No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
FILE - Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating Saint Mary's in an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the West Coast Conference men's tournament in Las Vegas, in this Tuesday, March 10, 2020, file photo. Gonzaga will begin the college basketball season No. 1 for the first time after coach Mark Few's bunch earned 28 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
Iowa was picked fifth behind national player of the year front-runner Luka Garza, its highest preseason ranking in school history. The Bears, who also have their highest preseason ranking, spent five weeks at No. THE REST OF THE POLLCreighton lost Ty-Shon Alexander to the NBA and Davion Mintz to Kentucky but still landed the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 17, its highest preseason ranking since the final Phi Slama Jama team of Hakeem Olajuwon began the 1983-84 season at No. 6 in the final poll last season but losing Mountain West player of the year Malachi Flynn and two other elite producers.
Kansas back atop Top 25 as Baylor slides to No. 2 after loss
(AP Photo/Ray Carlin)LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas is back on top of the college basketball world after knocking off Baylor in a matchup of Big 12 heavyweights, while the Bears dropped to No. Kansas was atop the poll for one week in December, when it seemed as if just about every school that ascended to No. “We're a silent team that can make a run late in March,” Jayhawks guard Devon Dotson said after the 64-61 victory Saturday. 3 after a loss to BYU, and Dayton leapfrogged San Diego State for No. “Florida State is just a team, they're all really big, really long and really athletic,” Cardinals star Jordan Nwora said.
Underclassmen thriving at the point in college basketball
Duke guard Tre Jones (3) jumps to block Winthrop guard Russell Jones Jr. (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton knows well the challenges that face young point guards in college basketball. Tar Heels coach Roy Williams emphasizes mentality in teaching young point guards more than honing a crossover dribble or pull-up jumper. Now considered a possible NBA lottery prospect, Haliburton has a simple answer on how challenging it is for young point guards in college basketball. ___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25