Kansas remains unanimous No. 1 in Top 25; FSU up to No. 4

Kansas' Devon Dotson (1) celebrates after an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)
Kansas' Devon Dotson (1) celebrates after an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)

Kansas maintained its grip on the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll, while fourth-ranked Florida State has its highest ranking in nearly five decades.

The Jayhawks received all 65 first-place votes Monday to remain at the top for a third straight week and fourth overall this season, with the past two weeks coming as the unanimous choice ahead of Gonzaga and Dayton.

Kansas (28-3, 17-1 Big 12) wrapped up another conference regular-season championship over the weekend at Texas Tech - the Jayhawks have won at least a share in 19 of 24 seasons - and open play in the Big 12 tournament in Thursday's quarterfinals.

The Seminoles (26-5, 16-4) rose three spots after wrapping up the first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title in program history. FSU spent two weeks at No. 5 in January and now has its highest ranking since No. 2 in December 1972.

photo Kansas coach Bill Self yells at Ochai Agbaji (30) after he let the ball go out of bounds during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)

The Seminoles open play in the ACC tournament as the top seed in Thursday's quarterfinals in pursuit of their second title, the other coming in 2012.

Kansas, Gonzaga and Dayton stayed 1-2-3 for a second straight week, while Baylor slid to fifth and San Diego State sixth behind FSU.

Creighton jumped four spots to No. 7 after claiming a share of the Big East regular-season title, followed by Kentucky and Michigan State - which rejoined the top 10 for the first time since early January after going from preseason No. 1 to unranked.

Duke, one of a record-tying seven teams to spend time at No. 1 this season, rounded out the top 10.

The Spartans' seven-spot jump represented the biggest climb of the week, marking one of six teams to rise at least three spots this week.

No. 18 Wisconsin climbed six spots after finishing tied with Michigan State and No. 12 Maryland atop the Big Ten regular-season standing. Reigning national champion Virginia rose five spots to No. 17, while No. 11 Villanova rose three spots.

In all, nine teams moved up in Monday's poll.

Seton Hall took the week's biggest tumble, falling eight spots to No. 16 after losses to Villanova and Creighton to end the regular-season schedule.

photo Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi (11) gestures after scoring a basket during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Saint Mary's in Spokane, Wash., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. Gonzaga won 86-76. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

No. 15 Louisville fell five spots after losing at Virginia, which cost the Cardinals a chance to claim a share of the ACC regular-season title with Florida State. And No. 20 Auburn fell three spots after Wednesday's home loss to Texas A&M.

Nine teams fell in Monday's poll.

Outside the unchanged top three, No. 13 Oregon and No. 19 Ohio State were the other teams to remain in the same spot from last week.

West Virginia and Butler returned to the poll as the week's new additions, with the Mountaineers tying Houston for 22nd and the Bulldogs checking in at No. 24.

Women's poll

South Carolina ran through the Southeastern Conference tournament to keep its hold on the No. 1 ranking.

The Gamecocks beat Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi State by an average of 24 points to win the conference tournament for the fifth time in six years.

Coach Dawn Staley's team received 27 of 30 first-place votes from a national media panel on Monday. The Gamecocks look poised to be the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament when the field is announced next week. South Carolina won't have to travel far, most likely playing the first two rounds at home before making the two-hour trip to Greenville, South Carolina, where the team just won the SEC championship.

Oregon received the other three first-place votes and moved up one spot to No. 2 after winning the Pac-12 tournament. The Ducks routed No. 7 Stanford in the title game Sunday night.

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