Villanova basketball returns to AP Top 25 after being out for two weeks

Villanova returned to the AP men’s college basketball Top 25 this week afer beating Marquette and Butler.

The Wildcats came in at No. 23. They had dropped out of the poll two weeks ago from No. 17 after three straight losses.

Gonzaga remained at No. 1 after extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 20 games. Virginia stayed at No. 2 after winning both its games last week.

The rest of the AP Top 25 is a big jumble of teams trading places.

The Bulldogs received 42 of 64 votes in the poll released Monday after finishing an undefeated run through the West Coast Conference. The Cavaliers had 21 first-place votes, and No. 4 Duke, which fell a spot, had the remaining one.

North Carolina and Tennessee both moved up two spots, to Nos. 3 and 5.

Every other team switched positions, and No. 25 Central Florida moved into the poll for the first time since 2010-11.

Gonzaga (29-2) capped a 16-0 run through the West Coast Conference by rolling over Pacific and Saint Mary’s to earn the No. 1 seed in this week’s WCC Tournament. The Zags set a conference record by winning by an average of 27 points and could be looking at the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament if they win a seventh straight WCC Tournament title.

Gonzaga has done it despite forward Killian Tillie being limited to nine games this season because of injuries.

Virginia (26-2, 14-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) routed Georgia Tech, then blew out Pittsburgh to remain tied with North Carolina atop the ACC. The Cavaliers will close out the regular season against Syracuse and Louisville this week before the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, N.C.

The Tar Heels inched up two spots after beating Syracuse and Clemson.

Duke was No. 1 two weeks ago but dropped after Zion Williamson blew out his shoe. The star freshman has missed the past three games since injuring his right knee when his left shoe gave out against rival North Carolina. Duke lost to the Tar Heels and then-No. 20 Virginia Tech before knocking off Miami on Saturday.

Staff writer Jonathan Tannenwald contributed to this report.