Kansas remains firmly at the top of the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll, holding the No. 1 spot ahead of their highly anticipated clash with No. 11 Duke in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, two teams from Mississippi have successfully re-entered the rankings.
Ole Miss has made a comeback at No. 23, while Mississippi State has debuted this season at No. 25.
The Jayhawks received an impressive 51 out of 62 first-place votes from the national media panel, placing them well ahead of the two-time defending national champion UConn, which secured six first-place votes. Gonzaga follows in third with two votes, while Auburn and Iowa State round out the unchanged top five with three and no first-place votes, respectively.
Next week promises to bring excitement, with several high-stakes matchups in holiday tournaments, including the showdown between the Jayhawks and Blue Devils on Tuesday night as part of the Vegas Showdown.
Kansas coach Bill Self, who celebrated his 800th career win against UNC Wilmington last week, acknowledged Duke’s talent. “Oh yeah, I’ve watched them,” he remarked. “They’re talented across the board. They’re starting three freshmen, and while everyone is talking about Cooper Flagg, the other two could also be potential lottery picks.”
The Jayhawks have already demonstrated their strength this season, defeating No. 12 North Carolina and Michigan State.
Tennessee has climbed four spots to No. 7, with SEC rivals Kentucky and Alabama following closely. Marquette sits at No. 10 after impressive victories over then-No. 6 Purdue and Georgia, marking a 6-0 start for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Following the Blue Devils and Tar Heels, Purdue experienced a significant drop, falling seven spots in the rankings. Indiana and Wisconsin also made their presence felt, representing three consecutive Big Ten schools, while Cincinnati, Baylor, Florida, Arkansas, and Texas A&M completed the top 20.
The final five teams in the rankings include Creighton, Ole Miss, Arizona, Mississippi State, and BYU. The Wildcats managed to extend their streak in the AP Top 25 to 61 weeks, the fourth-longest active run in the nation, despite recent losses to Wisconsin and Duke.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd reflected on his team’s recent performance, stating, “We didn’t play great. Now we need to take a step back and figure out why. Are there schematic issues? Are there problems with our personnel? I love the guys and the plan, but when things aren’t going well, honesty is key.”
Xavier has rejoined the rankings for the first time since the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, just in time for their participation in the Fort Myers Tip-Off starting Monday night. Ole Miss has returned to the Top 25 after a brief absence, while Mississippi State is back after spending only six weeks in the rankings over the past six years.
These three teams replaced Illinois, St. John’s, and Rutgers in the rankings. The Illini suffered a loss to Alabama, while St. John’s fell to Baylor and Georgia. Rutgers lost a close game 79-77 at Kennesaw State, which achieved a historic win against a ranked team for the first time.
Marquette made the most significant leap this week, moving up five spots to No. 10. The Golden Eagles will have a lighter schedule this week, facing Stonehill and Western Carolina before two challenging matchups against No. 5 Iowa State and No. 15 Wisconsin.
Purdue, Creighton, and Arizona all dropped seven spots but remain in the rankings. The Boilermakers lost to Marquette, while the Bluejays fell to in-state rival Nebraska. The Wildcats have struggled, dropping to a 2-2 record, marking the first time they have been .500 since starting the 2017-18 season at 3-3.
The SEC leads the AP Top 25 with nine teams, including four in the top 10: Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. The Big 12 follows with six teams, featuring Kansas, Iowa State, and Houston among the top six. The Big East has four representatives, while the Big Ten has three, and the ACC has two.
Here’s the full AP Top 25:
1. Kansas
2. UConn
3. Gonzaga
4. Auburn
5. Iowa State
6. Houston
7. Tennessee
8. Kentucky
9. Alabama
10. Marquette
11. Duke
12. North Carolina
13. Purdue
14. Indiana
15. Wisconsin
16. Cincinnati
17. Baylor
18. Florida
19. Arkansas
20. Texas A&M
21. Creighton
22. Xavier
23. Ole Miss
24. Arizona
25. Mississippi State
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