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Kansas State takes lead in OT on Ismael Massoud's clutch triple (0:27)

Kansas State took the lead in OT on Massoud's 3.

8:14 PM AST

Kansas State jumped from unranked to the verge of the top 10 in the AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll.

After a two-week stay there earlier in the season, the Cougars received 34 of 60 first-place votes in Monday's poll. 3 and got the other four first-place votes after suffering its first loss when it hosted Rutgers

The last time the Cougars were top of the rankings was in the 1980s.

"You just have to bring them along because they're all different," Houston's coach said after Sunday's victory. Our faces don't stay the same. Guys improve as the season goes on.

Kansas State went 2-0 last week with wins against ranked opponents. After being picked to finish last in the Big 12, the Kansas State scored 116 points at Texas and 97 in overtime to win.

That helped Kansas State match its best start since the 1959-60 season, as well as bringing the Cats back into the AP Top 25 for the first time in over a year.

Tang said that they weren't trying to prove doubters wrong. We're trying to keep faith in ourselves. These young men have accomplished something. It doesn't matter if we lay an egg the next game.

The top tier.

The SEC has two teams in the top five, with Alabama and Tennessee.

The Longhorns fell four spots after a tumultuous week that included the firing of coach Chris Beard as he faces a felony family violence charge.

It's rising.

Iowa State moved up nine spots after victories against Oklahoma and TCU. The winning streak by the Musketeers pushed them up six places. The 10 teams that rose from last week's poll are:

It was slippery.

Duke fell eight spots after losing to North Carolina State and narrowly defeating Boston College. Both Miami and Wisconsin fell four places. Nine teams fell from the rankings.

There is a status quoi.

Only two teams held their positions from last week.

Welcome to the world.

While Kansas State grabbed the spotlight for the week's new additions, the Big East added two more. It was the first appearance for the Golden Eagles and the first appearance for the Friars.

San Diego State came back for a second time this year.

For now, Farewell.

The Bears were unranked for the first time in over a year.

There is a conference watch.

The Big 12 and SEC each had five ranked teams, while the Big East had four. The Big Ten and Pacific-12 had two each.

The American Athletic, West Coast and Mountain West conferences each had a ranked team.