Duke rises to the top on comeback victories

Duke pulled off two big comebacks to become the unanimous No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll.

Now Arizona could use one of its own from a holiday-tournament stumble that dropped the Wildcats from No. 2 to out of the poll in a week.

The Blue Devils (8-0) were atop all 65 ballots in results released Monday after they won the PK80 Invitational’s Motion Bracket in Portland, Oregon. They picked up the 11 first-place votes that last week went to Arizona, with the Wildcats (3-3) turning in a stunning 0-3 showing in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

That made them the first team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week since Louisville in 1986-87 after its own November flop in the Great Alaska Shootout.

Kansas moved up to No. 2, followed by three teams that won Thanksgiving week tournaments: Michigan State (PK80 Invitational Victory Bracket), Villanova (Atlantis) and Notre Dame (Maui Invitational).

Florida is No. 6, followed by Kentucky, Wichita State, Texas A&M and Miami to round out the top 10.

“It’s November, whatever happens we have to use it as the process of growth,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Cincinnati

Gary Clark had 14 point and seven rebounds, as No. 11 Cincinnati stayed unbeaten heading into its big game against crosstown rival Xavier by beating winless Alabama State (0-7), 8351, Monday night. The Bearcats (7-0) play at No. 21 Xavier (5-1) Saturday. The Musketeers have won seven of the past 10 games in Ohio’s Queen City Shootout.