Villanova back to No. 1, leapfrogging Kansas

The Wildcats received 28 first-place votes and 1,580 points from a 65-member national media panel while the Jayhawks remained No. 2 despite getting more No. 1 votes.

VILLANOVA, PA. >> Kris Jenkins scored 16 points and Jalen Brunson added 13 to lead No. 1 Villanova to a 7646 win over Seton Hall on Monday.

The Wildcats (18-1, 6-1 Big East) looked every bit like a team that could win back-to-back national championships in their first game at No. 1 in The AP Top 25 poll following a one-week hiatus.

Villanova fell from the top spot to third in the poll following a Jan. 4 loss at Butler. But wins over Marquette and Xavier vaulted the Wildcats over the Kansas Jayhawks and back into the top spot.

Led by four 3s from Jenkins, the Wildcats set a school record 47 straight wins at the Pavilion. Under coach Jay Wright, Villanova has been nearly unbeatable at home for most of the last 10 years.

Seton Hall (12-6, 2-4) was just the latest to go down in front of the 177th straight sellout crowd. Villanova’s rare blemish on its national championship season was losing to the Pirates in the Big East Tournament title game.

The Wildcats took care of this one with ease. Darryl Reynolds threw down a monster dunk and Kris Jenkins followed with a 3-pointer for a 20-7 lead. Jalen Brunson hit a 3 and Josh Hart quickly turned a steal into a dunk for a 20-point edge early in the second half. The Wildcats made 12 of 26 3-pointers and held Seton Hall to just 16 field goals.

MATT SLOCUM — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Villanova’s Darryl Reynolds, right, tries to hang onto a loose ball against Seton Hall’s Desi Rodriguez during the second half Monday. Villanova won 76-46.