Duke sets record with No. 1 ranking

Duke changed everything about who AP Top 25 voters considered to be the nation’s best team with a single dominating performance against a marquee opponent.

It also gave the Blue Devils yet another milestone under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski: a record number of appearances at No. 1.

The Blue Devils jumped from fourth to first Monday in the first regular-season poll, leapfrogging Kansas at the top after a blowout win against then-No. 2 Kentucky last week.

That allowed Duke to set a record with its 135th week at No. 1, breaking a tie with UCLA for the most top rankings in poll history.

The 34-point win against the Wildcats in the Champions Classic to open the season marked the program’s most lopsided win against a top-5 opponent. Duke was practically flawless behind star freshmen RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish, and that created a buzz about the team’s already lofty potential being somehow even higher than anyone anticipated.

Granted, it was one game. And Duke (2-0) didn’t look nearly so dazzling Sunday at home against Army.

But that one performance caused a major voting shift, even with now-No. 2 Kansas earning a quality win of its own against then-No. 10 Michigan State in the first game of the Champions Classic.

Tar Heels roll: Kenny Williams scored 12 points after starting the season by missing his first 10 shots, and No. 7 North Carolina dominated the first half to beat Stanford 90-72 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Cameron Johnson had 17 points to lead four players in double figures for the Tar Heels (3-0), who shot 60 percent in the first half to take a 52-26 lead on Luke Maye’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer.

Stanford (2-1) got no closer than 15 points after halftime.

KZ Okpala scored 16 points to lead the Cardinal, who opened the season with a victory at UNC Wilmington on Friday night.

STREETER LECKA/GETTY Duke coach MikeKrzyzewski calls a play against Army during a game Sunday in Durham, N.C.