Arizona basketball moves up in AP, coaches polls after beating ASU
Jan 4, 2016, 1:12 PM | Updated: 3:16 pm
Arizona's Gabe York (1) celebrates as the final seconds expire during an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona State, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona defeated Arizona State 94-82. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Arizona basketball moved up in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls following its 94-82 win at ASU.
Sean Miller’s team now ranks seventh in the AP Poll and sixth in the coaches rankings, and it is the only Pac-12 team in either top-25 poll.
Kansas earned 44 of 65 first-place votes in the AP poll. The Jayhawks rank first in the country and ahead of Oklahoma, who earned the remaining 21 first-place nods. Maryland, Virginia, Michigan State and North Carolina also rank ahead of the Wildcats.
The coaches like Oklahoma, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, Michigan State and Arizona, in that order.
Maybe more importantly, the Wildcats saw their RPI rise to 27th in the country after the win over their rivals. Arizona entered the New Year ranked No. 43 in RPI due to a less-than-impressive strength of schedule, but a road victory against a rival that itself survived a gauntlet of a nonconference slate should help matters come tournament selection time.
Arizona (13-1) is now 2-0 against teams with RPIs ranked from 25-50.
