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Duke Basketball: Blue Devils rise to No. 2 after win and Gonzaga loss

By Kevin Connelly

DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 08: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils goes up for a dunk against the Yale Bulldogs in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 8, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 08: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils goes up for a dunk against the Yale Bulldogs in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 8, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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After two victories this week and a loss by the top team in the nation, the Duke Basketball team slides up in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll this week.

The Duke Blue Devils are now the No. 2 team in the nation as the latest Associated Press Top-25 Poll after taking care of business against Hartford and Yale this week and seeing the former No. 1 team in the nation, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, fall to the former No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers.

The Kansas Jayhawks have taken over as the No. 1 team in the nation, the second time the Jayhawks have been ranked No. 1, which is strange due to its 8-0 record.

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The Jayhawks were previously ranked as the No. 1 team in the Pre-Season Poll.

Kansas was leapfrogged by Duke when the Blue Devils steamrolled the Kentucky Wildcats in the Champions Classic, who have fell to No. 19 after a overtime loss to the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday afternoon.

The Jayhawks were then jumped by Gonzaga after defeating Duke in the Championship of the Maui Invitational.

Kansas received 57 of a possible 65 first place votes for the top ranking as the Blue Devils received four votes and then at No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Gonzaga, No. 5 Michigan, and No. 6 Virginia all received one vote for the top spot.

Due to the annual final exam break, the Blue Devils will not get back on the floor until December 18 at home against Princeton, but Duke still has a chance to move up in the polls as the Jayhawks will host the reigning National Champions, No. 17 Villanova, on Saturday afternoon.

After the December 18 matchup against the Princeton Tigers, the Blue Devils will head north and take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Madison Square Garden on December 20. The Red Raiders currently sit at No. 11 in the AP Top 25 Poll.

As Duke is off this week, Blue Devils fans should turn their attention to that Kansas vs. Villanova matchup on Saturday because if the Jayhawks fall, Duke should retake the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 Poll.

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