Rewritten: Written by JOHN MARSHALL, a writer for the Associated Press Sports section.

The initial Associated Press ranking for men’s basketball during the regular season often results in a chaotic rearrangement of teams due to the contrast between pre-season predictions and the outcome of real games.

The initial survey for the 2023-24 year remains unchanged.

In the latest poll released on Monday, Kansas maintained its top spot and received 51 first-place votes from a panel of 62 media members. However, the remaining teams in the AP Top 25 experienced a lot of movement.

Purdue, ranked number 2, advanced in the rankings after securing two simple victories and garnered seven top votes. Arizona, ranked number 3, made a significant jump from 12th place after defeating Duke and received three top votes.

No. 4 Marquette moved up a spot as did defending national champion Connecticut, which received a first-place vote to round out the top five. No. 24 James Madison moved into the poll for the first time ever after taking down Michigan State in overtime.

Arizona’s quick surge was a result of a victorious visit to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Coach Tommy Lloyd’s third year with the Wildcats brought some uncertainty as the team underwent changes with new players filling in for key departures. This team had previously been defeated by Princeton in the opening round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Arizona had a notable away game, defeating Duke 78-73 after dominating against Morgan State in their first game. Duke fell to the 9th spot in the rankings following their defeat.

Lloyd stated that he instructed the team to maintain composure as they were the superior team. He encouraged them to have confidence in their abilities throughout the entire game. Although he expected a close match, he has faith in their potential. He expressed his admiration for the team and believes they have the potential to be one of the top teams in the nation.

DESERVING DUKES

Mark Byington has progressively improved James Madison’s team from 13 victories in his initial season in 2020-21 to 22 in the previous year.

The Dukes seem to be continuing their upward trajectory after achieving a major upset in the beginning of the season. Without being affected by facing the country’s fourth-ranked team on their turf, James Madison traveled to East Lansing and defeated Michigan State 79-76 in overtime.

The Dukes’ victory resulted in their first appearance in the AP Top 25 rankings since moving to Division I in 1976. It also caused the Spartans to drop 14 spots to No. 18.

“We are not intimidated by names,” stated T.J. Bickerstaff confidently, following his impressive performance of 21 points, which included a crucial tying shot in the last 30 seconds of the game. “We are determined and give our all.”

STEADY OWLS

Florida Atlantic reached its highest position at number 10 in the preseason rankings following their unexpected journey to the Final Four last year. The team brought back almost all of its players from last season and began this season strongly with a 75-62 victory against Loyola Chicago, allowing them to maintain their spot in the top 10 for this week.

“Our team has a fresh start with a new season and a new chapter,” stated Dusty May, coach of the Owls.

UP AND DOWN

Michigan State experienced the largest decrease since the preseason rankings, while Duke followed closely behind with a drop of seven spots. On the other hand, Arizona had the biggest leap, with No. 15 Baylor and No. 16 Southern California also making significant gains by climbing five places each.

IN AND OUT

This week, James Madison was accompanied by No. 25 Colorado in entering the AP Top 25 rankings. The Buffaloes had strong victories against Towson and Grambling State in their first games of the season.

Last season, San Diego State experienced a rapid decline in rankings after coming in second place nationally. The Aztecs fell out of the poll, going from No. 17, following a nine-point defeat by BYU. Likewise, Saint Mary’s dropped out of the rankings from No. 23 after losing at home to Weber State.

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Source: wralsportsfan.com