Men's Basketball: Top 10 For 1st Time Since '82

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Men's Basketball: Top 10 For 1st Time Since '82 By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com January 23, 2006 MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia jumped three spots to No. 9 this week in the Associated Press college basketball top 25 poll released today. It is the first time West Virginia has reached the AP top 10 since March 2, 1982, when Gale Catlett’s Mountaineers were ranked ninth. West Virginia improved its record to 14-3 with a 60-56 victory at No. 17 UCLA last Saturday. Senior Mike Gansey’s game-high 24 points and last-second steal and free throw sealed the victory for Coach John Beilein’s Mountaineers. WVU moved four spots from 17th to 13th in this week’s ESPN/USA Today coach’s poll. The Associated Press this week has seven Big East teams ranked in its top 25, including a new number one-ranked team in 16-1 Connecticut. Villanova is ranked sixth, followed by West Virginia, Pitt (12th), Georgetown (21st), Louisville (22nd) and Syracuse (25th). The coaches have six Big East teams in the rankings led by No. 1 Connecticut. Villanova is sixth, followed by No. 10 Pitt, No. 13 West Virginia, No. 23 Louisville and No. 24 Syracuse. The Mountaineers wrap up non-conference play facing Marshall at the Charleston Civic Center Wednesday night in the Toyota Capital Classic. The West Virginia women play the Marshall women at 5:30 pm, followed by the men’s game at 8 pm. There are no tickets remaining for the game.