On this week’s Associated Press Top 25 males’s basketball ballot launched Monday, a unanimous No. 1 emerges and two applications enter the rankings following huge turnarounds.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from the ballot:
Auburn’s six ranked wins make it a unanimous No. 1
The Tigers (17-1, 5-0 SEC) have now received six video games over AP high 25 opponents this season, which is probably the most of any crew.
Regardless of star ahead Johni Broome’s left ankle damage forcing him to be sidelined, Auburn picked up a commanding 88-66 win over then-No. 15 Mississippi State and a nail-biting 70-68 win over previously-No. 23 Georgia final week.
Because the Tigers get set to host No. 6 Tennessee on Saturday, getting their star participant again goes to be essential contemplating they allowed 34 factors within the paint within the win over Georgia. Even with Auburn not at full energy, although, the Tigers nonetheless picked up a pair of ranked wins, which ought to concern anybody that faces them, particularly when Broome returns.
Houston beneficial properties three spots using prolonged successful streak
The Cougars (14-3, 6-0 Large 12) are winners of 10 straight video games after by some means escaping Orlando with a 69-68 win over UCF on Saturday.
Houston trailed 38-30 on the break and 68-67 with 9 seconds remaining earlier than senior ahead J’Wan Roberts hit the game-winning layup with one second to go.
Poor three-point capturing (18.8%) was the story within the loss for a Houston crew that’s fourth within the nation in long-range capturing (40.55%), per NCAA.com. If Houston can preserve its season-long effectivity to go together with its lockdown protection that has allowed fewer than 60 factors in 5 of its six convention video games, it is going to be a tough out the remainder of the way in which.
Purdue sees substantial achieve in rankings after spectacular win
The Boilermakers (15-4, 7-1 Large Ten), up six spots to No. 11, took benefit of their protection in an enormous highway win over then-No. 13 Oregon, 65-58, on Saturday.
Regardless of capturing simply 33.9% and an abysmal 2-of-12 (16.7%) from deep, Purdue received a team-high 23 factors from junior ahead Trey Kaufman-Renn and one other sensational defensive efficiency.
In eight convention video games, Purdue has given up 61 factors or fewer in 5 of them. If the Boilermakers are capable of maintain that, they could proceed so as to add to their seven-game successful streak that additionally consists of six straight convention wins.
UConn suffers second loss in three video games, drops 5 spots
The Huskies (13-5, 5-2 Large East) fall to No. 19 after a 68-63 loss to Creighton on Saturday.
Contemplating freshman ahead Liam McNeeley, who’s third on the crew in scoring (13.6 PPG), has not performed since he injured his proper ankle towards DePaul on Jan. 1, it isn’t too shocking that the Huskies have dropped a couple of video games.
If UConn is at full energy, it’s laborious to think about them shedding both of these tightly contested video games. With no ranked opponents scheduled till a highway recreation at No. 10 Marquette on Feb. 1, the main target must be on getting its star freshman wholesome for the second half of convention play and past.
Missouri, Louisville enter ballot throughout turnaround seasons
The Tigers (15-3, 4-1 SEC) enter the rankings at No. 22 a 12 months faraway from ending 8-24 total and 0-18 in SEC play.
Missouri took down then-No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 8 and is at the moment on a four-game successful streak within the convention, together with a highway win at No. 5 Florida on Jan. 14. The Tigers have 4 gamers averaging double-figure scoring, which ought to bode properly for them in a stacked SEC.
The Cardinals (14-5, 7-1 ACC) inherit the No. 25 rating after successful their eighth straight recreation since a loss to in-state rival Kentucky on Dec. 14.
The final two years mixed, Louisville went 12-52 and an atrocious 5-35 in convention play. Led by first-year coach Pat Kelsey, the Cardinals already had extra wins by Nov. 28 (5) than that they had all the 2022-23 season and are at the moment tied for second within the ACC standings.
Louisville has 5 gamers averaging 10 or extra factors every recreation, which constantly offers them somebody to show to when the pictures should not falling.
