St. John's Makes Big Leap In National Polls

 

The scene before tip-off between St. John's and UConn Friday night. Photo by Jason Schott.

St. John's finally got the signature win they were seeking all season when they knocked off No. 3 Connecticut on Friday night, and it gave them a boost of five spots to No. 17 in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll.

St. John's beat UConn, 81-72, at Madison Square Garden for their ninth straight win, and they are now 18-5, including 11-1 in Big East Conference play. Earlier in the week, they won at DePaul, 68-56, on Tuesday night.

The Red Storm are just a half-game behind Connecticut, who's 12-1 in Big East play and 22-2 overall, in their quest to repeat at Big East Champions.

With the loss, UConn dipped to No. 6 in the AP poll, and No. 5 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

St. John's and Connecticut remain the only two Big East teams in the national polls.

AP TOP 25 MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLL (released February 9):

RANKING - TEAM - RECORD - POINTS - FIRST-PLACE VOTES:

1. Arizona - 23-0 - 1475 - 59

2. Michigan - 22-1 - 1416

3. Houston - 21-2 - 1275

4. Duke - 21-2 - 1254

5. Iowa State - 21-2 - 1247

6. UConn - 22-2 - 1227

7. Nebraska - 21-2 - 1091

8. Illinois - 20-4 - 1060

9. Kansas - 18-5 - 966

10. Michigan State - 20-4 - 929

11. North Carolina - 19-4 - 863

12. Gonzaga - 23-2 - 803

13. Purdue - 19-4 - 785

14. Florida - 17-6 - 718

15. Virginia - 20-3 - 642

16. Texas Tech - 17-6 - 549

17. St. John's - 18-5 - 524

18. Saint Louis - 23-1 - 422

19. Vanderbilt - 19-4 - 375

20. Clemson - 20-4 - 354

21. Arkansas - 17-6 - 304

22. BYU - 17-6 - 198

23. Miami (OH) - 24-0 - 195

24. Louisville - 17-6 - 182

25. Kentucky - 17-7 - 80

RECEIVED VOTES: Alabama (72), Iowa (69), NC State (31), Tennessee (26), Villanova (17), Utah St (15), Georgia (6), Santa Clara (2), Auburn (2), Saint Mary's (1). 

USA TODAY SPORTS COACHES POLL (released February 9):

RANKING - TEAM - RECORD - POINTS - FIRST-PLACE VOTES:

1. Arizona - 23-0 - 774 - 30

2. Michigan - 22-1 - 745 - 1

3. Houston - 21-2 - 667

4. Iowa State - 21-2 - 658

5. UConn - 22-2 - 649

6. Duke - 21-2 - 643

7. Illinois - 20-4 - 563

8. Nebraska - 21-2 - 538

9. Kansas - 18-5 - 481

10. Michigan State - 20-4 - 478

11. Gonzaga - 23-2  - 455

12. Purdue - 19-4 - 439

13. North Carolina - 19-4 - 389

14. Florida - 17-6 - 381

15. Virginia - 20-3 - 332

16. Texas Tech - 17-6 - 318

17. St. John's - 18-5 - 259

18. Clemson - 20-4  - 258

19. Saint Louis - 23-1 - 193

20. Vanderbilt - 19-4 - 181

21. Arkansas - 17-6 - 154

22. BYU - 17-6 - 138

23. Louisville - 17-6 - 94

24. Miami (OH) - 24-0 - 83

25. Iowa - 18-5 - 71

Schools Dropped Out: No. 25 Texas A&M

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Kentucky (30), Alabama (24), Villanova (13), NC State (13), Tennessee (10), Utah State (8), Texas A&M (7), Georgia (3), Santa Clara (1).