BYU basketball: Cougars jump three spots on both polls

By Jim Rayburn, Deseret News

Published: Monday, Feb. 22 2010 11:33 a.m. MST

Summary

The new men's college basketball polls are out, and the BYU Cougars are ranked No. 11 in the ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 13 in the AP poll — up three spots from where they were ranked in both polls last week.

PROVO — The new men's college basketball polls are out, and the BYU Cougars are ranked No. 11 in the ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 13 in the AP poll — up three spots from where they were ranked in both polls last week.

In the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll, the Cougars received 430 points, 17 points better than New Mexico, which holds down the 12th spot. BYU is the highest ranked team in the West in the coaches' poll.

In the AP poll, the Cougars received 795 points and are only one point ahead of Michigan State. Ranked No. 10 in the AP is New Mexico, which makes the Lobos the highest ranked team in the West in the AP poll.

The Cougars and Lobos, both 25-3, meet on Saturday in the Marriott Center. Right now both teams are tied atop the Mountain West Conference standings with two losses, but the Lobos have 11 conference wins to 10 for BYU. Prior to Saturday's showdown, however, the Cougars take on the San Diego State Aztecs, winners of six of their last seven, on Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.

The Cougars' 25-3 record is the school's best-ever mark after 28 games. The Cougars broke into the national rankings on Jan. 4, and were ranked as high as No. 10 in the coaches' poll and No. 12 in the AP poll on Jan. 25.

Utah State is among the others receiving votes this week with 18 points in the coaches' poll and four in the AP poll. UNLV received eight points in the coaches' voting.

AP Top 25

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 21, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:

Record Pts Pvs

1. Kansas (61) 26-1 1,621 1

2. Kentucky (4) 26-1 1,559 2

3. Purdue 23-3 1,470 4

4. Syracuse 25-2 1,455 5

5. Duke 23-4 1,323 6

6. Kansas St. 22-4 1,302 7

7. Villanova 22-4 1,189 3

8. West Virginia 21-5 1,183 8

9. Ohio St. 21-7 1,097 9

10. New Mexico 25-3 997 12

11. Georgetown 18-7 846 10