Texas Tech stays at No. 7 in this week's AP Top 25

Brandone Francis of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shoots the ball during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones on February 7, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Iowa State 76-58. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Virginia has climbed to No. 1 in the AP men's basketball poll for the first time in more than 35 years.

The Cavaliers earned 30 of 65 first-place votes in Monday's latest poll to outdistance No. 2 Michigan State. Virginia had suffered an overtime home loss Saturday to Virginia Tech, part of an upset-filled week that saw the top three teams lose.

But Tony Bennett's Cavaliers rose above the turmoil at the top, climbing a slot to No. 1 for the first time since December 1982 - the senior season of 7-foot-4 great Ralph Sampson.

The Spartans climbed two slots after their win against Purdue, while last week's No. 1 Villanova fell to third after a home loss to St. John's.

Xavier and Cincinnati rounded out the top five.

 

                                         Record          Pts         Pvs
 1. Virginia (30)                   23-2          1,557         2
 2. Michigan St. (21)           24-3          1,527         4
 3. Villanova (9)                  23-2          1,518         1
 4. Xavier (5)                       23-3          1,465         5
 5. Cincinnati                      23-2           1,359         6
 6. Purdue                          23-4           1,269         3
 7. Texas Tech                    21-4           1,258         7
 8. Ohio St.                         22-5           1,094        14
 9. Gonzaga                       23-4           1,063        12
10. Auburn                         22-3           1,025         8
11. Clemson                       20-4            945         16
12. Duke                            20-5             942          9
13. Kansas                        19-6             816          10
14. North Carolina             19-7             763          21
15. Saint Mary's (Cal)        24-3             683          11
16. Rhode Island               20-3             666          18
17. Arizona                        20-6             594          13
18. Tennessee                   18-6             580          15
19. Wichita St.                   19-5             495          22
20. West Virginia               18-7             339          19
21. Texas A&M                  17-8             241           -
22. Michigan                      20-7             239         20
23. Oklahoma                    16-8             152         17
24. Nevada                        21-5              87          23
25. Arizona St                    19-6              83           -

Others receiving votes: New Mexico St. 66, Florida 48, Creighton 44, Butler 43, Virginia Tech 29, Middle Tennessee 26, Alabama 22, Houston 16, Nebraska 15, Missouri 14, Miami 10, Kentucky 8, TCU 8, ETSU 5, Oklahoma St. 4, St. Bonaventure 3, Louisville 2, Vermont 1, Florida St. 1.

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