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The Villanova Wildcats, Butler Bulldogs and Providence Friars are the three Big East teams featured in this week's Associated Press men's college basketball poll.
The 'Cats remain in the Top 10 as they have been for a majority this season, staying at No. 6, after a week in which they defeated the Seton Hall Pirates and Marquette Golden Eagles. 'Nova was rarely challenged at all in these two contests, especially against The Hall, and pushed their record to a program-best 25-2.
Butler found themselves at both ends of the spectrum this week and are slotted at No. 23. The 'Dawgs narrowly beat the Creighton Bluejays last Monday night at CenturyLink Center Omaha after a Roosevelt Jones bucket in the waning moments. Saturday, the Xavier Musketeers slapped the taste out of them with a 73-56 beat down. The Bulldogs are currently 19-8 with a 9-5 record in Big East play.
Finally, the Providence Friars appear in the latest AP Poll, marking the first time since the 2003-04 season that they have hit this achievement. PC only played one game this past week, scoring an annihilation of the DePaul Blue Demons in Rosemont, Illinois by the tally of 84-57. They, like Butler, are 19-8 with a 9-5 record in conference play.
The Georgetown Hoyas received votes in this week's poll, checking in at No. 26.
Here is this week's poll:
I know Mike Jacobs usually does this but I figured I would pick up any necessary slack needed here. Just being ambitious.
AP Top 25
| Rank | Team | Record | Pts | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky Wildcats (65) | 27-0 | 1625 | 1 |
| 2 | Virginia Cavaliers | 25-1 | 1526 | 2 |
| 3 | Gonzaga Bulldogs | 28-1 | 1471 | 3 |
| 4 | Duke Blue Devils | 24-3 | 1448 | 4 |
| 5 | Wisconsin Badgers | 25-2 | 1390 | 5 |
| 6 | Villanova Wildcats | 25-2 | 1306 | 6 |
| 7 | Arizona Wildcats | 24-3 | 1228 | 7 |
| 8 | Kansas Jayhawks | 22-5 | 1111 | 8 |
| 9 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 24-4 | 1109 | 9 |
| 10 | Northern Iowa Panthers | 26-2 | 1032 | 11 |
| 11 | Wichita State Shockers | 25-3 | 930 | 13 |
| 12 | Iowa State Cyclones | 20-6 | 887 | 14 |
| 13 | Utah Utes | 21-5 | 876 | 9 |
| 14 | Maryland Terrapins | 22-5 | 695 | 16 |
| 15 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 19-8 | 655 | 15 |
| 16 | Oklahoma Sooners | 19-8 | 622 | 17 |
| 17 | Louisville Cardinals | 21-6 | 613 | 12 |
| 18 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 22-5 | 564 | 18 |
| 19 | Baylor Bears | 20-7 | 473 | 20 |
| 20 | West Virginia Mountaineers | 21-6 | 453 | 23 |
| 21 | SMU Mustangs | 22-5 | 357 | 21 |
| 21 | Virginia Commonwealth Rams | 21-6 | 182 | 25 |
| 23 | Butler Bulldogs | 19-8 | 165 | 19 |
| 24 | San Diego State Aztecs | 22-6 | 117 | 27 |
| 25 | Providence Friars | 19-8 | 72 | 28 |
| Others Receiving Votes: Georgetown 58, Michigan St. 56, Murray St. 42, Oklahoma St. 25, Ohio St. 12, Murray St. 20, Valparaiso 10, Texas A&M 8, Rhode Island 3, S.F. Austin 2, Texas 1, Oregon 1 | ||||