New AP Poll Released - Virginia drops to #3

The Virginia Cavaliers are #3 in the nation in the newest AP Poll. The Hoos dropped from second to third after falling 69-63 to Duke.  Kentucky remained at the #1 spot, now in unanimous fashion, while Gonzaga moved to #2.

Duke remained at #4 after a week where they fell at Notre Dame but beat UVA, followed by Wisconsin.  The ACC now has 5 ranked teams, all in the top 12, as Louisville moved to #9, Notre Dame to #10, and UNC to 12.

Computer rankings kept generally UVA at #2 - that includes Ken Pomeroy (#8 in offense and #3 in defense), Sagarin, and BPI.

Dropping in the polls after a loss is expected, as voters tend to be inundated with "you lose, you drop (unless you're Duke or UNC)" thinking. It doesn't make much sense, and isn't the best way of determining who the best teams are, but that's how they work.  Still, 25 of the AP's 65 voters kept UVA at #2.

However, some took the practice a bit far, as four voters dropped the Hoos to sixth. Ben Frederickson of the Knoxville News Sentinel, Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press, and Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun had UVA behind Kentucky, Gonzaga, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Duke; Scott Masch of the Great Falls Tribune had Villanova ahead of Virginia too (but Duke behind).  The good news: Polls are just for fun, and UVA will have plenty of opportunity to earn back its spot with good performances in the tough road ahead.

Here's the full AP Top 25:

AP Top 25