MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Pre-season favorites Michigan State and Kansas State took tumbles Monday in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' men's basketball poll, where Duke still reigns as No. 1.
The Blue Devils (15-0) have been atop the poll since the start of the season. But pre-season No. 2 Michigan State (10-5) is barely hanging onto a poll spot, falling this week to No. 24, one poll point ahead of Minnesota.
Kansas State (12-4) was third in the pre-season voting but three loses in six games have the Wildcats down to 20th in the poll.
The top seven spots are unchanged with Ohio State (16-0) second behind Duke and Kansas (15-0) at the No. 3 spot. The Big East places four of its seven ranked teams in the next six places with Syracuse (16-0) at No. 4, Pittsburgh (15-1) in fifth, Villanova (14-1) at No. 7 and Connecticut (12-2) in ninth.
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San Diego State (17-0) keeps the No. 6 place and Brigham Young (16-1) improves two places to 10th, marking the first time the Mountain West has two Top 10 teams.
Purdue (15-1) is up two places to eighth and is one of six Big 10 teams ranked this week.
Notre Dame (14-2) jumps from 15th to 11th ahead of Big 12 members Missouri (14-2), down four to 12th; Texas A&M (14-1), up four to 13th; and Texas (12-3) down two to No. 14. Kentucky (12-3) drops from 11th to 15th.
Illinois (13-3) goes from 20th to 16 while Louisville (13-2) made a bigger move from 23rd to 17th. Washington (12-3) re-enters the poll at No. 18 with Georgetown (12-4) after a 1-3 conference start falls from 13th to No. 19.
Wisconsin (12-3), out of the poll last week, is 21st followed by Central Florida (14-1), Temple (11-3), Michigan State and Minnesota (12-4).
