Auburn Holds No. 1 Spot, Kansas Drops Out of AP Poll for First Time Since 2021
Auburn continues to dominate the college basketball landscape, securing the unanimous No. 1 spot in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Tigers (25-2) maintained their ranking after securing back-to-back wins over Arkansas and Georgia. In their latest victory, an 82-70 win over Georgia, Auburn’s star forward Johni Broome made a strong case for National Player of the Year honors, putting up a season-high 31 points along with 14 rebounds.
Duke (24-3) climbed to No. 2 after a statement 110-67 win over Illinois, while Florida (24-3) slipped to No. 3 despite victories over Oklahoma and LSU. Houston (23-4) and Tennessee (22-5) both moved up, now sitting at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
The rest of the top 10 features Alabama (22-5), St. John’s (24-4), Michigan State (22-5), Iowa State (21-6), and Texas Tech (21-6). Michigan State saw the biggest leap this week, jumping six spots to No. 8.
One of the biggest storylines from this week’s poll is Kansas (18-9) falling out of the rankings for the first time in 80 consecutive weeks. The Jayhawks, previously ranked No. 23, struggled in recent outings and could not hold onto a spot in the Top 25.
Replacing Kansas in the rankings are No. 23 St. Mary’s (25-4) and No. 25 BYU (19-8), both making their way into the poll after strong performances last week.
Complete AP Top 25 Rankings:
- Auburn (25-2)
- Duke (24-3)
- Florida (24-3)
- Houston (23-4)
- Tennessee (22-5)
- Alabama (22-5)
- St. John’s (24-4)
- Michigan State (22-5)
- Iowa State (21-6)
- Texas Tech (21-6)
- Wisconsin (21-6)
- Texas A&M (20-7)
- Clemson (22-5)
- Missouri (20-7)
- Michigan (20-6)
- Maryland (21-6)
- Kentucky (18-9)
- Memphis (22-5)
- Louisville (21-6)
- Purdue (19-9)
- Marquette (20-7)
- Arizona (18-9)
- St. Mary’s (25-4)
- Mississippi State (19-8)
- BYU (19-8)
With March Madness approaching, the race for the top seeds continues to heat up, and teams outside the rankings, including Kansas, will be looking to make a late-season push to re-enter the poll.
