A look back at what happened in the Top 25

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The final poll of every season allows a look back at what happened in the Top 25 before heading headlong into the NCAA Tournament.

NO 1s:

Six schools held the No. 1 spot in 2015-16, one off the record for most in season.

North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan State, Kansas, Oklahoma and Villanova all spent time on top of the poll. There have been six No. 1s in five other seasons, the last in 2008-09: North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Duke, Connecticut, Louisville.

The seven teams ranked No. 1 in 1982-83 were Houston, Indiana, Memphis, UNLV, North Carolina, UCLA and Virginia.

Kansas’ five weeks at No. 1 were the most season with Michigan State a week behind. Oklahoma and Villanova were No. 1 for three weeks each and North Carolina and Kentucky were there for two.

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DISAGREEE

The final AP poll and the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee came up with different answers to the question: Who are the top four teams?

The poll had Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina and Virginia. The top four seeds in the tournament are Kansas, North Carolina, Virginia and Oregon.

The last time the two didn’t agree was 2012 and Michigan State was involved on the other side.

The poll had Kentucky, Syracuse, Missouri and North Carolina. The top four seeds ere Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina and Michigan State.

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WHO WAS IN?

There were 44 schools ranked in the Top 25 this season. That was well off the 52 ranked last season which was one off the record set in 2009-10.

The 44 schools came from 10 conferences.

The Atlantic Coast Conference led the way with eight teams ranked this season. The Big Ten was next with seven and it was followed by the Big 12 and Pac 12 with six each, the Big East and Southeastern Conference with five each, the American with three, the Atlantic 10 with two and the West Coast Conference and Missouri Valley with one each.

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LONG RUNS

Only Kansas and Oklahoma spent the entire season ranked in the Top Ten. Both spent time at No. 1 and the lowest the Jayhawks dropped to was seventh while the Sooners were as low as eighth.

Nine other schools were ranked every week this season: North Carolina, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, Iowa State, Villanova, Arizona, Michigan State and Purdue.

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GOOD PICKS

Nine members of the preseason Top 25 weren’t in the final poll. Gonzaga (ninth) and Wichita State (10th) were the only preseason Top Tens not to make it. The other teams were all picked 17th and below: Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Connecticut, LSU, Butler and Michigan.

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ONE-WEEK WONDERS

Three schools made quick appearances this season. Wisconsin was ranked 17th in the preseason poll but the Badgers were gone for good after an opening-game loss to Western Illinois.

Syracuse jumped into the rankings at No. 14 after the Orange beat Texas A&M in the title game at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Losses to Wisconsin and Georgetown the next week knocked them out for good.

Seton Hall is the third team but it’s not fair to the Big East Tournament champions because the Pirates came in at No. 20 in this week’s final poll. The Pirates were ranked for three weeks last season.

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BIGGEST NEWS

When Duke fell out of the poll in late January it ended the longest current streak of consecutive weeks as a ranked team at 167. The run started with the preseason poll of 2007-08. When the Blue Devils dropped Kansas picked up the banner and this week has the Jayhawks at 142 polls. Their streak started on Feb. 3, 2009.

The record is 221 consecutive polls by UCLA, a streak that ran from 1966 to 1980.

By Jim O’Connell

AP College Basketball Writer

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