Arizona held on to the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the fourth straight time Monday, but only by the slimmest of margins.
The Wildcats (14-0) stayed on top of Michigan (13-0) by getting 1,494 total points to the Wolverines' 1,493 points from the 61 voters (first-place votes count for 25 points, on down to one point for a 25th place vote.) Arizona lost six first-place votes from the last poll on Dec. 22 -- it wasn't released last week because of the limited games over the holiday break -- and Michigan gained 10.
The one-point difference between UA and Michigan kept this week's poll from becoming the second ever with a tie for No. 1 and first in 45 years: Oregon State and Virginia shared the top spot on Jan. 26, 1981.
The Wildcats' shrinking margin may be because the Wolverines crushed a then-ranked USC and because three more voters were present Monday than on Dec. 22.
Michigan head coach Dusty May has guided the Wolverines to a number of blowout wins that are challenging Arizona's place atop the AP Top 25 poll.
Since Dec. 22, Michigan has beaten McNeese State (112-71) and USC (96-66) at home, while Arizona has beaten Bethune-Cookman (107-71) and South Dakota State (99-71) at home, and won at Utah (97-78).
USC (12-2) was ranked 23rd at the time Michigan beat them, however, though the Trojans fell out Monday. Another difference: Third-ranked Iowa State lost its one first-place vote, and that voter went instead with Michigan this week.
In any case, the top five of the AP Poll didn't change: After Arizona and Michigan, Iowa State remained third with 1,390 total points, UConn was fourth at 1,343 and Purdue was fifth at 1,254.
UA beat UConn on Nov. 19 and will host Iowa State on March 2 at McKale Center. Among other UA opponents this season, several moved up one spot each: Houston (13-1, to No. 8), BYU (13-1, to No. 9), Alabama (11-3, to No. 13) and Texas Tech (11-3, to No. 13).
Meanwhile, Kansas (10-4) dropped five spots to No. 22 after losing at UCF (12-1), which jumped into the poll at No. 25. TCU (11-3), which will host UA on Saturday, received two points in Monday's voting.
FWIW, I didn't change the top five on my AP ballot this week.
The Big 12 named Texas Tech's JT Toppin its Player of the Week and BYU's AJ Dybantsa the Newcomer of the Week.
Arizona had nominated Tobe Awaka for Player of the Week and guard Brayden Burries as Newcomer of the Week after their heroics in Utah, but neither player was included in the league's five-player "starting five" honor roll this week.
ESPN will televise Arizona's game at TCU on Saturday. UA's initial schedule listed ESPN or ESPN2. The tipoff will not change from 2 p.m. Arizona time.
