For the primary time all season, the AP Prime 25 ballot will characteristic a brand new No. 1 when the faculty basketball rankings replace on Monday. Preseason No. 1 Kansas held that distinction for 5 consecutive weeks from the preseason to the primary week of December, however two losses to 2 unranked groups in two outings this week leaves voters with no alternative however to exchange it on the high.
Tennessee, Auburn and Iowa State might all garner first-place votes as KU takes a backslide this week, however the Volunteers seem primed to make the transfer into the No. 1 spot — and that is how we have now it in Tomorrow’s Prime 25 In the present day under. They had been the highest-ranked group to not undergo a loss within the final week after shifting as much as No. 3. Auburn probably would have been in pole place to supplant KU, however a loss at Duke this week broken its excellent file and might be simply sufficient to provide Tennessee the sting for voters.
Our greatest guess at how voters will type issues out when rankings refresh is under. Remember there are a selection of shifting components, and 4 of the highest 5 groups taking not less than one loss might present a serious shakeup.
Tomorrow’s Prime 25 is a weekly secure area for us to guess how we predict AP voters will react to the outcomes of the week, making it after all totally different from Gary Parrish’s each day Prime 25 And 1 rankings (how he ranks them) and totally different than my weekly Energy Rankings (how groups are performing of late). That is all about bearing in mind the complete season’s physique of labor, factoring within the final week since the latest AP Prime 25 ballot, after which making an attempt to interrupt into the mind of voters to guess how we predict the upcoming ballot Monday will look.
1. Tennessee (Final week — 3): The Volunteers are No. 2 in scoring margin however might be No. 1 within the AP Prime 25 on Monday. Tennessee has eight wins on the season and by a mean of 26.8 factors, which included a 26-point dwelling win this week vs. Syracuse in its solely outing of the week.
2. Iowa State (Final week — 6): An 81-70 dwelling win over a previously-undefeated Marquette group ought to win some voters over this week on Iowa State. The Cyclones’ solely loss all season was to Auburn in Maui.
3. Auburn (Final week — 2): Auburn’s 84-78 highway loss at Duke on Wednesday should not be sufficient to maneuver voters strongly a method or one other given the setting inside Cameron Indoor, how effectively Duke has seemed and the way shut the sport was.
4. Kentucky (Final week — 4): Kentucky misplaced 70-66 to Clemson on the highway Tuesday then completely redeemed itself with a 90-89 time beyond regulation win Saturday. Transferring down appears potential however that win could be sufficient to even issues out.
5. Marquette (Final week — 5): If Iowa State strikes up into the vary I challenge above, then Marquette remaining regular within the ballot appears potential, if unlikely. Its solely loss this week — and on the season — was to the Cyclones on Wednesday earlier than a 14-point dwelling win vs. Wisconsin.
6. Duke (Final week — 9): The largest win of the week goes to Duke in its 84-78 takedown of Auburn on Wednesday. Blue Devils have struggled to shut late in video games however appear to be studying — and fast — with a younger however proficient roster.
7. Kansas (Final week — 1): KU’s protection collapsed vs. Creighton in permitting Pop Isaacs to go for 29 factors. Then its offense collapsed vs. Missouri, the place it recorded 22 turnovers — probably the most in a single-game for the Jayhawks since 2022. Out of the highest 5 appears probably for KU however inside the highest 10 feels an affordable response.
8. Alabama (Final week — 10): The one outing of the week for Alabama was a 94-79 dismantling of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, doing to UNC’s protection what is against the law in all 50 states. Bama’s offense has the Tide at 7-2, and they need to stay inside the highest 10 this week.
9. Gonzaga (Final week — 7): Blowing an 18-point second half result in Kentucky over the weekend might give Gonzaga a slight ding within the eyes of voters. With two losses on the season, undefeated and one-loss groups like Florida and Michigan must be getting consideration to leap the Zags.
10. Florida (Final week — 13): The Gators are one among solely 9 undefeated groups in faculty basketball after one other excellent week during which it went 1-0 with a lopsided win over Virginia. No nice wins on the resume, however 9 stable wins — and no losses.
11. Purdue (Final week — 8): Purdue’s loss at Penn State on Thursday might maintain the Boilers from hanging inside the highest 10, although an 83-78 win over Maryland on Sunday might make issues attention-grabbing.
12. Oregon (Final week — 12): Now 9-1 on the season with wins over Texas A&M, Alabama, San Diego State and USC and a gutting last-second 73-71 loss to UCLA on Sunday, the Geese ought to stay inside the highest 15. With different motion elsewhere I’ve acquired them staying put at No. 12.
13. Michigan (Final week — NR): First-year Michigan coach Dusty Could has his Wolverines 2-0 already in Huge Ten play with wins this week over Wisconsin and Iowa. They’re 8-1, and are lengthy overdue for some love within the AP ballot.
14. Houston (Final week — 17): It was a quiet week for Houston, which went 1-0 with a 28-point dwelling win over Butler. Cougars are 5-3 on the season with two to top-10 groups and two in time beyond regulation.
15. Texas A&M (Final week — 22): Texas A&M scored an enormous win on a impartial flooring Sunday in Fort Price over fellow Texas faculty Texas Tech. Aggies enjoying some good ball the previous few weeks.
16. Ole Miss (Final week — 23): Wins over Louisville and Lindenwood this week ought to get the Rebels rising into the highest 20. Their lone loss on the yr was to Purdue on a impartial.
17. Michigan State (Final week — NR): Wins by 18 and 37 factors over Minnesota and Nebraska ought to get voters consideration on the Spartans as they spherical into type. They’ve made some statements of late with Jaxon Kohler rising as a First Staff All-Hustle candidate.
18. Wisconsin (Final week — 11): Two video games, two losses this week for Wisconsin — to Michigan and to Marquette. That is the Badgers’ first two losses on the season.
19. Oklahoma (Final week — 21): OU’s unblemished file stays intact after the Sooners defeated Georgia Tech and Alcorn State at dwelling in comparatively undramatic style.
20. Cincinnati (Final week — 14): Cincinnati not solely took its first lack of the season this week, however misplaced to a Villanova group that has stumbled out of the gate this season. That’ll push them down however the Bearcats ought to stay within the high 25.
21. Maryland (Final week — NR): Maryland misplaced on the highway at Purdue on Sunday however made an announcement earlier within the week in defeating Ohio State 83-59. The physique of labor for the Terps is spectacular and solely getting higher.
22. UConn (Final week — 25): The Maui Invitational immediately feels prefer it was years in the past for UConn, which has now received three straight highlighted by wins over No. 15 Baylor and Texas this week.
23. Memphis (Final week — 16): Memphis misplaced by 13 factors Sunday to an Arkansas State group it was favored to beat by 15 factors at dwelling. There is no method to gloss over that one. The Tigers are at risk of falling out of the rankings Monday.
24. San Diego State (Final week — 24): The Aztecs stay secure within the rankings after two wins over Fresno State and San Diego this week that do not transfer the needle.
25. Illinois (Final week — 19): Illinois’ first true highway sport of the season Friday was a 70-66 time beyond regulation loss at Northwestern. That win over Arkansas on Thanksgiving ought to maintain the Illini within the rankings.
Projected to drop out: No. 15 Baylor, No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 20 North Carolina
