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Thanks to eight straight wins, the Kentucky Wildcats continue to climb up the polls.
The latest AP Top 25 Poll has Kentucky coming in at the No. 8 spot. The one-spot climb came thanks to a pair of wins over Vanderbilt and Texas A&M last week, as well as a loss by Louisville to Wake Forest. The Cats will need more help if they're to keep climbing before Selection Sunday arrives.
The top spots remained unchanged with Kansas and Villanova maintaining their hold on the No. 1 and 2 spots. However, UCLA climbed to the No. 3 spot, passing Gonzaga (4). North Carolina dropped to No. 6 following their loss to Virginia.
Here is the entire AP Poll:
| 1 |  |
Kansas (59)
Big 12
Record: 28-3
|
PV Rank
1Points
1,619 |
| 2 |  |
Villanova (2)
Big East
Record: 28-3
|
2
1,517
|
| 3 |  |
UCLA (3)
Pac-12
Record: 28-3
|
3
1,487
|
| 4 |  |
Gonzaga (1)
West Coast
Record: 30-1
|
4
1,430
|
| 5 |  |
Oregon
Pac-12
Record: 27-4
|
6
1,364
|
| 6 |  |
North Carolina
ACC
Record: 26-6
|
5
1,291
|
| 7 |  |
Arizona
Pac-12
Record: 27-4
|
7
1,252
|
| 8 |  |
Kentucky
SEC
Record: 26-5
|
9
1,182
|
| 9 |  |
Baylor
Big 12
Record: 25-6
|
11
1,084
|
| 10 |  |
Louisville
ACC
Record: 24-7
|
8
1,047
|
| 11 |  |
West Virginia
Big 12
Record: 24-7
|
10
958
|
| 12 |  |
SMU
American Athletic Conference (AAC)
Record: 27-4
|
14
849
|
| 13 |  |
Purdue
Big Ten
Record: 25-6
|
16
839
|
| 14 |  |
Duke
ACC
Record: 23-8
|
17
667
|
| 15 |  |
Cincinnati
American Athletic Conference (AAC)
Record: 27-4
|
18
634
|
| 16 |  |
Florida State
ACC
Record: 24-7
|
15
631
|
| 17 |  |
Florida
SEC
Record: 24-7
|
12
617
|
| 18 |  |
Butler
Big East
Record: 23-7
|
13
538
|
| 19 |  |
Saint Mary's (Cal)
West Coast
Record: 27-3
|
20
456
|
| 20 |  |
Wichita State
Missouri Valley
Record: 30-4
|
21
401
|
| 21 |  |
Virginia
ACC
Record: 21-9
|
23
400
|
| 22 |  |
Notre Dame
ACC
Record: 23-8
|
19
394
|
| 23 |  |
Iowa State
Big 12
Record: 20-10
|
24
147
|
| 24 |  |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
Record: 23-8
|
22
139
|
| 25 |  |
Maryland
Big Ten
Record: 24-7
|
-
47
|
The latest Coaches Poll also has the Wildcats earning the No. 8 spot:
TOP 25 TEAMS, WEEK 18
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | 1ST PLACE VOTES | PREV | CHANGE | HI/LOW |
| 1 | Kansas | 28-3 | 795 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1/8 |
| 2 | Villanova | 28-3 | 743 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1/4 |
| 3 | UCLA | 28-3 | 737 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 2/20 |
| 4 | Gonzaga | 30-1 | 674 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1/14 |
| 5 | Oregon | 27-4 | 655 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4/24 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 26-6 | 649 | 0 | 5 | -1 | 3/16 |
| 7 | Arizona | 27-4 | 600 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4/20 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 26-5 | 581 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1/12 |
| 9 | Louisville | 24-7 | 544 | 0 | 7 | -2 | 4/15 |
| 10 | Baylor | 25-6 | 516 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1/NR |
| 11 | West Virginia | 24-7 | 462 | 0 | 10 | -1 | 7/19 |
| 12 | Purdue | 25-6 | 391 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 12/24 |
| 13 | Florida | 24-7 | 347 | 0 | 12 | -1 | 12/NR |
| 14 | Duke | 23-8 | 345 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1/21 |
| 15 | Southern Methodist | 27-4 | 303 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 15/NR |
| 16 | Notre Dame | 23-8 | 301 | 0 | 13 | -3 | 12/NR |
| 17 | Florida St. | 24-7 | 278 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8/NR |
| 18 | Cincinnati | 27-4 | 262 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 11/NR |
| 18 | St. Mary's | 27-3 | 262 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 11/23 |
| 20 | Butler | 23-7 | 249 | 0 | 15 | -5 | 11/NR |
| 21 | Virginia | 21-9 | 189 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 6/23 |
| 22 | Wichita St. | 30-4 | 184 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 22/NR |
| 23 | Wisconsin | 23-8 | 82 | 0 | 21 | -2 | 5/23 |
| 24 | Iowa St. | 20-10 | 63 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 21/NR |
| 25 | Middle Tennessee St. | 27-4 | 30 | 0 | 29 | 4 | 25/NR |
The newest CBS Sports Top 25 (and one) poll has Kentucky checking in at No. 8
1. Kansas
2. Villanova
3. Gonzaga
4. North Carolina
5. UCLA
6. Oregon
7. Arizona
8. Kentucky
9. Baylor
10. Louisville
11. Duke
12. Florida State
13. West Virginia
14. Purdue
15. Butler
16. Notre Dame
17. SMU
18. St. Mary's
19. Florida
20. Cincinnati
21. Virginia
22. Iowa State
23. Oklahoma State
24. Wichita State
25. Minnesota
26. Maryland