For the first time in over a month, the Gonzaga men’s basketball team is trending upward in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
The Bulldogs (12-4, 3-0 WCC) checked in at No. 18 in the Week 10 edition of the media poll that was released Monday, just a few days after a dominant showing from Mark Few’s squad in a 96-68 victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday. Graham Ike led the way with 27 points while Khalif Battle tallied a season-high 26 to carry the load offensively, while defensively, the Lions were held to just 38.2% from the field and committed 14 turnovers.
Thanks in part to a three-game win streak to start league play, the Zags snapped an even lengthier skid in the AP Top 25 poll. Prior to Week 10, Gonzaga had been dropped down at least one spot in each of the previous five polls, starting from when it was ranked No. 7 on Dec. 2 and ending last week when it tumbled to No. 19. In that stretch, the Bulldogs suffered close losses to Kentucky, UConn and UCLA.
The Wildcats earned a marquee win to start conference play Saturday when they knocked off undefeated Florida in a thrilling 106-100 affair from Lexington, Kentucky. That victory moved Mark Pope and company up four spots to No. 6 in the poll, behind No. 1 Tennessee, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 4 Duke and No. Alabama.
The Volunteers received 45 out of the 60 first-place votes from the panel to remain the poll’s No. 1 team. They’re also the only undefeated team left in men’s Division I. The other 15 first-place votes went to Auburn.
Dan Hurley’s Huskies overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat Providence over the weekend and move to 4-0 in Big East play. UConn moved back into the top 10 of the poll.
The Bruins tumbled seven spots to No. 22 following a 66-58 loss at Nebraska on Saturday. Just ahead of them at No. 21 was another nonconference foe of Gonzaga’s: West Virginia, which tipped off Big 12 play with the program’s first win over Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. The Mountaineers followed that up with a 19-point win over Oklahoma State.
San Diego State and Baylor were among the teams that had missed the top 25 cut but still received votes.
AP Top 25 poll (Week 10):
1. Tennessee (14-0, 1-0 SEC)
2. Auburn (13-1, 1-0 SEC)
3. Iowa State (12-1, 2-0 Big 12)
4. Duke (12-2, 4-0 ACC)
5. Alabama (12-2, 1-0 SEC)
6. Kentucky (12-2, 1-0 SEC)
7. Marquette (13-2, 4-0 Big East)
8. Florida (13-1, 0-1 SEC)
9. UConn (12-3, 4-0 Big East)
10. Texas A&M (12-2, 1-0 SEC)
11. Kansas (10-3, 1-1 Big 12)
12. Houston (10-3, 2-0 Big 12)
13. Illinois (11-3, 3-1 Big Ten)
14. Mississippi State (13-1, 1-0 SEC)
15. Oregon (13-2, 2-2 Big Ten)
16. Michigan State (12-2, 3-0 Big Ten)
17. Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1 SEC)
18. Gonzaga (12-4, 3-0 WCC)
19. Memphis (12-3, 2-0 AAC)
20. Purdue (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten)
21. West Virginia (11-2, 2-0 Big 12)
22. UCLA (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten)
23. Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC)
24. Michigan (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten)
25. Utah State (14-1, 4-0 Mountain West)
Others receiving votes:
Pittsburgh 91, Arkansas 62, Nebraska 62, Baylor 32, Wisconsin 31, St. John’s 27, San Diego St. 26, Cincinnati 22, Clemson 19, Maryland 7, Georgia 6, St. Bonaventure 6, Texas Tech 6, Indiana 6, Missouri 5, Arizona 3, Dayton 1, Georgetown 1, Vanderbilt 1, Xavier 1.
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