MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Arizona rises to the top of the USA Today coaches' basketball poll by taking all but two of the first-place votes.
The Wildcats (9-0) were fifth in the pre-season poll but have inched up one spot each week in the voting and are just one second-place and one third-place vote short of being a unanimous choice for No. 1.
Ohio State (8-0) pulls in one first-place mention in moving to second in the poll and Syracuse (9-0) gets the other in going from fifth to No. 3. Louisville is up two spots to fourth and Michigan State (7-1) is fifth after three weeks at No. 1.
The Spartans' four-place drop is steep, but Florida falls seven places to 19th while Kentucky, Kansas and UCLA are all off six. Kansas plays at Florida Tuesday.
The biggest gainers are Villanova, up five to 14th after being unranked two weeks ago, North Carolina, which was 25th last week and is now 21st, and Wisconsin, which goes from ninth to sixth.
The move by the Badgers (10-0) gives the Big Ten three teams in the first six of the poll. Duke (7-2) improves to seventh with Wichita State (9-0) up two to eighth and Oklahoma State (8-1) ninth after a week at No. 11. Kentucky (7-2), the pre-season No. 1, is 10th.
Oregon (8-0) and Connecticut (9-0) are both up two places to 11th and 12th, respectively, coming in just ahead of Kansas (6-2). Villanova (9-0) takes No. 14 and Memphis (6-1) is again 15th.
Iowa State (7-0) and Gonzaga (8-1) tie for 16th with Baylor (8-1) voted No. 18. Florida (6-2) is down to 19th and Massachusetts (8-0) takes the 20th spot.
North Carolina (6-2) climbs to 21st with Iowa (9-1) in 22nd and UCLA (8-1) at No. 23. San Diego State (7-1) enters the poll for the first time this season at 24th and Michigan (6-3) is No. 25.
Indiana falls from the Top 25 this week.
In addition to the Kansas-Florida matchup, key games this week have No. 1 Arizona traveling to Michigan and Kentucky at North Carolina on Saturday. Also, Iowa has its intrastate showdown at Iowa State Friday.
