Alabama

College basketball rankings: Purdue makes huge jump; Alabama, Duke slide

Published

1 year ago

November 17, 2024

Press Room

College basketball rankings: Purdue makes huge jump; Alabama, Duke slide

John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

Friday brought the biggest collective night of the college basketball season with a series of early-season, non-conference matchups across the slate — and one conference notching a pair of top-10 victories: the Big Ten.

If you’re a non-conference team in the regular season, don’t even bother playing Purdue. That has been true since December 2020. The Boilermakers have put together a historic winning streak with 39 consecutive victories in the regular season against out-of-conference opponents after their 87-78 victory over an Alabama team that received six first-place votes in the AP poll last week. It’s not as if this 39-game win streak hasn’t been tested either, with nine of those wins coming over top-10 opponents.

While everybody was wondering in the preseason how Purdue would handle life without Zach Edey, coach Matt Painter said that junior Trey Kaufman-Renn was poised to have a great year. Those words became reality in Friday’s signature win with the 6-foot-9 big man delivering 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists. With how much of a constant the backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are — with Smith posting 17 points and 10 assists and Loyer totaling 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting — that third piece emerging was the question mark with Purdue, and it was answered.

For Purdue to score 87 points and also limit a potent Crimson Tide backcourt to 9-of-29 shooting from beyond the arc was impressive. On the flip side, coach Nate Oats is clearly still trying to figure things out with his Alabama team, with Mark Sears (5 for 15 from the floor) and Cliff Omoruyi (2 for 5) struggling in the defeat.

Elsewhere, Wisconsin put up an unforgettable 103-88 win over 9th-ranked Arizona on a night when the Badgers were honoring their 2014 and 2015 Final Four teams.

There’s plenty to unpack with this result. First and foremost, it shows the depth of the Big Ten and why the conference can very well get a double-digit number of NCAA Tournament bids, because when the program that was projected to finish 12th in the league in the preseason polls beats a top-10 team, it’s an eye-opening and profile-boosting win.

Missouri transfer and sixth-year senior John Tonje put up a historic performance with a career-high 41 points, two shy of the Badgers’ single-game record. Tonje drilled four of Wisconsin’s 12 triples and shot 21 for 22 from the free-throw line in a game that was heavy with whistles and had a combined 87 free throws taken. It wasn’t always pretty, but for the Badgers to score 103 points, get double-figure performances from returnees Max Klesmit and John Blackwell and finish off Arizona (in spite of the fact that it tied the game after a slow start) certainly is a needle-moving result for coach Greg Gard. He currently has an offense that sits at No. 18 in KenPom efficiency. Wisconsin is in my Top 25 because of this.

[Read more: 2024-25 college basketball preview: Ranking the top 50 players and coaches]

As for another big takeaway from the weekend, a Big East team went on the road and beat a Big Ten squad on Friday night in dramatic fashion, as top-15 Marquette went into College Park and held off Maryland, 78-74.

Golden Eagles senior star Kam Jones continues to show he’s as good as any player in the country right now, with the 6-foot-5 guard going off for 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor, marking his third performance in the first four games of at least 24 in the scoring column. At one point in the second half, Jones went on his own personal 12-2 run over the Terps, who fought back in the final two minutes and showed their potential for this season but fell just short. Jones’ classmate Stevie Mitchell continued to display why he’s the ultimate Shaka Smart player, doing the dirty work and finishing the game with Marquette’s final eight points.

With that, here’s my updated Top 25.

1. Kansas Jayhawks (4-0)

The Jayhawks started the week by grinding out a victory over Michigan State in a game that Hunter Dickinson dominated, but backcourt questions arose despite the win. That said, they’re 4-0 with wins over North Carolina and MSU, with AJ Storr breaking out for a 16-point showing in 19 minutes in a 78-57 win over Oakland on Saturday night. Is there a clear-cut top team in the nation? No, but Kansas is at the top with enough of a body of work and Dickinson, who’s as good as any offensive player in the country.

2. UConn Huskies (3-0)

The Huskies are 36-1 in their past 37 games against non-conference competition after a 90-49 win over Le Moyne on Wednesday. Preseason All-American Alex Karaban continued his strong start to the season with 17 points in the victory. UConn plays its final tune-up before the Maui Invitational when the back-to-back reigning national champions host East Texas A&M on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app).

3. Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0)

The Zags moved to 3-0 on the season with a 113-54 win over UMass Lowell on Friday behind 21 points from Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle. They have a big road game against San Diego State at Viejas Arena on Monday night.

4. Auburn Tigers (3-0)

Johni Broome is one of the best players in America, but I don’t think he gets enough national love for just how great of a big man he is. He had 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in Wednesday’s 79-56 win over Kent State.

5. Houston Cougars (2-1)

Even though the Cougars fell just short to Auburn last weekend, I still love coach Kelvin Sampson’s squad enough to keep them in my top five. Seven players scored at least eight points in Wednesday’s 91-45 win over Louisiana. We get a better gauge for the Cougars when they meet Alabama at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas next week.

6. Purdue Boilermakers (4-0)

Freshman guard C.J. Cox appears to be an X-factor on the perimeter, going 7 for 10 from 3-point range in his past two games and combining for 23 points. That’s exactly the type of supplemental scoring the Boilermakers need around Smith, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn. Purdue has its first major road test of the year at Marquette on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app).

7. Iowa State Cyclones (2-0)

The Cyclones, who return the majority of their pieces from a Sweet 16 and Big 12 Tournament championship team last year, are off to a 2-0 start after an 82-53 win over Kansas City last Monday. Senior guard Curtis Jones came off the bench and shot 7 for 11 from the floor for 20 points. We’ll get a better measuring stick for coach T.J. Otzelberger’s team when they meet Auburn in Round 1 of the Maui Invitational.

8. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-1)

The Crimson Tide are far from hitting their stride offensively, shooting just over 30% from 3-point land thus far and not fully meshing yet. Give Nate Oats some time. Remember: Last year’s team was 6-5 and ended up in the Final Four. Up next: The Tide take on Illinois — a team that’s just outside my Top 25 rankings — on Wednesday. Tomislav Ivisic, who’s coming off a 20-point performance in a win over Oakland this past week, will meet Omoruyi in that clash.

9. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-1)

The Tar Heels followed up an impressive performance in a loss at Kansas with a 107-55 win over American. Elliott Cadeau is a totally different player in his second season for the Tar Heels, as the UNC point guard delivered 18 points, eight assists and four steals (and just one turnover) in the victory. Having him and RJ Davis together in the backcourt makes for one scary duo for the rest of the ACC. We’ll see UNC get tested more next week at the Maui Invitational.

10. Tennessee Volunteers (3-0)

The Volunteers posted a 2-0 week with Charlotte transfer Igor Milicic posting 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 92-57 win over Montana on Wednesday. He then followed that up with a 23-point, nine-rebound outing in a 103-67 victory over Austin Peay on Sunday. It would appear coach Rick Barnes and his staff nailed it in the transfer portal once again after doing so last year with Dalton Knecht.

11. Creighton Bluejays (4-0)

12. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)

13. Duke Blue Devils (3-1)

14. Marquette Golden Eagles (4-0)

15. Baylor Bears (2-1)

16. Xavier Musketeers (4-0)

17. Arizona Wildcats (2-1)

18. Indiana Hoosiers (3-0)

19. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-0)

20. St. John’s Red Storm (4-0)

21. Florida Gators (4-0)

22. Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0)

23. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-1)

24. Wisconsin Badgers (4-0)

25. Texas A&M Aggies (3-1)

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

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Alabama

Alabama elections 2026: Who is running for U.S. Senate and House?

Published

9 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Alabama elections 2026: Who is running for U.S. Senate and House?

Alabama residents will make their choice for U.S. Congress during the May 19 primary, and officials are urging people to vote despite an ever-evolving situation surrounding the state’s congressional maps.

Currently, there are legal disputes surrounding the Congressional districts map in use in Alabama. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in late April on a redistricting case in Louisiana, Alabama asked for the preliminary injunction which barred them from redrawing their maps until 2030 to be lifted, which the courts have granted as of May 11.

Though there’s been some confusion in the face of ongoing legal motions regarding the maps, what is certain is that primary elections will go on as planned despite Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey calling for a special election in August for the affected congressional districts — Districts 1, 2, 6 and 7.

The Northern District Court of Alabama, which originally issued the injunction, still has to reconsider the case. The court asked state officials in a May 12 order to explain the plan for the 2026 elections and to explain how they plan to “ensure that all Alabamians may timely and efficaciously exercise their constitutional right to vote.”

There are two more elections after the primaries this month. On June 16, the state will hold primary runoff elections, and on Nov. 3, the state will host the general election. Additional candidates could come up after the primaries conclude, so once the names are finalized, the ballots may appear differently in November.

The special election in races affected by new congressional maps is currently planned for Aug. 11, though officials — including Ivey — have encouraged all voters to cast their ballots in the regular May 19 primary.

Who’s running for U.S. Senate?

The seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is up for election. Tuberville, who has thrown his hat in the governor’s race, will not be returning to the position, so all candidates listed would be new to the Senate. The other seat is held by U.S. Sen. Katie Britt and won’t be open until her term expires in 2028.

Republican candidates

Seth Burton
Dale Shelton Deas Jr.
Jared Hudson
Steve Marshall
Barry Moore
Rodney Walker

Some names on this list are already serving in federal and Alabama state government positions, with Marshall currently serving as the state’s Attorney General, and Moore currently representing Alabama’s 1st District in the House of Representatives and previously representing the 2nd District. Of the candidates, President Donald Trump has endorsed only one, which is Moore.

Hudson is the only candidate who has attempted to run for another position, albeit unsuccessfully — he ran for sheriff of Jefferson County in 2022, but lost to incumbent Sheriff Mark Pettway.

Democratic candidates

Dakarai Larriett
Kyle Sweetser
Everett Wess
Mark S. Wheeler II

Who’s running for House of Representatives?

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell is running unopposed in District 7. Voters in every district have candidates from both sides of the aisle to consider.

Considering the special election that is now on the horizon, candidate names may appear differently on ballots in August if different maps are approved. For the May 19 primaries, the following is how candidate names will appear.

District 1 Republican Candidates

Jerry Carl
James (Jimmy) Dees
Rhett Marques
Joshua McKee
John Mills
James Richardson
Austin Sidwell

District 1 Democratic Candidates

Senate candidate Moore currently holds the District 1 position, so no candidates are incumbents. A few of the candidates in this race have previous political experience. Carl is a former member of the U.S. House and used to represent District 1, with his tenure in office lasting from 2021-25. Marques is a current Alabama State House representative.

District 2 Republican Candidates

District 2 Democratic Candidates

U.S. Rep. Figures currently holds the District 2 position.

District 3 Republican Candidates

District 3 Democratic Candidates

U.S. Rep. Rogers currently holds the District 3 position.

District 4 Republican Candidates

Robert B. Aderholt
Tommy Barnes

District 4 Democratic Candidates

Amanda N. Pusczek
Shane Weaver

U.S. Rep. Aderholt currently holds the District 4 position. His one Republican opponent, Barnes, has a history in public service, serving as a Colbert County Commissioner.

District 5 Republican Candidates

District 5 Democratic Candidates

Jeremy Devito
Candice Dollar Duvieilh
Andrew Sneed

U.S. Rep. Strong currently holds the District 5 position.

District 6 Republican candidates

District 6 Democratic candidates

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer currently holds the District 6 position.

How do I check my voter registration status?

To vote in the primary election, voters need to have been registered to vote in Alabama for 15 days before the election is scheduled to happen.

To check your registration status, visit vote.gov.

Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can reach her at sclifton@montgome.gannett.com or follow her on X @sarahgclifton and TikTok @sarahgclifton. To support her work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.

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Alabama

‘Maverick Act’ aims to preserve three F-14 Tomcats with restoration in Alabama

Published

21 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

‘Maverick Act’ aims to preserve three F-14 Tomcats with restoration in Alabama

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A bipartisan bill is making its way through Washington that would preserve and possibly restore a famous piece of naval aviation history.

The F-14 Tomcat was in service with the Navy for more than 30 years and was famously used in the original “Top Gun” movie.

But when the aircraft retired in 2005, the U.S. government destroyed a majority of the airplanes that were here in the U.S. This made the prospects of the jet returning to the skies next to impossible.

The “Maverick Act” hopes to bring a jet that inspired a generation back to life.

“The Maverick Act got a lot of support,” “It passed the Senate unanimously. It now heads to Congress for a final vote.”

Pensacola Navy veteran Dan McCort can still feel the raw power the F-14 Tomcat brought to naval aviation.

“It was a blast to fly. I gotta tell you I got it,” McCort said. “I love the airplane. I love the missions because it came with a huge mission set.”

The only country in the world flying the jet was Iran. The jets were given to Iran in 1979. But when the government was overthrown, the jets fell into the hands of an anti-American government.

Because of that, when the jet retired in 2006, the U.S. ordered most of the aircraft and its parts be destroyed.

During Operation Epic Fury, American and Israeli pilots destroyed Iran’s entire Air Force, including all the remaining flyable F-14s.

“We had to take them out, but boy that was hard for me to watch,” McCort said.

A bill dubbed the “Maverick Act” was introduced through a bipartisan effort. The legislation would preserve and restore three F-14s sitting in our nation’s boneyard.

“That airplane inspired an entire nation, partly because of the movie, partly because of the times it was hard Cold War, and it represented frankly American air power,” said McCort.

“A fantastic piece of equipment that served our country well,” Congressman Jimmy Patronis said. “But I can’t help but poke fun at it simply because of what Tom Cruise has done with the most recent ‘Top Gun’ movies.”

The bill calls for the Navy to donate the Tomcats to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where they will be restored. If there’s enough spare parts, the bill calls for one of them to be restored to flight status to be flown at airshows across the country.

All of this would be funded by private donors, and not American taxpayers.

“If there’s no taxpayer dollars being used to restore these things then put it on the table,” said Patronis.

McCort says restoring the airplane will cost millions of dollars.

“A foundation that could generate some donations to defer the costs of making this thing fly because it will not be inexpensive,” said McCort. “I believe we’ll pay dividends down the road, both for the museum as well as a recruiting opportunity… as well as a recruiting opportunity for the country in general, and for the Navy frankly.”

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Alabama

Alabama moves to implement 2023 congressional map as legal battle continues in courts

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Alabama moves to implement 2023 congressional map as legal battle continues in courts

Voters hold signs saying “Hands Off Our Votes” and “Our Vote Our Voice Our Power” outside the Alabama Statehouse on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday called a special election in congressional districts 1, 2, 6 and 7 following an order from the Supreme Court allowing the state to use the state’s 2023 map. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

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