Gonzaga slides to No. 20 in AP poll after loss to Aztecs

For the first time this season, Gonzaga went backward in the AP men’s basketball poll.

Gonzaga dropped from No. 12 to No. 20 after suffering its first loss to a team outside of the RPI top 50. The Zags (10-3) fell to San Diego State 72-70 on Thursday in their non-conference finale.

The Zags were 18th in the preseason poll. They actually moved up two spots to No. 15 after falling to then No. 7 Florida in double overtime in the PK80. They held steady at No. 12 after losing to then No. 4 Villanova in New York City.

The AP top four remained the same: Villanova, Michigan State, Arizona State and Duke. No. 5 North Carolina plunged eight spots after falling to Wofford. Texas A&M moved from eighth to fifth.

Xavier, West Virginia, Wichita State, Virginia and TCU rounded out the top 10.

Villanova collected 43 first-place votes, Michigan State 16 and Arizona State six.

Xavier, West Virginia, Wichita State, Virginia and TCU rounded out the top 10. TCU has the nation’s longest winning streak (17) dating back to last season. The Horned Frogs’ No. 10 ranking is the highest in program history.

Gonzaga’s slide was big but not the biggest of the week. Miami and Kentucky both dropped out of the top 10. The Hurricanes lost to New Mexico State while the Wildcats lost to UCLA.

The Zags received 382 points, five in front of No. 21 Cincinnati and 23 behind No. 19 Tennessee.

Creighton (10-2), which lost to Gonzaga 91-74 in Spokane, stayed at No. 25. The Zags also have a win over Texas, which is receiving votes. Florida received one vote.

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