Arizona Rises to No. 2, Kansas Drops, Indiana Enters AP Men’s Basketball Top 25
Purdue solidified its dominance in the Associated Press men’s basketball Top 25 poll this week. The Boilermakers earned 46 of the 61 first-place votes following a decisive victory over No. 20 Texas Tech. With a 30-point win, Purdue improved its record to 6-0, maintaining its position as the preseason No. 1 team.
Arizona Climbs to No. 2
Arizona rose to a season-high No. 2 ranking after defeating UConn. The Wildcats garnered 11 first-place votes. Their strong performance has put them in strong contention for the top position in the coming weeks.
Top Teams in the Poll
The top five teams in this week’s poll are:
- 1. Purdue (6-0) – 46 first-place votes
- 2. Arizona (5-0) – 11 first-place votes
- 3. Houston (5-0) – 4 first-place votes
- 4. Duke (7-0)
- 5. UConn (5-1)
Michigan State marked the biggest rise in the rankings, moving from No. 17 to No. 11 after defeating No. 19 Kentucky. Meanwhile, the Wildcats dropped seven spots, marking the largest decline in the rankings.
Changes in Rankings
Wisconsin and Kansas both fell out of the Top 25 following losses to BYU and Duke. They were replaced by No. 24 Vanderbilt and No. 25 Indiana, who secured spots after impressive performances.
Complete Top 25 Rankings
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous Rank | CJ’s Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue | 6-0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Arizona | 5-0 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Houston | 5-0 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Duke | 7-0 | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | UConn | 5-1 | 3 | 6 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 5-0 | 17 | 16 |
| 24 | Vanderbilt | 5-0 | NR | 23 |
| 25 | Indiana | 5-0 | NR | 19 |
As the season progresses, the competition intensifies. Teams like Gonzaga and Arkansas are looking to improve their standings as they prepare for critical matchups. With the upcoming games, the landscape of the Top 25 will likely see more changes.
