North Carolina maintains its slim lead over
Number-2 UCLA at the top of the weekly AP men's basketball poll as
the top five teams stayed the same from last week. The 5-and-0 Tar
Heels received 28 of 72 first-place votes from a nationwide media
panel. That's two more than last week.

At 6-and-0, UCLA got 25 first-place mentions -- down one from a
week ago.

Third-ranked Memphis was Number-1 on 18 ballots. That's also one
less than last week.

Kansas and Georgetown are fourth and fifth, with the Hoyas
receiving the only other first-place vote.

Washington State, Duke, Texas and Texas A&M leap-frog into the
sixth through ninth spots, while Michigan State stays Number-10.

Tennessee drops four spots to 11th and is followed by
Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Indiana, Butler, Oregon,
Clemson, Gonzaga and Wisconsin.

Five newcomers move in as a block from 20th through 24th:
Wisconsin, BYU, Southern California, Xavier and North Carolina
State.

Kansas State rounds out the Top 25.

Southern Illinois, Villanova, Syracuse, Virginia and Florida
fell out of the AP poll.