MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Iowa State and Colorado make significant gains Monday in the USA Today coaches' basketball poll, which is still topped by Arizona.
The top section of the poll remains static with No. 1-ranked Arizona (15-0) getting 30 of the 32 first-place votes and receiving mentions at second on the other two ballots. Syracuse (14-0) gets one first-place vote and is second, and the other first-place vote goes to No. 3 Ohio State (15-0).
Michigan State (13-1) gained additional poll points, but Wisconsin (15-0) made a bigger improvement and pulls into a tie with the Spartans for the No. 4 spot.
With eight Top 25 teams, including three in the Top 10, losing last week, the poll sees considerable juggling this week. Among those losing teams was Connecticut, which actually lost twice last week as the No. 15-ranked team and dropped out of the Top 25. North Carolina also falls from ranked status. Oklahoma State, Duke, Oregon and Memphis all slip at least four places in the poll.
Colorado made the biggest leap this week, going from 24th to No. 17, while Iowa State is up five to seventh. Villanova, San Diego State and Missouri all move up four places.
Wichita State (15-0) moves to the No. 6 rankings with Iowa State (13-0) at seventh. Louisville (13-2) comes in eighth followed by No. 9 Baylor (12-1) and 10th-ranked Villanova (13-1).
Florida (11-2) takes the 11th spot, while Oklahoma State (12-2) is down six places to 12th, and Duke (11-3) is off five and Oregon (13-1) four to fall into a tie for 13th. San Diego State (12-1), having won at Kansas, moves to 15th.
Kentucky (10-3) finds itself still at 16th but Colorado (13-2) comes in at No. 17, while Gonzaga (14-2) and Massachusetts (12-1), both up three, are ranked 18th and 19th, respectively. Kansas (9-4) drops to No. 20.
Missouri (12-1), after three weeks at 25th, takes over at 21st with Memphis (10-3) slipping to No. 22. Creighton (12-2) returns to the poll after a six-week absence, tied for 23rd with Iowa (12-3). UCLA (12-2), last ranked Dec. 23, is the No. 25 entry.
Among the key games this week are two Top 10 pairings Tuesday with Ohio State at Michigan State and Baylor going to Iowa State. Arizona visits UCLA and Memphis is at Louisville Thursday. Ohio State has a second ranked opponent when it closes the week with a game against Iowa Sunday.
