For the first time in a few weeks, there was movement among the highest-ranked teams in the AP Top 25 college basketball poll. Arizona and Michigan stayed ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, but Duke dropped after suffering its first loss of the season to Texas Tech.
The Blue Devils dropped three spots to No. 6 following the 82-81 loss. Duke led by as many as 17 points before Texas Tech stormed back in the second half to record one of the most impressive wins of any team so far this season. After the win, the Red Raiders jumped four spots to No. 15.
College basketball rankings: Undefeated Michigan holds onto No. 1 spot in Top 25 And 1
Gary Parrish
Arizona, now 11-0, remained at No. 1 for the third consecutive week but No. 2 Michigan is inching closer. Arizona received 38 first-place votes, ahead of Michigan’s 19, but the Wildcats were just 20 points ahead — 1428 to 1408 — of the Wolverines in this week’s poll.
Another undefeated team, 12-0 Iowa State, was next at No. 3 with No. 4 UConn and No. 5 Purdue rounding out the top five. Those three teams all moved up a spot with Duke dropping to No. 6.
AP Top 25
1. Arizona (38)
2. Michigan (19)
3. Iowa State (1)
4. UConn
5. Purdue
6. Duke
7. Gonzaga
8. Houston
9. Michigan State
10. BYU
11. Vanderbilt
12. North Carolina
13. Nebraska
14. Alabama
15. Texas Tech
16. Louisville
17. Kansas
18. Arkansas
19. Tennessee
20. Illinois
21. Virginia
22. Florida
23. Georgia
24. USC
25. Iowa
Others receiving votes: Kentucky 78, Seton Hall 49, Auburn 39, St. John’s 23, California 19, LSU 17, UCLA 13, Clemson 9, Miami (Ohio) 6, Utah State 5, Arizona State 5, Indiana 4, Miami 4, Saint Louis 3, Belmont 2, Baylor 1, Oklahoma State 1, UCF 1, NC State 1.
Michigan gets a boost after Duke’s loss
Michigan remained at No. 2 this week in the poll, but the gap between the Wolverines and top-ranked Arizona is shrinking. The Wolverines received 15 first-place votes last week and got 19 this week. Michigan, Arizona and Iowa State were the lone teams to receive a first-place vote.
Duke received three first-place votes last week but didn’t get one this week after the loss to Texas Tech. It appears that Arizona will not get jumped in the poll by No. 1 by Michigan, Iowa State, or another team until it suffers a loss. The Wildcats had an early scare against San Diego State last weekend, but pulled away down the stretch.
North Carolina doesn’t move up despite win over Ohio State
One of the best stories of the season that may be flying under the radar is the play of North Carolina. The Tar Heels stayed at No. 12 despite recording a dramatic win over Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic. UNC big man Henri Veesaar scored a go-ahead bucket with 7.2 seconds remaining, and his team was able to get a stop on the defensive end to preserve a 71-70 win. North Carolina won its third game this season against a Quad 1 opponent after going 1-13 against those teams last season.
Although North Carolina didn’t move up this week, there will be ample opportunities to do so once conference play gets going around the country.
Auburn drops out of the poll
Since Jan. 1, 2024, Auburn has been a staple in the AP Top 25 … until now. The Tigers dropped out of the poll for the first time in nearly two years after suffering a blowout loss to Purdue last weekend. Last season’s No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament is 8-4 with losses to Purdue, Houston, Michigan and Arizona.
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