NORMAN — Indiana is No. 1 in The Associated Press’ Top 25 for the fourth straight week, while Gonzaga moved to No. 2 for the first time in school history.
The Bulldogs were third last week, matching their previous best ranking.
“The polls mean a lot more this time of year than they do in November, December, even January,” coach Mark Few said. “All of us are being judged on the true body of work. It’s definitely rewarding.
“It establishes us as a national program, which I believe we have been for the last 10 years. This group has done a great job of competing at that level, winning games at the highest level.”
While the West Coast Bulldogs made some news at the top of the poll Monday, Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs from Down South, moved into the rankings for the first time since a 13-week run in 1984-85, their only appearance in the poll.
Louisiana Tech, which is 25th this week, was led back then to a ranking as high as No. 7 by a forward named Karl Malone. Gonzaga at that time had a point guard named John Stockton. They went on to become one of the greatest combinations in NBA history with the Utah Jazz, were members of the Dream Team and both were inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Hoosiers, who have been ranked No. 1 for a total of 10 weeks this season, received all but one first-place vote from the 65-member national media panel.
Gonzaga, which got the other No. 1 vote, was ranked third for the final two weeks of 2003-04.
Duke moved up three spots to third and is followed by Michigan and Miami, which dropped from second after falling to Wake Forest, the Hurricanes’ first Atlantic Coast Conference loss this season.
Kansas is sixth, followed by Georgetown, Florida, Michigan State and Louisville.
Saint Louis, which beat Butler and VCU last week, moved into 18th in the poll, the Billikens’ first ranking since being in for one week last season.
Colorado State, which was 22nd and lost twice last week, and VCU, which was 24th, dropped out.
Baylor still
No. 1 in AP poll
Baylor remains No. 1 in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll for an eighth straight week after topping UConn last Monday night.
The Lady Bears rallied to beat the third-ranked Huskies by six points before routing Texas for their 37th straight Big 12 regular-season victory. Baylor received all 40 first-place votes for the first time since returning to the top spot. The Lady Bears visited Oklahoma on Monday night, coming away with a 86-64 win.
The first seven stayed unchanged with Notre Dame, UConn, Stanford and Duke following Baylor.
Cal rallied from a 17-point deficit against Oregon State on Sunday to remain sixth. Penn State, Tennessee, Maryland and Kentucky round out the first 10.
A week after falling out of the Top 25, Iowa State came back in at No. 23. Oklahoma State fell out for the first time this season.
For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.
