Michigan State near unanimous No. 1 in coaches' poll

MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Michigan State pulls within one vote of being the unanimous No. 1 team in the USA Today coaches' basketball poll.

The Spartans (7-0) collect 31 of the 32 first-place votes this week and are second on the other ballot. It is slight improvement over last week when Michigan State got 31 first-place mentions and two seconds.

Three teams, including last week's No. 2 Kansas, fall at least five places this week with North Carolina seeing the biggest drop. The Tar Heels slip to 25th after being 16th a week ago. Gonzaga also is off five places.

Three teams -- Memphis, UCLA and Iowa State -- are up four and Ohio State improves three to No. 3.

Arizona (7-0) takes the first-place vote not claimed by Michigan State and is up one place to second in the poll. Ohio State (6-0) comes in third and Kentucky (7-1) remains fourth. Syracuse (7-0), seventh last week, is No. 5.

Louisville (6-1) goes from ninth to No. 6, which puts it ahead of No. 7 Kansas (6-1). Duke (6-2) slips from fifth to eighth but Wisconsin (8-0) and Wichita State (8-0) are both up two to ninth and 10th, respectively.

Oklahoma State (7-1) drops three to 11th with Florida (6-1) moving to 12th and Oregon (7-0) jumping by No. 14 Connecticut (7-0) for 13th. Gonzaga (7-1) and Memphis (5-1) tie for 15th.

UCLA (7-0) takes over at 17th and Iowa State (5-0) follows at No. 18. Villanova (7-0), which beat Kansas and Iowa on back-to-back days last week, enters the Top 25 at 19th. Baylor (7-1) falls from 17th to No. 20.

Michigan (5-2) is voted No. 21. Massachusetts (6-0), another new entry this week, is 22nd while Indiana (6-1) comes in at 23rd, Iowa (7-1) is 24th and North Carolina (4-2) is No. 25.

Creighton and Virginia Commonwealth drop from the Top 25 this week.