Arizona gets dinged in college basketball rankings, Arizona State earns votes
Feb 26, 2024, 11:56 AM | Updated: 12:26 pm
Keshad Johnson #16 of the Arizona Wildcats drives past Keion Brooks Jr. #1 of the Washington Huskies during the first half at McKale Center on February 24, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The Arizona Wildcats dipped two spots, to sixth, in The Associated Press men’s college basketball rankings after splitting against the Washington schools at home over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Arizona State Sun Devils (14-14) received 17 points in the voting after doing the same thanks to an upset against Washington State. It’s not clear, however, if those points were mistakenly given to Arizona State.
The El Paso Times‘ Bret Bloomquist ranked Arizona State No. 9 following the Sun Devils’ loss to the Washington Huskies in overtime after a wild comeback before beating the Cougars, 73-61, on Saturday. WSU had pulled off a 77-74 victory over the then-No. 4 Wildcats (21-6) two days earlier in Tucson.
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It was apparently not confusion over the two Arizona schools. Bloomquist ranked Arizona No. 6 and ahead of its rivals.
Washington State still moved up two spots, to 19th, after entering the week ranked No. 21.
No other Pac-12 team earned votes aside from four points given to the Huskies.
The Houston Cougars moved to No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time this season in Monday’s latest poll, climbing one spot to end the six-week stay of reigning national champion Connecticut. Houston (24-3) became the fifth team to hold the top spot this season.
Purdue rose one spot to No. 2, while the Huskies’ loss to Creighton dropped them to third in a poll that included South Florida cracking the rankings for the first time in program history.
The Associated Press men’s college basketball rankings – Feb. 26
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Houston (53) | 24-3 | 1540 | 2 |
| 2. Purdue (4) | 25-3 | 1460 | 3 |
| 3. UConn (5) | 25-3 | 1459 | 1 |
| 4. Tennessee | 21-6 | 1338 | 5 |
| 5. Marquette | 21-6 | 1243 | 7 |
| 6. Arizona | 21-6 | 1188 | 4 |
| 7. Kansas | 21-6 | 1156 | 9 |
| 8. Iowa St. | 21-6 | 1155 | 6 |
| 9. North Carolina | 21-6 | 1130 | 10 |
| 10. Duke | 21-6 | 976 | 8 |
| 11. Auburn | 21-6 | 862 | 14 |
| 12. Creighton | 20-8 | 738 | 15 |
| 13. Illinois | 20-7 | 726 | 12 |
| 14. Alabama | 19-8 | 695 | 13 |
| 15. Baylor | 19-8 | 689 | 11 |
| 16. Kentucky | 19-8 | 649 | 17 |
| 17. Saint Mary’s | 23-6 | 646 | 18 |
| 18. South Carolina | 22-5 | 471 | 20 |
| 19. Washington St | 21-7 | 361 | 21 |
| 20. San Diego St. | 21-7 | 305 | 19 |
| 21. Dayton | 21-5 | 261 | 16 |
| 22. Utah St. | 22-5 | 207 | – |
| 23. Gonzaga | 22-6 | 184 | – |
| 24. Florida | 19-8 | 140 | 24 |
| 25. South Florida | 21-5 | 127 | – |
Others receiving votes: BYU 92, Texas Tech 65, Clemson 45, TCU 45, Wake Forest 44, Wisconsin 42, Nevada 25, Colorado St. 20, Arizona St 17, New Mexico 10, FAU 8, Oklahoma 7, Nebraska 7, Mississippi St. 5, Washington 4, Appalachian St 3, Northwestern 1, Boise St. 1, McNeese St. 1, Indiana St 1, Loyola Chicago 1.
