A week of holiday hoops tournaments produced some changes in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. The No. 1 team didn’t change, but three other squads are getting first-place support.
Purdue remains on top, as it has been since the preseason. The Boilermakers picked up 21 of 31 firsts this week, but they have company from another Big Ten contender. Michigan vaults from sixth all the way to No. 2 after their successful stint in Las Vegas. The Wolverines were voted first by six panelists. No. 3 Arizona hangs on to three No. 1 nods, with the final first-place vote going to No. 4 Duke. Connecticut rounds out the top five, edging unbeaten Louisville by eight poll points.
Houston drops from the second spot to No. 7 after taking its first loss of the season. No. 8 Michigan State and No. 9 Iowa State each move up four positions, and Brigham Young climbs a notch to No. 10 after swapping places with Gonzaga.
Defending champion Florida tumbles six places to No. 14, staying ahead of Illinois by a single point. Vanderbilt makes the biggest move within the poll, vaulting seven spots to No. 16 thanks to a 7-0 start.
Kansas is back in the rankings at No. 21, and Iowa nudges in at No. 25. UCLA and North Carolina State are the week’s dropouts.
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