Gonzaga has made some deep runs in the NCAA Tournament and now has its highest AP Top 25 ranking: No.4.
The Bulldogs, whose losses this season are to Stanford and Saint Joseph's, moved up two spots in the Associated Press poll Monday.
Stanford and Saint Joseph's each won twice last week to remain the nation's only unbeaten teams and stayed 1-2.
Gonzaga was sixth last week, matching its spot for the final two weeks of 2001-02. Wins last week over Portland and at Tulsa moved the Bulldogs up.
"The neat thing is it's the highest we've ever been ranked and to do it at the end of the year makes it a little more special," fifth-year coach Mark Few said. "It matters to the kids. They kind of get excited when teams ahead of them lose."
Pittsburgh moved up two spots to third, the Panthers' highest ranking since they were No.2 for two weeks last season.
No.23 Illinois and No.24 Utah State returned to the Top 25, replacing LSU and South Carolina, which fell out from 24th and 25th.
BEARCAT QUITS: Center Robert Whaley left Cincinnati for personal reasons, the latest twist to a troubled first season in Division I.
The No.15 Bearcats were counting on the junior college transfer to give them an inside scoring option, but he never came close to meeting expectations. Coach Bob Huggins had played him sparingly as the season went along.
BOILERMAKER ARRESTED: Purdue center Ivan Kartelo was arrested after punching a bouncer at a West Lafayette, Ind., bar.
Kartelo hit the employee of the Wabash Yacht Club early Sunday and faces preliminary charges of battery and public intoxication, police said. Prosecutors will decide what formal charges will be filed.
CYCLONES PUZZLED: Iowa State coach Wayne Morgan wants the Big 12 to review what he believes was a bizarre officiating decision in Saturday's 90-89 overtime loss at Kansas.
Kansas was leading 34-24 when Iowa State's Jared Homan went to the line to shoot two free throws with 3:13 left in the first half. Homan missed, Kansas got the rebound and the Jayhawks' J.R. Giddens made a 3-pointer.
The officials then decided that Homan was owed another free throw, so they stopped play and sent him back to the line but counted Giddens' basket.
LARGO ALUM HONORED: East Carolina senior forward Erroyl Bing, a former Largo High standout, averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds in wins against Tulane and TCU to earn C-USA player of the week honors.
INDIANA: Forward Sean Kline will miss the rest of the season after right knee surgery.
- Times staff writer Brian Landman contributed to this report.
