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Michigan ranked no. 1 for first time since ’93

Trey Burke, John Beilein

Michigan head coach John Beilein talks with guard Trey Burke during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. Michigan won 68-53. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

AP

Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Ray Jackson and Jimmy King are proud today, Michigan fans.

For the first time since the last season they were all together, Michigan is ranked as the no. 1 team in the nation, in The Associated Press poll. It’s the first time the team has seen the top spot in the polls since 1993, when the (second) Fab Five got all the way to the national title game for the second straight season.

Kansas took the top spot in the ESPN/USA Today TOp 25 Coaches Poll, plucking 16 first place votes to Michigan’s 14.

The Wolverines, who receive 51 of a possible 65 first place votes, definitely look the part. Trey Burke is one of the best — well, maybe THE best — guards in America when it comes to being able to both distribute and score (17.9 points and 7.1 assists per game). He’s got a solid cast of scoring threats around him in Tim Hardaway, Jr., Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III.

It’s definitely ironic considering many are saying this is the best Michigan team since the days of three future NBA All-Stars and two Final Fours.

A major factor in this is that a number of Top 10 teams lost, but Michigan has been one of the more consistent teams season.

Can they hold onto the top spot? And for how long? If they can last a week, it’ll be longer than the last two no. 1’s in Duke and Louisville.

David Harten is the founder of The Backboard Chronicles. You can follow him on Twitter at @David_Harten.