Marquette moves closer to top in AP men's top 25 college basketball poll

The Marquette men's basketball team keeps moving up in the national rankings, thanks to some help.

The Golden Eagles checked in at No. 4 in the Associated Press top 25 poll that was released on Monday.

(Editor's note: Journal Sentinel beat writer Ben Steele had MU No. 3 in his weekly ballot.)

Why did MU move up in rankings?

The Golden Eagles were ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, their highest spot since the 1977-78 season, and they scored a pair of easy victories at Fiserv Forum to open the season last week.

MU unveiled its Big East championship banners and then beat Northern Illinois, 92-70, on Monday. The Golden Eagles also routed Rider, 95-65, on Friday night.

Two teams that were ranked ahead of the Golden Eagles in the preseason lost last week. Duke fell to Arizona and dropped from No. 2 to No. 9, with Arizona jumping over MU from No. 12 to No. 3. Michigan State was upset by James Madison in the season opener and tumbled from No. 4 to No. 18.

The schedule is about to get much harder for MU, starting at No. 23 Illinois on Tuesday night in Champaign, Illinois.

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When was MU last ranked this high during the season?

Again, it was the 1977-78 season. The then-Warriors were coming off a national championship and were ranked No. 3 in the preseason.

MU stayed in the top five for the entire regular season, reaching No. 1 in the poll that was released on Feb. 20, 1978. MU was upset by Miami (Ohio) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and was ranked No. 8 in the final poll.

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Can MU reach No. 1 this season?

That could happen in two weeks.

All the Golden Eagles need to do is beat Illinois on Tuesday and then win three games in three days at a ridiculously loaded Maui Invitational, which has been relocated to Honolulu.

MU needs to beat UCLA in the first round of the Maui Invitational, then the Golden Eagles would likely get a shot at beating No. 1 Kansas, which opens the tournament against Chaminade.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette moves up to No. 4 in AP men's college basketball top 25 poll