Not even the previously top-ranked Michigan State Spartans were safe from a week of upsets, falling to the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday and highlighting a number of changes in the Associated Press Top 25.
As a result, the Villanova Wildcats ascended to the top spot after winning their only game of the week against the Marquette Golden Eagles.
Here is a look at the poll's latest iteration as March Madness draws nearer, per the AP's official website:
1. Villanova 1,611 points
2. West Virginia 1,559 points
3. Virginia 1,438 points
4. Michigan State 1,390 points
5. Wichita State 1,225 points
5. Purdue 1,225 points
7. Duke 1,222 points
8. Texas Tech 1,174 points
9. Oklahoma 1,152 points
10. Xavier 1,050 points
11. Arizona State 1,036 points
12. Kansas 888 points
13. Seton Hall 759 points
14. Cincinnati 739 points
15. Gonzaga 676 points
16. TCU 621 points
17. Arizona 537 points
18. Miami 502 points
19. Clemson 465 points
20. North Carolina 423 points
21. Kentucky 314 points
22. Auburn 243 points
23. Florida State 202 points
24. Tennessee 198 points
25. Creighton 160 points
The fallout from Saturday alone was enough to shake up the poll.
North Carolina State beat No. 2 Duke, Providence beat No. 5 Xavier, No. 6 West Virginia beat No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 8 Virginia beat No. 12 North Carolina, No. 10 Kansas beat No. 16 TCU, LSU beat No. 11 Texas A&M, Colorado beat No. 14 Arizona, No. 23 Tennessee beat No. 17 Kentucky, and Auburn beat No. 22 Arkansas.
Nine ranked squads fell Saturday in what surely had fans thinking about upset specials during the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Seven of the 10 Top 25 teams that went on the road Saturday walked away with losses.
The upsets weren't limited to the weekend, as Colorado beat No. 4 Arizona State, Georgia Tech beat No. 15 Miami, No. 24 Florida State beat No. 12 North Carolina, Florida beat No. 11 Texas A&M, and No. 18 Texas Tech beat No. 10 Kansas throughout the week.
Plenty of top teams will be tested in the upcoming week, which should shake up the rankings yet again.
The Big 12 features games between Oklahoma and Texas Tech, Oklahoma and TCU, and Texas Tech and West Virginia, while Michigan State will have the opportunity to bounce back in the Big Ten against archrival Michigan.
Perhaps the game of the week comes Wednesday when Villanova puts its top ranking on the line against Xavier in a battle that figures to go a long way toward determining the regular-season conference champion in the Big East and impacting seeding come Selection Sunday.
Read 0 Comments
Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation