UCLA Claims #1 Hoops Ranking

MCLEAN, Virginia (Ticker) -- UCLA barely climbed ahead of North Carolina to claim the No. 1 ranking in the latest USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll released Monday. The Bruins (6-0) received 749 total points to edge the second-place Tar Heels, who were given 745 points. North Carolina (5-0) actually received more first-place votes than UCLA, collecting 13 to the Bruins' 12. The two schools were tied atop the poll last week, but UCLA took sole possession of the No. 1 spot following victories over Maryland, Michigan State and Yale.

Memphis (5-0) remained third in the poll, receiving 719 points and five first-place votes. The final first-place vote went to fourth-ranked Kansas (5-0), which rallied for a 76-72 overtime victory Sunday against Arizona. Georgetown (3-0) is fifth, followed by Washington State (6-0), Duke (6-0) and Texas (5-0). Texas A&M (6-0) and Louisville (4-1) rounded out the top 10.

Pittsburgh (5-0) climbed six spots to 11th, followed by Tennessee (5-1), Michigan State (4-1), Marquette (4-1), Indiana (4-1), Butler (6-0), Oregon (5-1), Clemson (5-0) and Gonzaga (5-1). Wisconsin (5-0) made its first appearance in the rankings at No. 20 following Saturday's 19-point blowout of Georgia. Villanova (4-1) fell two spots to 21st while Southern Illinois dropped three spots to No. 22. Brigham Young (5-1), Southern California (5-1) and Xavier (4-1) - all newcomers to the poll - are ranked 23rd, 24th and 25th, respectively. Kansas State, Syracuse, two-time reigning champion Florida and Davidson all fell from the rankings.