MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Oklahoma State, ranked as high as sixth and an eight-week Top 10 team, dropped Monday from the USA Today coaches basketball poll.
The Cowboys were considered a threat to win the Big 12 Conference behind pre-season Player-of-the-Year Marcus Smart. But Oklahoma State has lost five of its last six and Smart was suspended for three games after an altercation Saturday with a fan at Texas Tech, a ugly spiral for the team.
The Cowboys' games this week are against No. 19 Texas and No. 25 Oklahoma so it will take strong play to spot the current direction.
A week after 16 ranked teams lost and four were beaten twice (Oklahoma State among them), nine teams in the Top 25 lost (three to other ranked teams) and only Oklahoma State was beaten twice.
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That forces the Cowboys from the Top 25. Other substantial drops were by Creighton (five spots to 17), Cincinnati (four places to 11th) and Gonzaga (four places to 24th).
Virginia, unranked two weeks ago, jumps six places to No. 16 while Ohio Stated goes from 25th to No. 20 as the week's big gainers.
Syracuse (23-0) is the unanimous No. 1 choice of the 32 coaches on the poll with Wichita State (25-0) just ahead of third-ranked Arizona (23-1). Florida (21-2) remains fourth with San Diego State (21-1) sitting in fifth and Villanova (21-2) No. 6 as the first six places in the poll are the same as last week.
Kansas (18-5) takes over the seventh spot ahead of No. 8 Louisville (19-4) and ninth-ranked Duke (19-5). Michigan State (20-4) slips to 10th after a week at No. 8.
Cincinnati (22-3) settles in at No. 11 while St. Louis (22-2) climbs to 12th and Kentucky (18-5) is No. 13. In-state rivals Iowa State (18-4) and Iowa (19-5) are 14th and 15th, respectively.
Virginia (19-5) comes in 16th, edging ahead of No. 17 Creighton (19-4). Michigan (17-6) is No. 18 ahead of a week in which its plays Ohio State on Tuesday and Wisconsin on Sunday. Texas (18-5) drops on place to 19th and Ohio State (19-5) is 20th.
Wisconsin (19-5) is voted the 21st position and No. 22 Memphis (18-5) returns to the poll after a one-week absence. Pittsburgh (20-4) is 23rd and followed by 24th-ranked Gonzaga (21-4) and No. 25 Oklahoma (18-6).
In addition to the Michigan games versus ranked foes, Syracuse is at Pittsburgh Wednesday, Florida visits Kentucky Saturday and Villanova goes to Creighton Sunday.
