College basketball standings: Houston takes over the top spot from UConn, while Kentucky makes a significant jump in the latest AP Top 25 rankings.
The latest AP Top 25 saw significant shifts among the nation’s leading college basketball teams following a tumultuous week filled with surprising upsets. UConn, which had maintained the top position for several weeks and secured all 62 first-place votes in the previous rankings, stumbled from its perch after a decisive 19-point defeat against Creighton on Tuesday. Despite rebounding with a commanding 24-point victory over Villanova on Saturday, UConn couldn’t stave off the ascent of a resurgent Houston squad and Purdue, relinquishing its hold on the No. 1 ranking.
Last week, Arizona climbed to No. 4 in the rankings but experienced its inaugural home loss of the season to Washington State on Thursday. Tennessee, meanwhile, has been on a four-game winning streak since its defeat against Texas A&M on February 10 and claimed the fourth spot in this week’s poll, replacing Arizona. Following an emphatic 86-51 revenge win over Texas A&M at home, Tennessee heads towards the season’s end with four matchups against ranked opponents.
In the ACC, Wake Forest’s victory over Duke at home set off a chain reaction. Although the Demon Deacons remain unranked, they continue to strengthen their case for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016-17. Duke slipped two spots to No. 10 and awaits updates on star center Kyle Filipowski’s knee injury sustained during the court-storming incident in Winston-Salem. North Carolina, surpassing its rival, now sits at No. 9 in the latest update after securing its first victory at Virginia in 12 years.
Kentucky faced a rough patch, losing four out of six games as January transitioned into February. However, the Wildcats have since bounced back with four consecutive wins, propelling themselves back into contention in the SEC standings. Their dominant 117-95 triumph over Alabama on Saturday saw them climb one spot to No. 16 in the rankings, while Alabama dropped one spot to No. 14.
