Gonzaga has strengthened its hold on the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll after beating Iowa.
The Zags received 61 of 64 first-place votes from a media panel in the poll released on Monday. No. 2 Baylor got the remaining three first-place votes, and No. 3 Kansas moved up two spots this week. Iowa, which dropped one spot after losing to Gonzaga, and Villanova rounded out the top five.
Gonzaga (4-0) returned last week after losing five games to COVID-19 issues and did not look rusty at all against the Hawkeyes. Freshman Jalen Suggs had 30 points and seven 3-pointers, and the Zags pounced on Iowa early to win 99-88 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Gonzaga had 54 first-place votes last week.
No. 10 Texas cracked the top 10 for the first time since reaching No. 6 in 2014-15.
Michigan State dropped eight spots to No. 12 after losing 79-65 to Northwestern on Sunday.