Syracuse has moved up to No. 3 in the latest Associated Press poll, released on Monday. The ranking is the highest SU has been all season, after starting the year unranked in the AP poll and No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll.

The Orange (21-1, 8-1 Big East) moved up one spot from last week’s No. 4 ranking but remained at No. 4 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll.

The change comes after previous-No. 1 Kentucky’s loss to South Carolina on Jan. 26.

The top 3 spot is the highest ranking the Orange has attained since Dec. 4, 2004, when Syracuse started the season 7-0 before losing to No. 5 Oklahoma State and dropping out of the top 3.

The 2009-10 season marks just the seventh season in which Syracuse has cracked the top 3. The Orange have also reached the mark in the 1979-80, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91 and 2004-05 seasons, reaching No. 1 in the polls twice.

The run up the polls has come in the midst of one of the best starts in team history. SU has only started the season 21-1 one other time (1979-80) and will notch the best season start in program history with a win over Providence tonight at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse is one of five Big East teams rounding out the AP Top 25. Conference leader Villanova (19-1, 8-0 Big East) came in at No. 2. West Virginia, Georgetown and Pittsburgh fell in at Nos. 6, 7 and 22, respectively.

Though the Wildcats are ahead of the Orange in the rankings (Villanova is at No.2 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll as well), SU seems to be more of a favorite because it received more first-place votes (6) than Villanova (4).

ctorr@syr.edu

Published on January 31, 2010 at 12:00 pm