Auburn’s 94-85 win over Alabama on Saturday kept the Tigers on top of the AP Top 25, as they received 59 of the 60 first-place votes in Monday’s poll.
SEC rival Florida, which got the other first-place vote, climbed one spot to No. 2, while Duke, Alabama and Houston rounded out the top five. The Crimson Tide dropped two spots from No. 2 to No. 4 after the loss to their in-state rival.
Big Ten rivals Wisconsin and Michigan highlighted the moves this week. The Badgers moved up five spots to No. 11, while the Wolverines had the biggest week, jumping eight spots to No. 12. Missouri also climbed six spots, moving to No. 15, while Clemson and Maryland moved up five spots to No. 18 and No. 20, respectively.
Here’s the full poll, along with the ballot of The Athletic’s C.J. Moore:
AP Top 25: Feb. 17
| Rank | Team | Record | Prev | CJ’s vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
23-2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
22-3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
3 |
22-3 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
4 |
21-4 |
2 |
4 |
|
|
5 |
21-4 |
6 |
5 |
|
|
6 |
21-5 |
5 |
6 |
|
|
7 |
20-5 |
8 |
7 |
|
|
8 |
20-5 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
20-5 |
12 |
11 |
|
|
10 |
22-4 |
9 |
12 |
|
|
11 |
20-5 |
16 |
9 |
|
|
12 |
20-5 |
20 |
13 |
|
|
13 |
19-7 |
7 |
10 |
|
|
14 |
20-5 |
11 |
15 |
|
|
15 |
19-6 |
21 |
14 |
|
|
16 |
19-6 |
18 |
18 |
|
|
17 |
17-8 |
15 |
17 |
|
|
18 |
21-5 |
23 |
20 |
|
|
19 |
17-8 |
13 |
16 |
|
|
20 |
20-6 |
25 |
19 |
|
|
21 |
18-7 |
22 |
21 |
|
|
22 |
21-5 |
14 |
NR |
|
|
23 |
17-8 |
17 |
24 |
|
|
24 |
19-7 |
19 |
22 |
|
|
25 |
20-6 |
NR |
25 |
|
|
NR |
19-7 |
NR |
23 |
Houston could be ready to climb seed lines
If there’s a team that realistically could move onto the top seed line, it’s Houston. When the selection committee released its top 16 seeds on Saturday, the Cougars (who earned a No. 2 seed in that preview) had five Quad 1 wins. They picked up another that afternoon at Arizona, and now five of their final six games would qualify. So, the Cougars conceivably could have double-digit Quad 1 wins before the end of the regular season, and Auburn is the only team in the country in the double digits now (with 14). The Cougars already sit at No. 3 in the NET and now have a two-game lead in the Big 12. Win that league again, and they’ll have a good chance at ending up on the top line for the second straight year.
Michigan, Wisconsin far exceeding expectations
Michigan and Wisconsin both knocked off preseason Big Ten favorite Purdue last week, and it feels like a good opportunity to revisit how these teams were viewed in the preseason. In the Big Ten media poll, the Wolverines were picked to finish ninth — they’re currently first — and Wisconsin was picked to finish tied for 12th — they’re now ranked in my top 10 nationally. Both teams also saw their names called during the bracket preview, and if you’re looking for some National Coach of the Year candidates, Greg Gard and Dusty May certainly deserve consideration. May could help himself even more — and his team’s chances in the Big Ten — if he’s able to win on Friday at home against second-place Michigan State.
GO DEEPER
Men’s college basketball Top 25: How far should Memphis, Kansas fall?
Kansas falling
Kansas has not been lower than a No. 4 seed since 2000, and that streak is in jeopardy after Saturday’s loss at Utah. On consecutive Saturdays, the Jayhawks lost to teams ranked in the 70s in the NET on the road, and while both qualified as Quad 1 losses, until that point, they hadn’t lost to teams that will likely miss the NCAA Tournament. Their numbers are still solid — No. 15 at the NET, top 16 in every predictive metric and only one loss outside the first quadrant — but they’re now 3-4 in their last seven games. The opportunities are there to keep that streak alive of being at least a No. 4 seed, but this is not a team currently performing at that level.
(Photo of Johni Broome: Brandon Sumrall / Getty Images)
