Top 9 teams hold spots in men’s AP basketball poll

UNDATED (AP) – Michigan State, Kansas and Oklahoma are the top three teams for the third straight week in the men’s college basketball poll by The Associated Press. The Spartans have been No. 1 in the poll for four weeks. They were again a runaway choice, receiving all but one first-place vote Monday from the 65-member national media panel. Kansas drew the other No. 1 vote. Following Oklahoma are Maryland, Virginia, Xavier, North Carolina, Arizona, Butler and Kentucky. The top nine teams remained the same from last week. Kentucky beat Louisville on Saturday and replaced Providence, which dropped to 12th. No. 25 UCLA is the lone newcomer. The Bruins had been ranked for one week earlier this season. They replaced George Washington, which dropped out from No. 20 following a loss to DePaul.