KU rises to No. 3 after latest top-10 win

(AP) - Following another week of quality wins, the Kansas Jayhawks moved up to No. 3 in the latest AP Poll, released Monday. The Jayhawks received seven first-place votes among the 62 voters.

“We’re not as good a basketball team, from a tactical standpoint, as last year’s basketball team yet,” said Jayhawks coach Bill Self, whose team is trying to become the first back-to-back national champions since Florida in 2006 and ‘07. “From a competitive standpoint, this team is an equivalent, or on par, with that team.”

That was evident Saturday, when the Jayhawks rallied from 17 down to beat No. 9 Baylor 87-71 in Allen Fieldhouse.

Houston returned to No. 1 in the AP men’s college basketball poll on Monday for the third time this season, while Northwestern and Texas A&M barged into the rankings after each had a pair of impressive wins last week.

The Cougars, riding a seven-game winning streak, jumped over Alabama and back into the top spot, where they spent two weeks in November and December and had another two-week stint last month. They picked up 48 first-place votes to lay claim to No. 1 with just two weeks left in the regular season.

“This is my fourth year coaching these guys. We’ve developed a really good program here,” said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, referring to his veteran leaders that went to a Final Four two years ago and the Elite Eight last season. “But the emphasis is ‘we have.’ One person doesn’t do it. I’m proud of our program. I’m proud of everyone in it.”

The Crimson Tide dropped only one spot after losing to Tennessee and routing Georgia in their lone week at No. 1. Alabama, like Kansas, got seven first-place votes.

Along with the Jayhawks, Texas (8), Baylor (9), Kansas State (14), Iowa State (23) and TCU (24) were all ranked, marking 60 percent of the Big 12.

On Monday night, Kansas takes on TCU in Fort Worth.