Gonzaga moves back into top 10 at No. 9 in AP basketball poll

Gonzaga returned to the top 10 in the Associated Press college basketball poll after an upset-filled week in which eight top-10 teams suffered setbacks.

The Zags climbed two spots to No. 9 after handling San Francisco 80-59 and Pacific 71-62 to retain first place with a one-game lead over Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara in the West Coast Conference standings.

Gonzaga (27-2, 15-1) received 1,039 points from the media panel, to move past Nebraska, which dropped from ninth to 12th, and Illinois, which remained at No. 10 after a 95-94 overtime loss to UCLA. Illinois was the only team to stay put in the top 19 of the rankings.

Kansas plummeted from No. 8 to 14 after losing by 16 points at home to Cincinnati, while Florida moved from 12 to seven with a pair of double-digit wins over SEC foes.

Duke took over the top spot after knocking off former No. 1 Michigan 68-63. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 1 for a record 148th time. Michigan slipped to third.

Arizona, led by former longtime Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd, jumped into the second spot after a 73-66 road win over Houston, which slipped from fourth to fifth. Iowa State gained two spots to No. 4.

Duke received 56 first-place votes. The other five went to the Wildcats.

UConn, Florida, Purdue, GU and Illinois form the bottom half of the top 10.

The Zags entertain Portland on Wednesday and visit Saint Mary’s on Saturday to wrap up the regular-season schedule. The Gaels, who entertain Santa Clara on Wednesday, just missed cracking the top 25 after receiving 30 points.

Fifteen of the top 16 AP -ranked teams can be found in the top 16 seeds revealed by the NCAA Tournament selection committee Saturday morning. Six of the top 16 seeds eventually lost later Saturday.

Gonzaga was the 12th overall seed, the lowest seed on the three line, in the West Region. That seemingly gives the Zags a solid chance at moving up to a two seed but it probably would require them to win out prior to Selection Sunday.

Arizona and Purdue were listed as the top two seeds with Michigan State at the four in the West Region. Michigan, Duke and Iowa State were the other No. 1 seeds in Saturday’s reveal.

Gonzaga is No. 5 in the NET, up from No. 6 in last Monday’s rankings. Saint Mary’s is No. 25. Michigan, Duke, Arizona and Illinois are the top four.

Gonzaga’s best “rankings” win is over Alabama, No. 21 in the NET and No. 17 in the AP poll. The Crimson Tide, who lost to GU 95-85 in Las Vegas, and Arkansas were next in line outside the top 16 seeds, according to the selection committee.

The Zags are ninth in KenPom – No. 22 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 11 in defensive efficiency. GU is also No. 9 in the USA Today coaches’ poll.