TO CLOSE

Michigan State Basketball Coach, Tom Izzo, addresses the media on Monday, February 18, 2019 in East Lansing.
Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press

The Michigan match against Michigan State will be a top-10.

In the new Associated Pres Top 25 rankings, released on Monday, the Spartans earned a 10th place finish while the Wolverines dropped to 7th.

On Sunday, U-M will host MSU in the first of two regular season clashes. Entering the week, the two men are tied for the top of the Big Ten standings, half a game ahead of Purdue.

More: Michigan State vs. Michigan basketball worthy of a week of hype

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, left, and Michigan coach John Beilein, before a match on February 1, 2015 in East Lansing. MSU won 76-66 in overtime. (Photo11: Al Goldis, AP)

The Spartans (21-5, 12-3 Big Ten) have just come out of a week when they won in Wisconsin and then defeated Ohio State at home. But in Sunday's win over the Buckeyes, MSU lost Nick Ward as a result of a broken hair in his left hand.

The Wolverines (23-3, 12-3) suffered a loss to Penn State, the last place of the Big Ten, but responded Saturday at home against Maryland.

Duke is the new number 1, followed by Gonzaga, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

The other Big Ten teams have been ranked: No. 15 Purdue, No. 21 Iowa, No. 22 Wisconsin and No. 24 Maryland.

Associated Press Top 25, 18 February

Ranking, school, first place votes in parentheses, note:

1. Duc (58), 23-2

2. Gonzaga (6), 25-2

3. Virginia, 22-2

4. Kentucky, 21-4

5. Tennessee, 23-2

6. Nevada, 24-1

7. Michigan, 23-3

8. North Carolina, 20-5

9. Houston, 25-1

10. State of Michigan, 21-5

11. Marquette, 21-4

12. Kansas, 20-6

13. LSU, 21-4

14. Texas Tech, 21-5

15. Purdue, 18-7

16. State of Florida, 20-5

17. Villanova, 20-6

18. Louisville, 18-8

19. State of Iowa, 19-6

20. Virginia Tech, 20-5

21. Iowa, 20-5

22. Wisconsin, 17-8

23. State of Kansas, 19-6

24. Maryland, 19-7

25. Buffalo, 22-3

Contact Kirkland Crawford: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.