Illinois Earns Its First Unanimous No. 1 Ranking
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Illinois was no. 1 in the Associated Press’ college basketball poll for the ninth straight week yesterday, and for the first time the Illini were a unanimous choice.
An impressive win at Wisconsin and a home victory over Minnesota kept the Illini (21-0) unbeaten. Unlike last week when they received all but one first-place votes from the national media panel, the Illini were no. 1 on all 72 ballots.
They are the first unanimous no. 1 since Duke did it for nine polls in a 10-week span in 2001-02.The Illini’s nine week run at no. 1 is the longest since Connecticut was there for 10 weeks in 1998-99.
Boston College (18-0), the only other unbeaten team in Division I, jumped from eighth to no. 5, the highest ranking in school history.
Maryland and Villanova moved into the rankings yesterday. Maryland had been out of the Top 25 for three weeks, while Villanova made it for the first time since 1996-97.
The Terrapins had lost three of five before beating Duke and Georgia Tech last week to return to the ranks of the ranked.
North Carolina moved up one spot to second, while Kansas, which bounced back from its first loss of the season with wins over Baylor and Texas, jumped from sixth to no. 3.
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KANSAS RALLIES PAST MISSOURI
Wayne Simien had 22 points and Aaron Miles had 14 points and 10 assists, rallying third-ranked Kansas to a 73-61 victory over Missouri last night.
Missouri (10-11,2-6 Big XII) was a 19-point underdog and fell quickly behind by 10 points before going on a 20-4 run and seizing a stunning 36-28 halftime lead over the Big XII leaders.
But after shooting just 36% in the first half, the Jayhawks (17-1, 7-0) hit 70% of their shots in the first 15 minutes of the second half. A 3-pointer from J.R. Giddens made it 57-54 and gave Kansas the lead for good.
Miles, the Big XII’s career leader in assists, executed two picture-perfect one-handed lobs for layups by Christian Moody and Giddens during a 7-1 run that put Kansas on top 66-55 lead.
In other Top 25 action last night, no. 16 Pittsburgh got 25 points from Chris Taft and 19 from Carl Krauser in an 86-66 victory over Providence. Ryan Gomes had 24 points for the Friars.
