Houston was No. 1 in the poll released Monday, swapping spots with Purdue by earning three more points overall. The Cougars received 18 first-place votes from a 61-person media panel and Purdue had 36, with four other teams also getting at least one.
UConn, Duke, and Arizona round out the top five in a chaotic poll that saw only four teams hold their positions from the preseason poll, yet no one moved in or out of the poll.
The Boilermakers were ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll for the first time in program history and opened the season with a pair of wins. Purdue had a hard time shaking Oakland in an 87-77 win Friday and some Top 25 voters dropped the Boilermakers out of the top five on their ballots.
Arizona moved up eight places from No. 13 after an impressive win over reigning champion and then-No. 3 Florida in Las Vegas. No. 8 Alabama moved up seven places following Saturday’s 103-96 win over then-No. 5 St. John’s at Madison Square Garden.
Kentucky is No. 9 in the season-opening poll. Louisville is No. 12, and Illinois No. 14.
No. 18 North Carolina also climbed seven spots after beating then-No. 19 Kansas and No. 17 Michigan State gained five places with its 69-66 win over then-No. 14 Arkansas.
The losses by Florida, St. John’s and Kansas sent all three tumbling. The Gators lost seven places (to No. 10), the Red Storm dropped eight (No. 13)and the Jayhawks fell six (No. 25).
(AP Photo Ashley Landis)
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