Feeling blue, Devils? Duke falls out of top 10 in AP poll
How good is Duke basketball? It's big news when the Blue Devils drop out of the top 10.
Saturday's overtime loss to Utah cost Duke a spot in the top 10 for the first time since February 2014.
The streak of consecutive polls continues for the 15th-ranked Blue Devils. They have been in 162 consecutive polls, a streak that began with the preseason poll of 2007-08. Only Kansas, at 130, has a current streak of more than 100 weeks. Arizona is third at 66 consecutive polls.
Duke is now 59 weeks from tying UCLA for the record of 221 consecutive polls, from 1966-1980.
In addition to Duke, Kentucky, Iowa State and Purdue also dropped out of the top 10 after weekend losses.
LONG TIME
Providence moved into the top 10 for the first time since Jan. 17, 1978 when the Friars were ranked ninth. That team was led in scoring by Bruce Campbell and was coached by Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Dave Gavitt.
NEWCOMERS
Utah returned to the rankings after a week out with its win over Duke at Madison Square Garden. The week's other newcomer has been away just a bit longer.
South Carolina is in the Top 25 for the first time since the final poll of 2003-04. The Gamecocks (10-0) have won only two games by less than 10 points and one of those was their most recent win, over rival Clemson.
SO LONG
UCLA dropped out of the poll after one week following its loss to North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic. The Bruins were No. 22.
Connecticut dropped out from 25th but the Huskies won their only game last week, over UMass-Lowell.
GO PANTHERS
Twelve teams have managed two wins over ranked teams this season but only one can brag of two over top 10 teams. In fact, Northern Iowa (7-3) has wins over two top 5 teams: then-No. 1 North Carolina and then-No. 5 Iowa State.
Just a heads up to No. 3 Oklahoma: If the Sooners and Northern Iowa both win opening-round games at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, they would meet in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Of the other 11 teams to beat two ranked teams so far only two -- Alabama and UNLV -- have not been ranked this season.
DOUBLE FIGURES
This is Michigan State's 10th week all-time as the No. 1 team. If the Spartans can hold it next week they will move into the top 25 teams to have been ranked on top of the poll.
Houston was ranked No. 1 for 11 weeks from 1968 to 1983, making the Cougars 25th on the all-time list.
UCLA is No. 1 among the No. 1s at 134 weeks from 1964 to 2007.
CONFERENCE CALL
The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference are tied for the most ranked teams with five each. The Big East is next with four and three of those are in the top 10. The Big Ten and Southeastern Conference have three each.
DOUBLE-RANKED GAMES
There are two games between ranked teams scheduled for Christmas week.
On Tuesday, No. 11 Iowa State is at No. 22 Cincinnati. On Saturday, one of college basketball's best rivalries features No. 16 Louisville at No. 12 Kentucky.
