Mon Dec 24 14:55:08 2007

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UNC, Memphis and Kansas continue to lead in poll

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New York, NY (Sports Network) - North Carolina once again remained the top- ranked team in the latest Associated Press men's college basketball poll as Memphis and Kansas remained second and third respectively for the fourth consecutive week.

The Tar Heels (11-0) received 47 first-place votes and a total of 1,774 points from a nationwide media panel.

The Tigers, Jayhawks, Washington State and UCLA round out the top five. Memphis managed to pick up 24 first-place votes while Kansas earned one No. 1 tally.

On Saturday, the Tigers downed Georgetown to extend the nation's second- longest home winning streak to 37 games.

Washington State climbed three spots in the poll for its highest ranking in school history while the Bruins also moved up three spots to get into the top five.

Pittsburgh is sixth this week, followed by Michigan State, Georgetown, Texas and Duke. The Panthers knocked off Duke in overtime last Thursday to move up from the 11th spot.

Tennessee was 11th with Marquette, Indiana, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Butler, Arizona, Villanova, Miami and BYU trailing behind.

Clemson, Mississippi, West Virginia, Southern California and Rhode Island are the last five ranked teams. After winning the San Juan Shootout, the Rebels slid into the poll for the first time since the 2000-01 campaign. Clemson's decline from 15th a week ago to 21st was the biggest drop in the poll as the Tigers lost to Mississippi this past Saturday.

Gonzaga, which lost two of its last three games, fell out of the poll along with Oregon.