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Michigan State up to No. 6, Michigan drops to No. 10 in AP basketball poll

Detroit News staff and wires
Michigan State (25-6) moved up three spots to No. 6 in this week’s rankings, while Michigan (26-5) dropped three spots to No. 10.

Michigan State and Michigan are trading places as top dog in the state, once again, in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Michigan State (25-6) moved up three spots to No. 6 in this week’s rankings, while Michigan (26-5) dropped three spots to No. 10. It marks the third straight week the rivals have leapfrogged one another.

On Saturday, Michigan State locked up a share of the Big Ten regular-season title with Purdue with a 75-63 victory over Michigan — its second victory over the Wolverines in as many weeks — to earn the top seed in this week’s Big Ten tournament.

Gonzaga, Virginia and North Carolina remain 1-2-3 atop an otherwise reshuffled top 10.

The Zags sit on top for a third straight week, earning 41 of 64 first-place votes on Monday. And the Cavaliers also stayed put behind Gonzaga for a third straight week, claiming the remaining 23 first-place votes.

More: Michigan State a No. 2 seed, Michigan a No. 3 seed in latest bracket projections

Kentucky is fourth, followed by Duke, Michigan State, Texas Tech, Tennessee, LSU and Michigan to round out the top 10.

Auburn is the only addition at No. 22, returning for the first time since mid-January and after peaking at No. 7 in December.

Preseason No. 1 Kansas fell to No. 17 for its lowest ranking since the 2013-14 season, while UCF slid out from its No. 25 ranking in the last poll.

ASSOCIATED PRESS MEN’S TOP 25

 

Record

Pts

Prv

1. Gonzaga (41)

29-2

1572

1

2. Virginia (23)

28-2

1559

2

3. North Carolina

26-5

1474

3

4. Kentucky

26-5

1373

6

5. Duke

26-5

1298

4

6. Michigan State

25-6

1226

9

7. Texas Tech

26-5

1211

8

8. Tennessee

27-4

1200

5

9. LSU

26-5

1089

10

10. Michigan

26-5

1041

7

11. Houston

29-2

963

12

12. Florida State

25-6

856

14

13. Purdue

23-8

831

11

14. Nevada

28-3

684

17

15. Kansas State

24-7

680

18

16. Virginia Tech

23-7

625

15

17. Kansas

23-8

602

13

18. Buffalo

28-3

539

19

19. Wisconsin

22-9

466

21

20. Wofford

28-4

387

22

21. Maryland

22-9

319

24

22. Auburn

22-9

268

23. Marquette

23-8

109

16

24. Cincinnati

25-6

108

20

25. Villanova

22-9

80

23

Others receiving votes: UCF 62, VCU 53, Mississippi St. 37, Utah State 34, New Mexico State 16, Louisville 11, Murray State 11, Iowa State 8, Temple 4, Clemson 3, Liberty 1.