Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Two days after losing to Notre Dame in South Bend, the Syracuse University men’s basketball team tumbled from No. 1 in the Associated Press poll to No. 3 and No. 4 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.
Slipping past the Orange were Kentucky (19-1) and Missouri (18-1). In the Coaches poll, Ohio State moved up to No. 4.
With the loss, SU fell to 20-1 on the season.
Rounding out the top five in the AP poll were Ohio State (17-3) and Kansas (16-3). In the Coaches poll, Kansas was ranked No. 5.
The Orange faces Cincinnati Monday night on the Bearcats home court. They are playing without center Fab Melo, who did not join SU on its current road trip due to academic issues. The program announced on Saturday that Mookie Jones had also left the team. The latter player has left the school dues to personal reasons.
Associated Press poll
1. Kentucky (61) 19-1 1,620 2
2. Missouri (2) 18-1 1,532 5
3. Syracuse (2) 20-1 1,506 1
4. Ohio St. 17-3 1,411 6
5. Kansas 16-3 1,383 7
6. Baylor 17-2 1,234 3
7. North Carolina 16-3 1,232 8
8. Duke 16-3 1,176 4
9. Georgetown 16-3 1,045 10
10. Michigan St. 16-4 1,009 9
11. Murray St. 20-0 925 12
12. UNLV 18-3 886 14
13. San Diego St. 17-2 832 16
14. Florida 15-4 709 17
15. Creighton 18-2 682 19
16. Indiana 16-4 609 11
17. Marquette 16-4 517 21
18. Mississippi St. 16-4 422 18
19. Virginia 15-3 414 15
20. Michigan 15-5 396 20
21. Saint Mary's (Cal) 19-2 345 24
22. Kansas St. 14-4 252 25
23. Florida St. 13-6 244 -
24. UConn 14-5 203 13
25. Wisconsin 16-5 182 -
Others receiving votes: West Virginia 96, Gonzaga 82, Vanderbilt 40, Louisville 35, Harvard 32, Wichita St. 28, Cincinnati 20, Illinois 11, Middle Tennessee 9, Dayton 3, Iona 2, Long Beach St. 1.
ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll
1. Kentucky 19-1
2. Missouri 18-1
3. Ohio St. 17-3
4. Syracuse 20-1
5. Kansas 16-3
6. Duke 16-3
7. Baylor 17-2
8. North Carolina 16-3
9. Murray St. 20-0
10. Georgetown 16-3
11. Michigan St. 16-4
12. San Diego St. 17-2
13. Florida 15-4
14. Creighton 18-2
15. UNLV 18-3
16. Mississippi St. 16-4
17. Indiana 16-4
18. Marquette 16-4
19. UConn 14-5
20. Saint Mary's (Cal) 19-2
21. Virginia 15-3
22. Michigan 15-5
23. Harvard 16-2
24. Kansas St. 14-4
25. Louisville 15-5
25. Wisconsin 16-5
