Oklahoma moves up in poll

Dec 1, 2008 - 6:31 PM MCLEAN, Virginia (Ticker) -- Oklahoma moved up seven spots to sixth in the nation in the latest USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, which was released Monday.

The Sooners (6-0) made the huge jump after winning the NIT Season Tip-Off. They secured that title with an 87-82 overtime triumph against then-No. 9 Purdue on Friday.

While the Sooners climbed, the top of the poll remained the same as North Carolina (7-0) still is the unanimous No. 1.

The Tar Heels, who were not challenged in winning the Maui Invitational, picked up all 31 first-place votes and 775 points.

Big East schools occupy the next two spots as Connecticut (6-0) and Pittsburgh (7-0) are second and third, respectively.

Duke (7-0) is up to fourth and Gonzaga (5-0) jumped five spots to fifth.

Notre Dame (5-1), which defeated Texas in the semifinals at Maui before being embarrassed by North Carolina, is up to seventh. Texas (5-1) dropped a spot to eighth.

UCLA (4-1) is ninth and Purdue (5-1) rounds out the top 10.

Louisville (2-1), which was upset by Western Kentucky on Sunday, fell eight spots to 11th. Michigan State (4-1) is 12th, followed by Tennessee (5-1), Xavier (6-0) and Memphis (4-1).

The next five are Villanova (6-0), Wake Forest (6-0), Georgetown (4-1), Arizona State (5-1) and Syracuse (6-0).

The final five are Florida (5-1), Miami (4-1), Wisconsin (5-1), Davidson (5-1) and Kansas (4-1).

Marquette fell out of the rankings.