Villanova back on top of Top 25

Villanova needed just a week to reclaim its lost No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll after an upset-filled week that included losses by No. 1 Michigan State and No. 2 Duke.

The Wildcats got 52 of 65 first-place votes to move up from third to No. 1.

West Virginia was next to capitalize on a big win, rising to No. 2 after a week that saw four top-5 teams lose to unranked opponents and six top-10 teams lose overall.

The Mountaineers, who beat then-No. 7 Oklahoma, earned 12 first-place votes and secured the program’s highest ranking since December 1959 — during Jerry West’s senior season.

Virginia climbed five spots to No. 3 and got the remaining first-place vote, followed by Michigan State after the Spartans’ loss at Ohio State.

Reigning national champion North Carolina took the biggest fall of any team that remained in the poll, sliding eight spots from No. 12 to No. 20 after road losses to now-No. 23 Florida State and Virginia. RUTGERS RETURNS TO WOMEN’S RANKS >> After a two-year hiatus, C. Vivian Stringer has Rutgers back in The AP women’s hoops poll.

The Scarlet Knights entered the AP Top 25 at No. 21, off an 11-game win streak.

UConn remained a unanimous No. 1 choice from the 32-member national media panel after cruising to two victories. The Huskies were followed in the rankings by Notre Dame, Louisville, Mississippi State and Baylor.

Cal fell one spot to No. 24 and Stanford dropped out.

Tennis

SURGERY FOR MURRAY >> Andy Murray underwent what he called successful right hip surgery Monday and said he hopes to be back in time for Wimbledon.

The former No. 1-ranked Murray, a three-time major winner, has not played a competitive match since a quarterfinal exit at Wimbledon last July.

Murray, 30, has been told to expect a 14-week recovery period.

KERBER TO FACE VENUS >> Former No. 1-ranked Angelique Kerber needed to save two match points before fending off Lucie Safarova 6-7 (3), 7-6 (8), 6-2 to set up a second-round match against Venus Williams in the Sydney International. The secondseeded Williams had a bye in the first round.

U.S. Open champ and No. 13-ranked Sloane Stephens lost her first match of the year, beaten 6-3, 6-0 by Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi.

Baseball

PITCHERS, RED SOX AGREE >> Boston pitchers Carson Smith and Steven Wright, both coming off injuries, agreed to one-year contracts with the Red Sox that avoided salary arbitration.

The knuckleballer Wright (knee surgery) gets a non-guaranteed salary of $1.1 million, while Smith (Tommy John surgery) receives $850,000.

Soccer

U.S. ROSTER ANNOUNCED >> D.C. United midfielder Ian Harkes, son of former U.S. captain John Harkes, is among 15 players who could make their nationalteam debuts in an exhibition against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Jan. 28 in Carson, Calif.

Acting U.S. coach Dave Sarachan announced a 30man roster to report to training camp.

The most experienced player is L.A. Galaxy midfielder Gyasi Zardes, with 37 international appearances. The only other players with extensive national team experience are midfielder Paul Arriola and forwards Juan Agudelo and Jordan Morris.

TIMBERS NAME COACH >> The Portland Timbers of the MLS named Giovanni Savarese as head coach. The 46-year-old former player had been coach of the North American Soccer League’s New York Cosmos since 2012.

Savarese replaces Caleb Porter, who unexpectedly parted ways with the Timbers in November. The team finished atop the Western Conference last season.