The Spartans received 43 of 65 first-place votes from a media panel in the poll released on Monday to earn the top spot for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Duke received 21 first-place votes while moving up two spots to No. 2 and No. 3 Villanova received the other.
Michigan State (14-1) had been No. 2 for three weeks and slid into the top spot after previous No. 1 Villanova lost to Butler on Saturday. No. 4 Arizona State and No. 16 TCU also lost on Saturday, leaving college basketball with no unbeaten teams headed into the new year.