:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62842617/usa_today_11990969.0.jpg)
A school record 17-0 start was still not enough to boost Michigan in the polls.
The Wolverines received nine-first place votes, yet still stayed put at No. 2 behind Duke in this week’s AP Top 25.
POLL ALERT: Duke stays at No. 1 as top 10 remains unchanged in new AP Top 25 poll; Kentucky and Marquette each jump six spots. See the full poll: https://t.co/9VlJIzCJS3 pic.twitter.com/8LrB2Dzjcc
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) January 14, 2019
The Maize and Blue notched a 10-point road win at Illinois on Thursday, and a 20-point rout over Northwestern Sunday. Despite this, they failed to leap ahead of the 14-1 Blue Devils, who hold 36 first-place votes.
No. 3 Tennessee has 13, while No. 4 Virginia has the remaining six. The Cavaliers are the only other undefeated team in the country at 15-0.
Michigan was mere moments away from its first No. 1 ranking since 2013. Duke trailed Florida State 78-77 with 2.8 seconds remaining, but freshman guard Cam Reddish drained a three just before the buzzer.
The Blue Devils host Syracuse today, and get a top-five matchup with Virginia on Saturday. Should they lose, the Wolverines would likely just need to topple Wisconsin at the Kohl Center on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN).
Michigan State (15-2) remained at No. 6 nationally. No. 19 Maryland, No. 23 Iowa and No. 25 Indiana are the other three Big Ten representatives in the poll.