A tumultuous week has led to big changes in the AP Top 25. Amid the chaos, a familiar team has returned to the top.
Preseason number 1 Gonzaga climbs back to the top of the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll second releaseend Baylorof five weeks of running. Bulldogs got 25 votes in first place, less than 11 votes in 2nd place Auburnbut overtook the Tigers in overall points to claim the top spot.
Auburn has the highest ranking since reaching 2nd place in 1999-2000 after rising two places. Arizona, Purdue and Baylor rounded up the top five.
Gonzaga (14-2, 3-0 West Coast) continues the streak since losing Alabama on December 4, extending his winning streak to seven games with losses BYU and Santa Clara last week.
The rest of the AP Top 25 didn’t do well either, with 13 teams losing, including nine on Saturday. Eight teams lost to underrated opponents.
Baylor’s tenure at the pinnacle ended in defeat down to 18th place Texas Technology and Oklahoma State. It was the first time the bears lose consecutive home games for nearly six years, ending the winning streak of the defending national champions of 21 matches.
No. 16 Southern California also saw its undefeated season come to a crumbling end with losses for Stanford and Oregon clamp around victory Oregon State. Seton Hall dropped out of the poll from 20th place after losing DePaul and Marquette.
“They weren’t very happy,” Senior Bears Matthew Mayer said when asked about the mood of Baylor coaches.
Neither UCLA‘S. The Bruins climbed to 3rd in last week’s poll and dropped to six places this week after losing to Oregon 84-81 in extra time. The win is Ducks coach Dana Altman’s 700th career win and drops UCLA six places to ninth in this week’s polls.
“You’re either humble and hungry as if they’re trying to solve a so-called upset, or you’re gratuitously arrogant because we won’t win anything,” said angry UCLA coach Mick Cronin.
RISK OF ARIZONA
Arizona was not expected to be among the Pac-12 elite in his first season under coach Tommy Lloyd, selected to finish fourth in the pre-season poll.
The Wildcats (14-1, 4-0 Pac-12) have surpassed those expectations and placed themselves among the nation’s top teams, with a freestyle that can beat teams in multiple ways.
The nation’s top scorers shot 51% and had 20 assists on 29 goals in a 76-55 win Colorado Last Thursday. Then the Wildcats overpowered Utah inside, overtook Utes 56-28 in the paint in an 82-64 win on Saturday.
Arizona jumped three places in this week’s poll to #3, its highest ranking since reaching #2 in 2017-2018.
“Obviously, they’re very, very talented, super connected and super athletic,” said Utah coach Craig Smith.
DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
No.17 Illinois had the highest gain of the week, up eight places after defeat Nebraska and Michigan. No.12 Kentucky climb six steps after defeat Vanderbilt 78-66 and blow out the number 24 Tennessee 107-79.
8 Wisconsin five places up after 78-68 win over 19th place Ohio State.
In 16th place is USC with the biggest drop, losing 11 places and UCLA in next at sixth place.
IN AND OUT
No. 22 Loyola Chicago moved into the poll for the first time this season after winning Valparaiso and State of Indiana. UConn back to the poll in 25th place after beating St. John’s 86-78.
Alabama dropped out of 24th place with losses to Auburn and Mississippi State. Seton Hall did not receive a single vote after two losses to underrated opponents.
CONFERENCE WATCH
The Big Ten and Big 12 each have five ranked teams, followed by the SEC and Big East with four teams each. The Pac-12 has three ranked teams, with the ACC, American Athletic, West Coast and Missouri Valley each ranked.
