AP Top 25 rankings reveal Tennessee as the new No. 1 in men’s college basketball following a significant reshuffle.
The Volunteers earned 58 first-place votes from a 62-member media panel on Monday, marking their return to the top for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Tennessee’s ascent came after Kansas suffered two losses and Auburn dropped to No. 4 behind Duke. The Tigers maintained their position at No. 2, garnering three first-place votes.
Iowa State, now ranked No. 3, secured one first-place vote and rose three spots for its highest ranking since the 1956-57 season. Kentucky completed the top five.
Last week, a total of 14 ranked teams faced defeat, with six from the top 10, including Kansas and then-No. 11 Wisconsin, both of which lost twice. Only Auburn and No. 12 Oregon held their positions from the previous week, while five teams made their way into the rankings amid this upheaval.
Tennessee (8-0) is enjoying its best start since the 2000-01 season, when they began 9-0, and they currently lead the NET rankings. Additionally, the Volunteers rank second in KenPom ratings, showcasing their strength in defensive efficiency and placing ninth in offensive efficiency—remarkable considering they lost four starters from last year’s SEC championship squad. Last week, they defeated Syracuse decisively, 96-70.
Kansas, which had held the No. 1 spot since the preseason, fell to No. 10 after losses to Creighton (76-63) and rival Missouri (76-67).
Auburn aimed for the top position for the first time since 2021-22 but lost 84-78 to Duke before bouncing back against Richmond.
Iowa State, which began the season ranked No. 5 after reaching the Sweet 16 last year, lost narrowly to Auburn in the Maui Invitational but has since secured four consecutive victories.
In their only game last week, Iowa State dominated Jackson State, winning 100-58, and they are set to face their rival Iowa this week.
Huskies rebound
Two-time reigning national champion UConn faced a tough week, nearly falling out of the rankings after a disappointing 0-3 performance in Maui. However, they bounced back impressively with victories over Baylor and Texas, climbing seven spots to No. 18 in this week’s poll.
“Maybe the people with the shovels and the dirt were too quick to throw the dirt on us,” remarked UConn coach Dan Hurley.
Rising and falling
Oklahoma experienced the most significant rise in this week’s rankings, jumping eight spots to No. 13 after wins against Georgia Tech and Alcorn State. Both Duke and No. 17 Texas A&M moved up five spots.
Kansas faced the largest drop, followed by No. 20 Wisconsin, which fell nine places. No. 22 Cincinnati also dropped eight spots.
In and out
Several teams shifted in and out of this week’s rankings.
No. 14 Michigan made its return to the rankings for the first time in nearly three years, following narrow wins over Wisconsin and Iowa, marking seven straight victories under first-year coach Dusty May.
No. 16 Clemson entered the rankings for the first time this season after defeating Kentucky and Miami (Fla.). No. 21 Michigan State also made its debut in the rankings after wins over Nebraska and Minnesota.
No. 24 UCLA returned to the rankings for the first time in nearly two years following victories against Washington and Oregon. No. 25 Mississippi State is back in the poll after a dominant 90-57 win over Pittsburgh and a subsequent victory against Prairie View A&M.
Baylor, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Illinois, and North Carolina all dropped out of the rankings.
Conference watch
The SEC leads all conferences with nine ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten with six and the Big 12 with four. The ACC and Big East each have two ranked teams, while the West Coast and Mountain West conferences each feature one.
Here’s the full AP Top 25:
1. Tennessee
2. Auburn
3. Iowa State
4. Duke
5. Kentucky
6. Marquette
7. Alabama
8. Gonzaga
9. Florida
10. Kansas
11. Purdue
12. Oregon
13. Oklahoma
14. Michigan
15. Houston
16. Clemson
17. Texas A&M
18. UConn
19. Ole Miss
20. Wisconsin
21. Michigan State
22. Cincinnati
23. San Diego State
24. UCLA
25. Mississippi State