North Carolina Tops USA Today/ESPN Poll

MCLEAN, Virginia (Ticker) -- North Carolina claimed the No. 1 ranking in the latest USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll released Monday. The Tar Heels, off to a 7-0 start for the first time under coach Roy Williams, received 753 votes to edge second-place Memphis, which was given 746 points. North Carolina received 23 first-place votes to only six for Memphis (6-0).

The Tar Heels had dropped to No. 2 in the rankings last week after being tied atop the poll two weeks ago with UCLA. One week after taking sole possession of the top ranking, the Bruins (7-1) fell seven spots to eighth after Sunday's 63-61 loss to then-No. 8 Texas. The Longhorns (7-0) moved up to fifth in the rankings with 620 points.

Both Kansas (7-0) and Georgetown (5-0) moved up one spot to third and fourth, respectively, and each received one first-place vote. Washington State (7-0) is sixth, followed by Duke (8-0) and UCLA. Pittsburgh (7-0) and Michigan State (6-1) rounded out the top 10.

Louisville (5-1) dropped one spot to 11th, followed by Tennessee (7-1), Butler (7-0) and Texas A&M (7-1), which fell five spots after a 78-67 loss to Arizona on Sunday. Indiana (6-1) and Marquette (5-1) tied for 15th, each with 341 points.

Clemson (7-0) was 17th, followed by Oregon (6-1), Gonzaga (7-1) and Xavier (6-1). Villanova (5-1) remained 21st, followed by Brigham Young (6-1) and Wisconsin (5-1). Newcomers to the poll, Arizona (5-2) and Vanderbilt (7-0), are ranked 24th and 25th, respectively. Southern Illinois and Southern California both fell from the rankings.