Kansas was the runaway No. 1 pick in The Associated Press' college basketball poll yesterday, just as it has been each week since the season began last month.

Kansas State (No. 17) and New Mexico (No. 19) entered the rankings this week. The Wildcats joined the poll for the first time since the 2007-08 season, a drought dwarfed by the Lobos, whose previous appearance in the Top 25 was in March 1999.

The Jayhawks (9-0), who easily beat Radford and La Salle last week, received 61 first-place votes from the national media panel and were well ahead of Texas (8-0), which received one first-place vote and was No. 2 for the third straight week.

Kentucky (10-0), which was No. 1 on one ballot, and Purdue (9-0) both moved up one spot to third and fourth, following Villanova's 75-65 loss to Temple on Sunday. The Wildcats (9-1) dropped to eighth.

Syracuse (10-0), which beat Florida last week for its third win over a ranked team this season, received the other two first-place votes and jumped from seventh to fifth.

West Virginia remained sixth and was followed by Duke, Villanova, Tennessee and North Carolina.

UCONN WOMEN TIE RECORD RUN AT NO. 1

Connecticut is No. 1 for the 30th straight week in the AP Top 25, matching the longest run atop the poll in school history.

The Huskies (8-0), who received all 40 first-place votes yesterday from the national media panel, tied the mark set from 1999-2001. But UConn is still six short of the all-time record of 36 consecutive weeks held by Louisiana Tech from 1980-82.

Stanford remained at No. 2, while Tennessee flipped places with Notre Dame to move up to No. 3. LSU and Baylor remained fifth and sixth.

DIVISION II MEN

Hawai'i-hilo 75, champion baptist college 70: Justin Smith scored 24 points, Bryan Ngo 20 and Kevin Bruce 11 as the Vulcans (3-4) beat the visiting Tigers (6-11). Bruce's basket broke a 67-all tie with 3 minutes left and sparked Hilo's 8-3 surge to end the game.

TOP 25

No. 22 Georgia Tech 95, Chattanooga 64: Gani Lawal scored 29 points to lead the Yellow Jackets (7-1) over the host Mocs (5-5) in a men's game.

Michigan 72, No. 12 Xavier 71: Freshman Dayeesha Hollins scored 22 points, including a layup with 17 ticks left, rallying the Wolverines (8-2) over the host Musketeers (7-2) in a women's game.