The Big Ten Conference now has a top 10 program after a marquee upset in the early stretch of the men’s college basketball season.
After Purdue’s 87-78 upset of then-No. 2 Alabama, the Boilermakers climbed seven spots to No. 6 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25.
The Big Ten’s total of ranked teams rose to five as Illinois joined the rankings at No. 25 and Wisconsin vaulted to No. 19 after receiving votes last week. Those two programs joined No. 16 Indiana and No. 24 Rutgers in the polls, while Ohio State fell out after being ranked No. 21 last week.
Six other Big Ten programs received votes in this week’s poll, including Michigan State, the Buckeyes, Oregon, Penn State, Michigan and Maryland.
The largest drop of the week came from the Big 12’s Arizona Wildcats, falling eight spots to No. 17 and out of the top 10. Arizona lost to Wisconsin 103-88, propelling the Badgers into the top 25. The largest jump came from the Kentucky Wildcats, who rose ten spots to No. 9.
After Alabama’s loss to Purdue, six of the top seven teams rose in the rankings. The top-rated team remained unchanged, however, as Kansas was once again placed at No. 1. Two-time defending national champion UConn rose to No. 2, Gonzaga moved up one spot to No. 3, and Auburn inched to No. 4. Iowa State pushed ahead two spots to No. 5.
The Big 12 has six teams in the top 25, including three in the top ten with Kansas, Iowa State, and No. 7 Houston. No. 13 Baylor, Arizona and No. 18 Cincinnati round out the conference’s ranked programs. The Southeastern Conference holds seven spots, with Auburn, No. 8 Alabama, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 20 Arkansas, No. 21 Florida, and No. 23 Texas A&M.
The Big East landed only four programs in the rankings as UConn, No. 14 Creighton, and No. 15 Marquette remained near the top of polls. No. 22 St. John’s also appeared for the second consecutive week. The ACC has just two ranked teams, with heated rivals No. 10 North Carolina staying ahead of No. 12 Duke as the Blue Devils dropped six spots.
Nebraska basketball will face its first top-25 foe this season after suffering its first loss of the year on Sunday, 77-74 to St. Mary’s. The Huskers will battle the No. 14 Creighton Bluejays in Omaha on Friday at 7 p.m. CST at the CHI Health Center.
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