Tennessee tightened its grip on No. 1 within the AP Top 25 on Monday following a pair of lopsided wins, together with one over SEC rival Arkansas, that left the Volunteers as the one undefeated staff in males’s Division I faculty basketball.
The Vols picked up 4 extra first-place votes and had 45 of 60 from the nationwide panel to stay atop the ballot for the fifth straight week. Auburn earned the opposite 15 first-place nods and stayed at No. 2, whereas Iowa State, Duke and Alabama rounded out a prime 5 that was unchanged following the primary week of convention play for a lot of leagues across the nation.
Tennessee improved to 14-0 after beating Norfolk State and a 76-52 rout of the then-No. 23 Razorbacks, tying the third-longest profitable streak at school historical past. And when Florida misplaced a shootout to Kentucky and Oklahoma was blown out by the Crimson Tide, it left the Volunteers as the one staff in males’s main faculty hoops with out a blemish.
“They’re the No. 1 staff within the nation for a purpose,” Arkansas coach John Calipari stated, “and my disappointment wasn’t coming to Tennessee and shedding a sport. It was that they form of manhandled us.”
The Vols have finished that rather a lot this season. Only as soon as have they didn’t beat somebody by double digits.
“It all goes to the gamers, you recognize? Good households,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes stated. “They are available in realizing what we anticipate, however they anticipate it from themselves, too. It simply must be reemphasized each day to them.”
The Wildcats rode their win over Florida up 4 spots to No. 6. They had been adopted by Marquette, the Gators, UConn and Texas A&M, which routed Texas for the Aggies’ eighth consecutive win.
Kansas dropped 4 spots to No. 11 after shedding a nail-biter to West Virginia and blowing out UCF. The Jayhawks had been adopted by Houston and Illinois — the most important climber this week, shifting up 9 spots — together with Mississippi State and Oregon.
Michigan State was No. 16 and Oklahoma fell 5 spots after its 107-79 loss to the Crimson Tide. Gonzaga, Memphis and Purdue rounded out the highest 20 after the Boilermakers beat Minnesota and Northwestern final week.
The Mountaineers, who adopted their win over Kansas by beating Oklahoma State, had been at No. 21 for his or her first rating since Dec. 26, 2022. They had been adopted by UCLA, Mississippi, Michigan and Utah State, with the Wolverines returning after a two-week absence and the Aggies making their season debut at No. 25.
“You’re 14-1 and also you’re mad. That’s form of infantile conduct, however you possibly can’t be glad,” Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun stated after his staff gutted out an 89-83 win over Fresno State on Saturday. “That’s form of how I stay my life, in survival mode.”
Rising and falling
Illinois rose 9 spots to No. 13 following a 109-77 rout of then-No. 9 Oregon and its win at Washington on Sunday.
Cincinnati fell all the way in which out from No. 16 after shedding to Kansas and Arizona. The Ducks dropped six spots, and UCLA fell seven to No. 22 after the Bruins misplaced at Nebraska of their solely sport of the week.
In and out
West Virginia’s look at No. 21 is barely its second within the AP Top 25 rating for the reason that last version of the 2020-21 season. Michigan is ranked for the third time this season whereas Utah State is ranked for the primary time with Calhoun on the sideline. Those three entered on the expense of the Bearcats, the Razorbacks and Baylor.
On the radar
Pittsburgh was the primary staff exterior the Top 25 after opening ACC play with wins over California and Stanford. Nebraska was on 21 ballots amid its six-game profitable streak. St. Bonaventure appeared on 5 ballots after beating Fordham for its eighth straight win; the Bonnies, whose solely loss is to Utah State, have spent simply three weeks within the ballot for the reason that 1970-71 season.
Conference watch
The SEC once more led all leagues with 9 ranked groups, together with three of the highest 5 and 6 of the highest 10. The Big Ten was subsequent with six groups within the ballot, whereas the Big 12 had 4 and the Big East had two — each within the prime 10. The ACC, West Coast, American Athletic and Mountain West every had one staff within the ballot.
