AP Top 25 College Basketball Rankings: Week 10 Takeaways
AP Top 25 college basketball rankings, reactions and takeaways from Week 10.
But that’s what makes college basketball so much fun, right?
Virginia, Providence, Kentucky, UConn, Arizona, Iowa State, Dayton, Purdue and Louisville all fell to unranked foes in the last seven days. Upset City was not an exaggeration.
Here’s how it affected the AP Top 25.
1. Kansas (14-1)
2. Oklahoma (13-1)
3. Maryland (15-1)
4. Michigan State (16-1)
5. North Carolina (15-2)
6. Villanova (14-2)
7. Xavier (14-1)
8. Miami (FL) (13-1)
9. Duke (14-2)
10. SMU (15-0)
11. West Virginia (14-1)
12. Providence (14-2)
13. Virginia (12-3)
14. Kentucky (12-3)
15. Texas A&M (13-2)
16. Iowa (12-3)
17. Iowa State (12-3)
18. Arizona (13-3)
19. South Carolina (15-0)
20. Pittsburgh (14-1)
21. Louisville (13-3)
22. Baylor (12-3)
23. Butler (12-4)
24. Purdue (14-3)
25. Gonzaga (13-3)
First thing’s first: The AP Voters did the right thing by keeping Oklahoma in the No. 2 spot. Despite picking up their first loss of the season, the Sooners proved they’re a force to be reckoned with after taking No. 1 Kansas to triple overtime in front of a crazy Rock Chalk crowd. It’s a relief to see the AP kept Oklahoma right where they belong.
Arizona fell considerably after a rough weekend in Los Angeles. After being upset by UCLA, the Cats lost in quadruple overtime to USC, receiving back-to-back losses for the first time in two years. What’s most notable now is that the Trojans are next in line in the rankings, skyrocketing up to No. 26 in the nation. The question now is how they will hold up against nemesis UCLA Wednesday.
Speaking of the Pac-12, why aren’t we showing any love for the only remaining unbeaten in the conference? Washington sits at 3-0 in conference play after defeating UCLA, USC and Washington State.
Do those teams compose the teeth of the Pac-12? No. Is it still an impressive feat that deserves some recognition? I’d say so. Especially since one of those wins is over the suddenly-loved-by-the-AP USC Trojans. It’s still early, but these Huskies are young and talented – you shouldn’t sleep on them too much.
Meanwhile, teams like Villanova, SMU, West Virginia and Texas A&M received a considerable boost after picking up impressive wins the past week.
SMU, in particular, turned some heads after overcoming a tough Cincinnati squad with only six available players in the game, thanks to the departure of Keith Frazier. Pulling off a short-handed win against a hungry opponent is quite an accomplishment, and it speaks volumes to the tenacity and determination of these Mustangs.
Gonzaga and Baylor are the only two newcomers to the Top 25. The Zags have not been in the AP rankings since Week 5 after consistently coming up short in “prove it” games, but they slowly made their way back up by staying undefeated in the WCC.
Baylor’s absence from the polls didn’t last long. The Bears were removed from the Top 25 in Week 9 but they stormed right back with an upset victory over Iowa State.
Looking ahead, there are a few games you’ll want to circle on your calendar.
Kansas vs West Virginia, Tuesday
We are all witnesses to what Kansas is capable of after watching its matchup against Oklahoma last week. A victory in triple overtime between the best the Big 12 has to offer was more than any of us could’ve asked for.
So can they do it again? West Virginia isn’t on the level of the Sooners, sure, but you better believe the Mountaineers are a very talented team. Kansas and West Virginia are the only two Big 12 teams undefeated in conference play. So, who falls first?
Duke vs Clemson, Wednesday
A few days ago, there was no chance this game would’ve been on this list. But after taking down Syracuse in the Carrier Dome and picking up its first win over Louisville in school history, it’s time to start paying attention to Clemson.
On paper, it doesn’t look much like the Tigers will be able to handle the Blue Devils. But we would’ve said the same thing about Louisville, right? Jaron Blossomgame is looking like one of the top threats in the ACC and Jordan Roper is playing the role of sidekick.
Michigan State vs Iowa, Thursday
Two of the three remaining unbeaten teams in the Big Ten square off on Thursday. Jarrod Uthoff has been stellar for the Hawkeyes the past few years, but it seems he’s really coming to the center of attention on a national scale.
Uthoff averages an impressive 18.6 points per game, leading the team by a considerable margin. But will Iowa be able to handle a Michigan State squad that has Denzel Valentine back on the floor?
One thing is for sure: Uthoff vs Valentine is going to be awesome.
