The Houston Cougars men's basketball team is taking over the No. 1 spot.
In the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, Houston is ranked atop the men's college basketball world, after surviving a comeback attempt in overtime at the No. 11 Baylor Bears on Saturday.
Houston (24-3) and Purdue (25-3) both moved up a spot, pushing down UConn (25-3) to the third-ranked team in the coutry. Tennessee (21-6) and and Marquette (21-6) round out the top-five.
In addition to the nation's top spot, senior point guard Jamal Shead was named the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week and earned similar honors from the Big 12 Conference. It was the second time he was named the league's Player of the Week.
In wins over No. 6 Iowa State and at Baylor, Shead averaged 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game with only a combined four turnovers in nearly 80 minutes of action.
He led the Cougars in field goals (11), field goal attempts (27) and assists (16) and finished second on the team in free throws (13), free throw attempts (14) and free throw percentage (92.9).
Shead started the week on an impressive note in a 73-65 win over #6/6 Iowa State inside Fertitta Center on Feb. 19. The Manor, Texas, native scored 26 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 shooting from the free throw line and led all players with six assists and three steals.
It was fourth 20-point game of the season and the seventh of his career.
Shead followed that effort with a 12-point, 10-rebound performance while playing more than 42 minutes in an overtime win at Baylor on Saturday.
