Duke’s long run in top 25 is over

Duke’s top-25 streak is over.

Saddled with its first four-game skid in 11 years, Duke on Monday fell out of the Associated Press men’s basketball poll for the first time since the end of the 1995-96 season. The Blue Devils had been in the poll for 200 consecutive weeks -- the second-longest streak behind UCLA.

The Bruins’ run lasted 221 weeks, from the 1966-67 preseason poll to Jan. 8, 1980.

“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 consecutive 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, Wednesday and fell, 72-60, at Maryland on Sunday for their first four-game losing since Jan. 3-13, 1996.

“Is it lack of effort? Is it lack of belief? Is it lack of work? It’s none of those things for our guys,” Krzyzewski said. “They believe. They work hard.... Maryland just kicked us back. But the other three games, we were in a position to win.”

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Florida fired women’s Coach Carolyn Peck one day after the 6-20 Gators suffered their 13th consecutive loss.