The Spokesman-Review’s Theo Lawson is one of 65 national media members voting in the Associated Press Top 25 basketball poll this season. Every week throughout the 2018-19 campaign, he’ll break down he voted, offering three thoughts on the latest edition of the poll, an update on the Pac-12’s ranked teams and a look at local Top 25 representative Gonzaga.

Jessica Washington tossed in 15 points and Austin Richardson and Kylee Kopatich scored 13 apiece to lead the Kansas Jayhawks to a 71-63 victory over the Washington State Cougars in the Duel in the Desert on Wednesday.

Dedric Lawson had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Charlie Moore made six 3-pointers en route to 18 points, and top-ranked Kansas pulled away in the second half for an 89-53 victory over plucky but overmatched South Dakota on Tuesday night.

Kansas is finally getting another shot at Villanova, though with far less on the line this time. The Wildcats ended the Jayhawks’ season in the Final Four in April before routing Michigan to win their second national championship in three years. Both teams have much different rosters this season, and the game Saturday will be played at Allen Fieldhouse rather than the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The Spokesman-Review’s Theo Lawson is one of 65 national media members voting in the Associated Press Top 25 basketball poll this season. Every week throughout the 2018-19 campaign, he’ll break down how he voted, offering three thoughts on the latest edition of the poll, an update on the Pac-12’s ranked teams and a look at local Top 25 representative Gonzaga.

Gonzaga tumbled to fourth in the AP men’s college basketball poll and sixth in the USA Today poll, ending a two-week run at No. 1. Tennessee (7-1) knocked the Zags (9-1) from the unbeaten ranks with a 76-73 win Sunday at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. Kansas, which was the preseason No. 1 but dropped despite not losing a game, returned to the top spot.

Lagerald Vick hit the tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation, and then had eight of his 27 points in overtime, leading No. 2 Kansas over Stanford 90-84.

The Spokesman-Review’s Theo Lawson is one of 65 national media members voting in the Associated Press Top 25 basketball poll this season. Every week throughout the 2018-19 campaign, he’ll break down how he voted, offering three thoughts on the latest edition of the poll, an update on the Pac-12’s ranked teams and a look at local Top 25 representative Gonzaga.

Gonzaga is the top dog again in the AP college basketball poll. The Zags, on the strength of an 89-87 win over former No. 1 Duke, moved into the top spot in the latest rankings released Monday.