"The Shark" is back in the Top 25.
Fresno State and coach Jerry Tarkanian moved into the ESPN/USA
Today coaches' poll for the first time this season, debuting at
No. 22 Sunday night.
Known as "Tark the Shark," Tarkanian has guided the Bulldogs
(17-2) to 13 straight wins, including Thursday's convincing
108-56 rout at Texas El-Paso.
The only school with a longer winning streak than Fresno State
is unbeaten Stanford (19-0), which received 28 first-place votes
and 772 points from a panel of Division I coaches. It is the Cardinal's fourth straight week at No. 1.
Duke (19-1) held second with the remaining three first-place
votes and 747 points. The Blue Devils erased a 10-point deficit
in the final minute of regulation of Saturday's 98-96 overtime
win at Maryland and have won nine in a row since their lone loss
to Stanford.
Kansas (17-1) moved up one spot to third and North Carolina
(17-2) climbed two rungs to fourth. The Tar Heels also have won
13 straight games and visit Duke on Thursday.
Defending national champion Michigan State (16-2) lost to Ohio
State on Saturday and dropped two spots to fifth. The Spartans
are followed by Illinois (16-4), Tennessee (17-3), Syracuse
(16-3), Arizona (14-5) and Maryland (14-5).
Virginia (14-5) jumped one spot to 11th and is followed by Wake
Forest (14-5), Georgetown (17-2), Florida (13-4), Alabama
(16-3), Wisconsin (13-4), Iowa (16-4), Iowa State (17-3), Southern California (15-4) and Boston College (14-2).
BC made the biggest move of any team in the rankings, climbing
from No. 25.
Oklahoma (15-4) jumped three spots to 21st and Fresno State,
Connecticut (13-6), Texas (15-5) and Seton Hall (12-6) rounded out the rankings.
Seton Hall fell six spots to the final ranking. Mississippi
(15-4) dropped out of the poll from No. 21.
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ALSO SEE
ESPN/USA Today poll
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