-1 — 144 — 17
Others receiving votes: Iowa 122, Indiana 109, Virginia 77, Harvard 72, Boise St. 28, Belmont 18, Arizona St. 13, Villanova 11, Xavier 10, Tennessee 9, Pittsburgh 7, Colorado 6, Missouri 5, Florida St. 4, Minnesota 4, Saint Louis 4, Cincinnati 3, BYU 2, Indiana St. 2, UMass 2, George Washington 1, Notre Dame 1.
Here’s how I filled out my ballot:
**1. Louisville:** Chane Behanan reinstated after one-game benching. No word yet on when suspension will be lifted on his free-throw touch (1 for 7).
**2. Kansas:** Next time commitment comes from low-ranked recruit, remember two words: Frank Mason. Ranked 131st by Rivals the day he committed; shot up to 76 later.
**3. Michigan State:** With Magic Johnson sending triple-double karmic waves from United Center seat, senior PG Keith Appling nearly scored one with 22, eight and eight vs. Kentucky.
**4. Duke:** Chicago has been very kind to the Blue Devils, sending Coach K, Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor to Tobacco Road.
**5. Kentucky:** So little experience, so much talent, Wildcats looked very good in United Center comeback that fell short.
**6. Syracuse:** Jim Boeheim has been head coach at his alma mater during the administrations of Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II and Obama. The vice presidents: Rockefeller, Mondale, Bush I, Quayle, Gore, Cheney, Biden.
**7. Arizona:** Frosh sensation Aaron Gordon needed one more rule change: Allow free throws to be shot behind top of key. He’s hit 80 percent from three, 30 percent from line.
**8. Oklahoma State:** Phil Forte averaging 22 minutes, 21 points and shooting .636 from three.
**9. Oregon:** Joseph Young, granted immediate eligibility after transfer from Houston, averaging 30 points and has made 27 of 28 free throws.
**10. Ohio State:** Shot .167 from three, .333 from line in 52-35 rout of Marquette in game that took basketball back to peach-basket days.
**11. VCU:** Virginia dictated slow pace and still Rams won thriller. Good sign.
**12. Memphis:** Be it Missouri or Memphis, K.C., Mo., native Michael Dixon same Tiger of a point guard. Had 15 points, four rebounds, four steals and made 5 of 7 shots in debut with new school.
**13. Wichita State:** Too bad Andrew Wiggins didn’t make a condition of his coming to KU scheduling a game against Shockers so he could face his brother, Nick. Not his style, but I wonder if he could have pulled it off?
**14. Wisconsin:** Bo Ryan’s swing offense results in open threes and Badgers hitting them at .410 rate.
**15. UConn:** Headline in New Haven Register: “UConn’s Omar Calhoun getting his confidence back.” First sentence of story that appeared under that headline: “One thing Omar Calhoun has never lacked is confidence.” I hope to get back my putting touch, which is the only thing I’ve never lost.
**16. UCLA:** “Steve Alford All-American Inn” still in business, just off I-70 in New Castle, Ind. If he wins a national title with the Bruins, look for him to expand the chain.
**17. Florida:** Consider this back-to-back-to-back schedule buzz saw: Dec. 2, UConn; Dec. 10, Kansas; Dec. 17, Memphis.
**18. Gonzaga:** His unproductive professional playing days over, Adam Morrison, 29, is a student assistant for Mark Few and is taking classes.
**19. Iowa State:** Mayor of Ames more popular, fitter, better dressed and better behaved than Toronto mayor.
**20. Michigan:** Iowa State’s Melvin Ejim (22 points, nine rebounds, three steals) and Michigan’s Mitch McGary (nine points, six boards, four steals) returned from injuries in same game, won by host ISU.
**21. Iowa:** Coach Fran McCaffery’s wife, Margaret, former Notre Dame hoops player, became notorious for loudly urging reporters at post-game press conference to ask about officiating. That was when he coached at Siena. She has behaved at Iowa and his players also listen to him.
**22. Creighton:** POY candidate Doug McDermott averaging 25.7, shooting .533 from three.
**23. Virginia:** Coach Tony Bennett holds NCAA career three-point percentage (.497), scoring 2,285 points for for Wisconsin-Green Bay, then of Mid-Continent Conference. Father, Dick, was his coach.
**24. Baylor:** Coach Scott Drew’s brother, Bryce, shot .435 from three and scored 2,142 points for Valparaiso, then of Mid-Continent Conference. Father, Homer, was Bryce’s coach.
**25. Xavier:** Soph guard Semaj Christon averaging 17.3 despite shooting 11 of 27 from line.