College basketball rankings: Arizona returns to AP top 25 after beating ASU

The Arizona Wildcats (15-6) on Monday returned to The Associated Press’ top 25 men’s basketball rankings for the first time since November.

The No. 20 Wildcats, who visit BYU on Tuesday, opened the year at No. 10 and peaked at ninth, but fell to 4-5 by Dec. 14.

They’re back in the rankings after winning 11 of 12, including a rivalry victory at ASU Saturday and against Iowa State after Caleb Love hit a halfcourt shot to force overtime.

Auburn and Duke remain 1-2 atop AP’s men’s college basketball poll for the third straight week, while Maryland is back in the rankings for the first time in nearly two years.

Bruce Pearl’s Tigers (20-1) held the No. 1 ranking for the fourth consecutive week in Monday’s poll and the third in a row as the unanimous choice. Auburn has claimed 246 of 248 first-place votes over the past month while remaining unbeaten in a rugged SEC with nine ranked teams.

Auburn’s only loss came to Jon Scheyer’s No. 2 Blue Devils (19-2), who enter the week with the nation’s longest winning streak at 15 games after rolling past rival North Carolina.

The two teams offered the only stability after 15 teams in last week’s AP Top 25 lost last week, with three of those losing twice.

Peek at the Big 12 in the men’s basketball rankings

— Big 12 co-leader Houston, which is tied with Arizona at 9-1 in conference play, climbed one spot to No. 5 despite an overtime loss to now-No. 13 Texas Tech to end a 33-game home winning streak.

— Texas Tech (17-4) is alone in third place (8-2) in Big 12 play and had the biggest jump among last week’s ranked teams, rising nine spots to 13th after beating TCU at home and then beating the Cougars despite coach Grant McCasland and forward JT Toppin being ejected early. The Red Raiders face Baylor this Tuesday and on Saturday visit Arizona before hosting ASU next Tuesday.

— Iowa State (7-3 Big 12) joined the Bulldogs in a two-loss week, falling five spots after losses to Arizona and Kansas State.

— No. 16 Kansas fell five spots, pushing the list of sliding teams to 10.

–The SEC had at least nine teams in the poll for the seventh straight week, including three weeks with 10 teams to make up 40% of the poll. Maryland’s arrival pushed the Big Ten to six ranked teams, followed by the Big 12 with five and the Big East with three. The Atlantic Coast and American Athletic conferences each had one.

Arizona returns to AP men’s basketball rankings – Feb. 3

Others receiving votes: Clemson 182, Saint Mary’s 136, Louisville 86, Creighton 50, Oregon 39, UCLA 26, New Mexico 23, Drake 18, Gonzaga 11, Utah St. 8, Vanderbilt 4, Baylor 3, George Mason 3, Texas 1, Oklahoma 1.

Arizona in the USA Today Coaches Poll

Others Receiving Votes: Mississippi State (16-6) 88; Mississippi (16-6) 70; Louisville (16-6) 50; Creighton (16-6) 44; Oregon (16-6) 31; New Mexico (18-4) 18; UCLA (16-6) 7; West Virginia (14-7) 6; Gonzaga (16-7) 4; Utah State (19-3) 4; Brigham Young (15-6) 2; Drake (20-2) 2; Baylor (14-7) 1; UC Irvine (20-3) 1.

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