College Basketball: Poll position: Cats out, Owls in
Ohio State and Kansas are 1-2 in the Associated Press college basketball poll for a second straight week. Villanova, which had been ranked as high as sixth, dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time this season.
Ohio State and Kansas are 1-2 in the Associated Press college basketball poll for a second straight week.
Villanova, which had been ranked as high as sixth, dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time this season.
Temple came in at No. 24.
The Big Ten champion Buckeyes are No. 1 for a fifth week overall and haven't been ranked lower than second since December. They received 52 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel on Monday.
The No. 2 Jayhawks recieved the other first-place votes.
Pittsburgh moved up one spot to third and was followed by Notre Dame, Duke, North Carolina, San Diego State, BYU, Purdue and Texas.
West Virginia and Cincinnati are among four newcomers this week and are part of a record nine Big East teams in the Top 25.
Texas Tech fires Pat Knight. Ending a disappointing tenure for a coach who failed to lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA tournament after taking over for his father in February 2008, Texas Tech fired Pat Knight. The son of Bob Knight will coach the Red Raiders at this week's Big Twelve tournament and then step down.
After being dismissed, Pat Knight lauded his bosses for the way they let him go after three disappointing seasons.
It was, after all, different from the way his famous father was ousted at Indiana more than a decade ago.
Honor roll. Penn State guard Talor Battle was named a first-team all-Big Ten selection. . . . Temple's Scootie Randall was honored as the Atlantic Ten's most improved player and teammate Khalif Wyatt of Temple was honored as sixth man of the year. In addition, La Salle's Steve Weingarten was tabbed student-athlete of the year. Temple's Lavoy Allen was named to the all-conference first team. Temple's Ramone Moore was named to the second team, and teammate Juan Fernandez was named the third team. Fernandez was also named to the all-academic team. Saint Joseph's Langston Galloway was named to the all-rookie team. . . . The Philadelphia Big 5 honored Allen and Galloway as the co-players of the week.
Meehan stars at tourney. Lebanon Valley guard Joey Meehan (St. Joseph's Prep) was named the ECAC South tournament's outstanding player after averaging 22 points and nine assists per game in the three-game tourney, and leading the Dutchmen to a 74-61 victory over Catholic University on Sunday to win the title.
Tournaments
Wofford 77, College of Charleston 67 -
Cameron Rundles scored 21 points to send the Terriers (21-12) to a second straight NCAA tournament berth with a win over the Cougars (24-10) in the Southern Conference tournament championship game.
Gonzaga 75, St. Mary's 63 - Robert Sacre scored 12 points, including a dunk and four late free throws as the Bulldogs (24-9) topped the Gaels (24-8) to to win the West Coast Conference tournament for the second time in three years.
Old Dominion 70, Virginia Commonwealth 65 - Frank Hassell scored 22 points as the Monarchs (27-6) withstood a rally by the Rams (23-11) to defend their Colonial Athletic Association title in Richmond, Va.
St. Peter's 62, Iona 57 - Jeron Belin scored 17 points as the Peacocks (20-13) beat the Gaels (22-11) in Bridgeport, Conn., to win the MAAC crown and secure their first NCAA berth in 16 years.