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Wednesday, December 27, 2000
Spartans capitalize on Duke's setback
SportsTicker
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ARLINGTON, Virginia -- Defending national champion
Michigan State took over the top spot in the ESPN/USA
Today college basketball poll released Monday.
The Spartans (9-0) jumped from No. 2 in the country by beating
up its only opponent, posting a 72-57 victory over No. 12 Seton
Hall on Tuesday to extend the longest winning streak in the
nation to 20 games.
Michigan State took over the top spot after Stanford (9-0)
pulled off an 84-83 upset over Duke in a battle between the
third- and top-ranked teams in the country, respectively, on
Thursday.
The Cardinal completed a 3-0 week by rallying from a 15-point
deficit in the final seven minutes. They also pounded Sacred
Heart 94-52 and recorded an 80-66 triumph over Georgia Tech
during the week.
Duke (10-1) split its two games last week after posting a 97-64
victory over Portland on Tuesday.
Not much separates the top three teams in the poll. The
Spartans received 22 first-place votes and 763 points while the
Cardinal got eight top votes and 750 points. The Blue Devils
picked up the final first-place vote and 715 points.
Wake Forest (10-0) moved up two spots to No. 4 while Tennessee
(10-1) dropped one to round out the top five. Illinois (9-3),
Florida (8-1), Kansas (10-1), Virginia (8-0) and Arizona (6-3)
complete the top 10.
Connecticut (9-1) heads the next 10 and is followed by a pair of
fellow Big East Conference squads -- Seton Hall (7-2) and
Syracuse (9-1).
Wisconsin (8-1), Southern California (9-1), North Carolina
(7-2), Oklahoma (9-1), Cincinnati (8-2), Maryland (7-3) and
Alabama (9-1) round out the top 20.
The last of five unbeaten teams in the top 25 and one of five
Big East teams in the poll, Georgetown (10-0) moved up a spot to
No. 21 and is followed by Iowa (9-1), Notre Dame (7-2),
Mississippi (11-1) and newcomer Texas (8-2).
Arkansas dropped out of the rankings.
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ALSO SEE
ESPN/USA Today poll
Associated Press Top 25
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