Illinois’ 10-point loss to Northwestern last week cost the Illini their Top 25 ranking in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Top 25 polls released Monday.
The Illini, 25th in both polls last week, had been ranked by USA Today/ESPN for a school-record 68 consecutive polls. They had been ranked by the AP in 26 straight polls.
“It only matters what you are at the end of the regular season and . . . the postseason,” junior Roger Powell said.
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Illinois (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) received votes in both polls, garnering 21 points in the AP poll and 24 in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Duke (14-1) replaced Connecticut, which lost to North Carolina, as the No. 1 team in both polls. It marked the seventh straight year the Blue Devils’ men’s team has spent time as No. 1 in the AP poll.
The streak dates to the 1997-98 season and is the second longest in history, behind UCLA’s 12 straight seasons with a stay at No. 1 from 1964-75.
Marlen Garcia.
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Denham Brown scored 20 points to lead fourth-ranked Connecticut to a 68-65 victory over No. 8 Pittsburgh in Hartford, Conn., leaving three unbeaten teams in Division I: St. Joseph’s, Stanford and Cincinnati.
The game was a lot slower than Connecticut (15-2, 3-0 Big East), which averages 85.9 points, wanted. Pittsburgh (18-1, 4-1), which averages 71.3 points, used up most of the shot clock on virtually all of its possessions.
The Huskies’ win was even more impressive because preseason All-Americans Emerka Okafor and Ben Gordon didn’t have their usual standout games.
Taliek Brown scored in the lane with 1:44 left to give Connecticut the lead for good at 64-63.
RESULTS, MONDAY’S SYNOPSIS
#20 Oklahoma 47 at #18 Texas Tech 67
Andre Emmett scored 21 points as Tech (15-2, 3-0 Big 12) won its 11th straight, its longest streak under Bob Knight. Sooners (10-4, 0-3) lost 4th straight game, 3 by 20 or more.
Loyola 59 at Providence 89
Chris Anrin scored 16 points, including 5 3-pointers, to lead Providence (11-3) to a comfortable win. Paul McMillan had 16 for Loyola (6-10), which trailed by 23 at the half.
Texas A&M-C.C. 81 at Chicago State 89
Craig Franklin had 22 points and Royce Parran and Rubeen Perry each added 19 for Cougars (5-14), who had 30-7 edge from line. Thomas Bailey’s 27 led Corpus Christi (9-7).