Villanova, Virginia Purdue still Nos. 1-3
By The Associated Press
Villanova, Virginia and Purdue are making themselves comfortable atop The Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball poll. And with the way they’re playing, they might stay there for a while longer, too.
The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 Monday in the latest poll, followed by the secondranked Cavaliers and the third-ranked Boilermakers. It marked the fourth consecutive week that the trio was sitting 1-2-3 in the poll as they continue extended winning streaks while avoiding the upsets that hit national powers Duke, Kansas, Arizona and Kentucky the past week.
Villanova (22-1, 9-1 Big East Conference) has won nine in a row and hasn’t lost in the 2018 calendar year.
Virginia (22-1, 11-0 ACC) has won 14 consecutive games and leads the rest of the tradition-rich league by at least three games in the loss column. Its defense ranks No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency rankings (82.2 points allowed per 100 possessions), and the Cavaliers are coming off a game in which they held Syracuse to 44 points — the Orange’s lowest output at Carrier Dome.
“The guys are playing at a high level, for sure,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said afterward. “They understand how they have to play. ... I like what our guys are doing.”
Then there’s Purdue (232, 12-0 Big Ten). The Boilermakers have Division I’s longest winning streak at 19 games with the only hiccups blip Atlantis in coming November’s in the in Bahamas. a Battle two-day 4
On the women’s side, Connecticut remains the top choice. The Huskies (22-0) were still the unanimous No. 1 by the 32-member national media panel. The first five teams were unchanged in the poll with Mississippi State, Baylor, Louisville and Notre Dame next in line.
West Virginia
The No. 19 Mountaineers (18-6, 7-4) had four players score in double figures, led by reserve Lamont West with 17 points, in a 75-73 Big 12 Conference victory against No. 17 host Oklahoma (16-7, 6-5). Oklahoma freshman star Trae Young battled an illness that affected his energy level but finished with 32 points on 10-for-20 shooting (4-10 from 3-point range).
• Naomi Davenport had 14 points but the Mountaineers women (17-7, 5-7 Big 12), who fell out of the top 25 Monday after being 21st last week, couldn’t keep up with No. 6 Texas (19-4, 10-2) in a 73-55 loss in Morgantown.
Auburn
The NCAA has denied the school’s appeal of a ruling declaring center Austin Wiley ineligible for the rest of the season. The NCAA had announced Jan. 11 that Wiley won’t be eligible until next season. The NCAA said Auburn self-reported violations involving recruiting, extra benefits and agent-related activity. Wiley is a former five-star recruit who enrolled early last season and played in 23 games as a freshman.