Duke: The AP Poll streak is over

The most recent Associated Press poll for men's college basketball was released today and ESPN favorite Duke University was nowhere to be found. College basketball fans across the nation rejoiced as a result.

Here's an excerpt from, of all places, the AP.

Duke's Top 25 streak is over.

Saddled by its first four-game losing skid in 11 years, Duke fell out of The Associated Press poll Monday for the first time since the end of the 1995-96 season. The Blue Devils had been in the media poll for 200 straight weeks -- the second longest streak behind UCLA.

The Bruins' run lasted 221 weeks, from the 1966-67 preseason poll to Jan. 8, 1980. North Carolina is third all-time with 172 straight weeks from the 1990-91 preseason poll to Jan. 17, 2000.

"If you do it for a long period of time, it means you've been good that long," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said of his team's streak that began in the 1996-97 preseason poll. "We never bring it up. It's a nice stat thing."

UCLA and Memphis are now tied for the longest active streak at 34 straight weeks in the Top 25.

Duke was No. 8 two weeks ago before losing in the final seconds to Virginia and Florida State. The Blue Devils lost to then-No. 5 North Carolina 79-73 on Wednesday and fell 72-60 at Maryland on Sunday for their first four-game losing since Jan. 3-13, 1996.

"We travel a narrow road between winning and losing," Krzyzewski said. "We were in a position to win, you have to make sure the kids know that. They are doing a lot of things to put themselves in a position to win."

Duke received 150 points, falling just eight short of No. 25 Alabama.

The Blue Devils will try to end their slide Wednesday against Atlantic Coast Conference leader Boston College. The Eagles (18-6, 9-2) are finally back in the poll at No. 21 after falling out in week 3.