Tennessee is the new No. 1 in men’s college basketball after a massive upset in the AP Top 25.
The Vols received 58 first-place votes Monday from a 62-person media panel to reach No. 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Tennessee moved up two spots from last week after Kansas lost twice and Auburn fell to #4 Duke. The Tigers remained No. 2 and received three first-place votes.
No. 3 Iowa State earned a first-place vote and climbed three spots from last week to reach its highest ranking since 1956-57. Kentucky completes the top five.
In all, 14 ranked teams lost last week, including six teams in the top 10; Kansas and then-No. 11 Wisconsin lost twice. Only two teams – Auburn and No. 12 Oregon – remained in the same poll locations as a week ago and the volatility saw five teams jump in the rankings.
Tennessee (8-0) is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season 9-0 and is No. 1 in the NET rankings. The Vols are also second in KenPom rankings, second in defensive efficiency and ninth in offensive efficiency despite losing four starters from last year’s SEC championship team. Tennessee beat Syracuse in its only game last week, 96-70.
Kansas was No. 1 in the preseason poll before losing 76-63 to Creighton and 76-67 to rival Missouri. The losses dropped the Jayhawks to 10th.
Auburn was poised to move into first place for the first time since 2021-22, but lost 84-78 at Duke before beating Richmond.
Iowa State reached its highest preseason ranking of No. 5 after reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Cyclones lost by two to Auburn in the Maui Invitational, but have since won four straight.
Iowa State knocked off Jackson State, 100-58, in its only game last week before facing rival Iowa this week.
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Huskies bounce back
Two-time defending national champion UConn nearly dropped out of the polls last week after going 0 of 3 in Maui. The Huskies bounced back nicely last week, picking up impressive wins over Baylor and Texas to climb seven spots in this week’s poll to No. 18.
“Maybe the people with the shovels and the dirt were too quick to grab the shovel and throw the dirt at us,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
Go up and down
Oklahoma had the biggest rise in this week’s poll, climbing eight spots to 13th after beating Georgia Tech and Alcorn State. Duke and No. 17 Texas A&M each gained five places.
Kansas saw the biggest drop, followed by No. 20 Wisconsin, which fell nine spots. No. 22 Cincinnati lost eight places.
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Inside and outside
Several teams entered and exited this week’s ballot.
No. 14 Michigan is ranked for the first time in nearly three years after close wins over Wisconsin and Iowa. The Wolverines have won seven straight under first-year coach Dusty May.
No. 16 Clemson is ranked for the first time this season after wins over Kentucky and Miami (Fla.). No. 21 Michigan State is also ranked for the first time after wins over Nebraska and Minnesota.
No. 24 UCLA is ranked for the first time in nearly two years after wins over Washington and Oregon. No. 25 Mississippi State is back in the poll after knocking off Pittsburgh, 90-57, and beating Prairie View A&M.
Baylor, MemphisPittsburgh, Illinois And North Carolina all fell out of the rankings.
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Eve of the conference
The SEC led 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 had two ranked teams, while the West Coast and Mountain West conferences each had one.
Here is the complete 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 Mademoiselle
20. Wisconsin
21. Michigan State
22. Cincinnati
23. San Diego State
24. UCLA
25. Mississippi State
Associated Press reporting.
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