Villanova No. 1 in AP poll for first time

The Wildcats are the first Big East team to hold the No. 1 ranking since Louisville finished in the top spot in the final poll in 2012-13.

College basketball has been defined by parity and unpredictability this season, as Villanova becomes the sixth school to hold the No. 1 spot in the polls.

Jay Wright’s team received 32 first-place votes, 19 more than No. 2 Maryland. They were also ranked second for a week in 2009-10, for two separate weeks in 2005-06 and two consecutive weeks in 1995-96.

Despite skipping over it this year, Villanova has a penchant for the No. 2 spot in the poll. In all, seven teams received first-place votes in the coaches poll.

‘Nova is also No. 1 in the USA Today coaches poll.

The Wildcats were ranked as low No. 17 this season after December losses to Oklahoma and Virginia, but 12 wins in their last 13 games have them atop the poll in a topsy-turvy season of college basketball. “We look forward to it”.

All three of Villanova’s losses this season have come against ranked teams.

The Sooners received another solid performance from Buddy Hield against Kansas State, but backcourt mate Jordan Woodard was 0-of-6 from the floor, and the Wildcats had no such problems, connecting on almost 53 percent of their shots in an 80-69 triumph. Villanova moved up to No. 1 and are followed by Maryland while Iowa and Xavier round out the rest of the top five. The Wildcats will close out their regular-season schedule against Georgetown on March 5. No. 23 Southern Cal and No. 24 Texas are the week’s two newcomers, replacing IN and SC. The Sooners and Longhorns tip off Monday night, while Tuesday night features two top-25 match-ups to watch in Michigan State-Purdue and West Virginia-Kansas.