Michael Pointer

michael.pointer@indystar.com

After picking up impressive wins over then-No. 5 North Carolina and Georgetown in the Battle 4 Atlantis, the Butler Bulldogs find themselves back in the AP Top 25.

Butler is coming off a 14-17 season, which saw the Bulldogs win just four Big East games, and lost its head coach prior to the season's tip, yet have won five of six this season behind a veteran starting lineup. It is the first time the Bulldogs have been ranked since Feb. 24, 2013, when it was 20th in the Associated Press poll.

"Without minimizing the start our guys have had, I think I can speak for them and say that we are just trying to focus on what is in front of us and that is a very challenging week starting with our first road test on Wednesday," Butler interim coach Chris Holtmann said. "It is such a long year and we are really trying not to get too caught up in one particular moment or thing one way or the other."

Butler plays at Indiana State on Wednesday. It is is one of five newcomers to this week's poll, which is still topped by the young Kentucky Wildcats.

Kentucky (7-0), outscoring opponents by an NCAA-best 36.8 points a game, again got 62 of 65 first-place votes Monday in the new rankings. No. 2 Wisconsin (7-0) was on top of the remaining ballots.

Arizona and Duke remained third and fourth. Louisville, Texas, Virginia, Wichita State, Gonzaga and Villanova rounded out the top 10.

North Carolina (5-1) dropped seven spots to 12th after losing to Butler.

Defending national champion Connecticut (3-2) dropped out of the poll from 24th after their second straight loss, 55-54 at home to Texas.