Arizona
AP men’s basketball Top 25: Arizona becomes season’s third No. 1; Kentucky falls out of poll
Arizona’s season began with an eye-opening victory over defending national champion Florida. Five weeks later, the Wildcats have yet to stop impressing.
And they’re now the third team to hold the No. 1 spot in the country this season.
Arizona (8-0) moved up one spot to the top of this week’s Associated Press men’s basketball Top 25, marking the first time the Wildcats have been No. 1 since December 2023. Arizona received 33 of 61 first-place votes, two days after crushing Auburn 97-68 to continue an unbeaten start to the season.
One of eight remaining undefeated teams, Arizona has already notched wins over No. 18 Florida, No. 25 UCLA, No. 5 UConn and No. 21 Auburn. The Wildcats have done it with balance: Six players are averaging at least 9 points per game, led by freshman Koa Peat’s 15.9. Arizona is one of only four teams to rank in the top 10 in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. (Iowa State, Gonzaga and Duke are the others.)
The Wildcats will be tested again with a semi-road game against No. 12 Alabama in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday.
Michigan (8-0), Duke (10-0), Iowa State (9-0) and UConn (8-1) rounded out the top five. Iowa State took one of the biggest jumps this week, moving up from 10th after Saturday’s 81-58 win over then-No. 1 Purdue.
The Boilermakers (8-1) fell to sixth after their first loss of the season.
On the other end of the poll, Kentucky’s lackluster start to the season resulted in it falling out of the Top 25 on Monday. The Wildcats (5-4) lost at home to No. 14 North Carolina and then fell by 35 against No. 8 Gonzaga in Nashville, Tenn. USC and Indiana also dropped out after losses.
Nebraska (9-0), Virginia (8-1) and UCLA (7-2) all joined the poll, filling out Nos. 23-25, respectively. It’s the first time the Cornhuskers have been ranked since December 2018.
Here’s the full poll, along with the ballot of The Athletic’s C.J. Moore:
| Rank | Team | Record | Prev | CJ’s vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
8-0 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
2 |
8-0 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
10-0 |
4 |
5 |
|
|
4 |
9-0 |
10 |
3 |
|
|
5 |
8-1 |
5 |
4 |
|
|
6 |
8-1 |
1 |
6 |
|
|
7 |
8-1 |
8 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
9-1 |
11 |
7 |
|
|
9 |
8-1 |
7 |
9 |
|
|
10 |
7-1 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
8-1 |
6 |
12 |
|
|
12 |
7-2 |
12 |
13 |
|
|
13 |
7-2 |
14 |
14 |
|
|
14 |
8-1 |
16 |
15 |
|
|
15 |
9-0 |
17 |
11 |
|
|
16 |
7-2 |
19 |
17 |
|
|
17 |
7-2 |
25 |
23 |
|
|
18 |
5-3 |
15 |
18 |
|
|
19 |
7-3 |
21 |
16 |
|
|
20 |
7-3 |
13 |
19 |
|
|
21 |
7-3 |
20 |
NR |
|
|
22 |
5-3 |
23 |
24 |
|
|
23 |
9-0 |
NR |
20 |
|
|
24 |
8-1 |
NR |
21 |
|
|
25 |
7-2 |
NR |
NR |
|
|
NR |
8-1 |
NR |
22 |
|
|
NR |
8-1 |
NR |
25 |
Others receiving votes: Iowa 60, Oklahoma State 54, USC 50, Georgia 49, Saint Mary’s 38, Seton Hall 31, Kentucky 29, Wisconsin 24, Indiana 18, Clemson 14, LSU 14, Villanova 9, Cal 6, Notre Dame 4, Miami 4, SMU 3, TCU 2, Arizona State 2, Miami (Ohio) 2, St. Bonaventure 1
Comparing Arizona and Iowa State
My biggest dilemma this week was what to do with the No. 2 spot. I was higher on Arizona than consensus in the preseason and have had the Wildcats at No. 2 until last week, when I vaulted Michigan to No. 1 and moved Purdue to No. 2. With Iowa State knocking off Purdue in convincing fashion, I went back and forth on whether to put Arizona back in the second spot or move Iowa State up. (Here’s why I kept Michigan at No. 1.)
It’s easy to justify both. Arizona has the better resume — four wins over top-30 KenPom teams, compared to two for Iowa State — but the Cyclones rank higher in all of the computer rankings and the win at Purdue is right there with Michigan’s blowout of Gonzaga as the most impressive win for any team this season. The two teams will be able to settle it in the Big 12, where they are now the two favorites.
Iowa State is always elite defensively, but this team is looking like coach T.J. Otzelberger’s best yet because of the offense. Joshua Jefferson is playing like an All-American and Milan Momcilovic is one of the most talented wings in the country, with an unguardable turnaround. He’s shooting 53.6 percent from 3-point range. Those two were expected to be good — maybe not this good — but the player who has really raised the ceiling is freshman Killyan Toure. He’s a fantastic defender, so he fits in, and he’s also been solid offensively, knocking down open shots (40.9 percent from 3) and playing point guard when Tamin Lipsey has been injured or goes to the bench. The pieces fit together really well. That Purdue win was not a fluke. The Cyclones looked like the more talented team.
Virginia on the rise under Odom
Virginia made its debut in my poll and had one of the best weeks of any team, with a 19-point road win at Texas followed by a 13-point win over Dayton on a neutral floor. The Cavaliers, under first-year coach Ryan Odom, have excellent computer numbers, rising as high as No. 17 in the NCAA’s NET rankings. I considered Virginia in my preseason rankings because of the combination of San Francisco transfer Malik Thomas and international imports Thijs De Ridder and Johann Grunloh. De Ridder, a Belgian forward, has been the star so far, and both foreign bigs have helped dominate the glass — Virginia ranks third in offensive rebounding rate.
Why I ranked Georgia
Also entering my Top 25 is Georgia, a team I did not expect to be ranking this year. I may have whiffed on one of my preseason predictions, picking Georgia as the 2025 tourney team that would not make it back. It’s still early, and the resume is just OK — the best wins are Xavier on a neutral floor and at Florida State — but UGA’s efficiency numbers are impressive. Georgia has climbed from 44th in the preseason to 23rd according to KenPom, a big leap occurring after the 107-73 win at Florida State last week.
The Bulldogs are scoring an NCAA-best 99.9 points per game and rank ninth in points per possession. They are shooting more 3s this year and that’s helped them be uber-efficient inside the 3-point line, making 64.9 percent of their twos. They play their toughest opponent yet this Saturday — Cincinnati in Atlanta — and while the schedule has been relatively weak, the predictive numbers suggest this is going to be a quality team.
Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe did not want the 2026 Big 12 softball season to start the way the 2025 one did. Last year, the Wildcats were upset by UCF in the opening series of conference play. There was no such letdown this year as No. 13 Arizona defeated the BYU Cougars 13-1 in five innings at Hillenbrand Stadium.
“They really took it upon themselves to make a statement and just wanting to set a tone for conference,” Lowe said.
It was Arizona’s sixth straight run-rule victory. The players felt that it should be the expectation.
“I think that’s what we’re capable of every single game, and we should keep working towards that goal,” said junior centerfielder Regan Shockey. “And our next focus is just the next game. Do the same exact thing.”
There was an early suggestion that there might be a repeat of last year. A defensive lapse in right field allowed BYU leadoff Lily Owens to reach third base. A one-out double by Hailey Shuler drove her in to give the Cougars an early lead.
After the team’s postgame huddle, right fielder Grace Jenkins spent a considerable amount of time talking to Lowe one-on-one. The head coach could be seen pointing towards right field as if she was explaining fielding and placement.
“We were talking softball, man,” Lowe said. “So, debrief on the day and where she’s at. And she’s a catcher playing the outfield, and she’s doing awesome at it. She is a true athlete and has the high expectations for herself, so I think sometimes she needs to give herself a little grace that she’s kicking butt at it, and she’s great out there. She just wants to be the best.”
Arizona starter Jalen Adams kept the first-inning damage to a minimum. She only needed four more pitches to get the final two outs of the inning.
“Proud of the response after [BYU] scoring a run in the first inning,” Lowe said.
Any confidence the run might have inspired in the Cougars was quickly squashed by the Wildcats’ response with the bats. Arizona sent 15 to the plate and scored 11 runs in the bottom of the first. Eight of those runs came with two outs. Catcher Sydney Stewart drove five in with a 3-run double and a 2-run homer.
After the home run, the lights at Hillenbrand began to flash in what the program’s social media called “party lights.”
“I thought it was pretty cool,” Stewart said. “One time, I think it was like after practice, late practice, they were practicing [the lights]. Like, why don’t we do this? But seeing it today when I was rounding second, like, there’s no way that just happened right now. Just super cool.”
Up Next for Arizona Softball
Who: BYU Cougars (5-15) @ No. 13 Arizona Wildcats (18-5)
When: Friday, Mar. 6 @ 3 p.m. MST; Saturday, Mar. 7 @ 12 p.m. MST
Where: Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Streaming: ESPN+ (Friday, Saturday)
Stats: Arizona Live Stats (Friday, Saturday)
Lowe was pleased with the way her entire offense passed the bat in the opening frame. While there were two doubles and a home run in the inning, small ball was a big part of the scoring, too. The Wildcats had five singles and four walks in the bottom of the first. They also took advantage of two wild pitches and a stolen base.
“I thought they were perfectly themselves in that first inning,” Lowe said. “As far as not trying to do too much, they stayed true to who they were as hitters, and then just went to work…I think you can see how fast it can happen when it gets contagious that way.”
BYU starter Gianna Mares was responsible for all 11 runs. Shuler moved from designated player to pitcher after Stewart’s home run. She walked Jenkins and allowed her to move up on a wild pitch, but Shuler finally got the final out with a groundout by Emma Kavanagh.
Stewart is known for her big bat and driving in runs. Arizona’s scoring in the second inning came from players with radically different offensive games.
A single, a walk, and a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with one out for the Wildcats. That brought up Shockey. The centerfielder already had two RBI from the first inning. She picked up her third of the game in the second frame. It almost doubled her season total to 7.
“I didn’t want to change my plan,” Shockey said. “I bounced the ball, and my goal is just to move them over or get on for the next person. I wasn’t thinking of scoring the two runs [in the first inning] because I know who’s behind me, and that’s Sereniti [Trice], and that’s Stew, and that’s Tayler [Biehl]. So my goal was just to bounce the ball and get on. It just happened to score two, but I try to keep it as simple as possible.”
Shockey went 2 for 4 on the day. She scored 2 runs in addition to driving in 3 more. It improved her season average to .443.
Trice was a perfect 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Her average is now up to a team-high .542. She also leads the team with 39 hits. Shockey is second with 31. Trice is fourth on the squad with 18 RBI.
Adams pitched 4.0 innings and improved her record to 10-3. Her ERA dropped to 2.91. She gave up just 1 hit. The only BYU run was unearned. Three errors were committed behind her.
Sophomore Jenae Berry pitched the final inning. She did not give up a hit, but she allowed two baserunners on a walk and a hit batter. She also threw a wild pitch.
The Wildcats and the Cougars will take the field again on Friday afternoon before finishing the series on Saturday, Mar. 7.
A man being held at a US immigration detention facility in Arizona died this week after reporting severe tooth pain and not receiving “timely medical attention”, according to a local official.
Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker, was being held at the Florence correctional center in Arizona when he began to feel a toothache in mid-February, a pain that weeks later led him to the hospital before he died on Monday.
“His reported struggle to receive timely medical attention before being transferred to a hospital raises serious and painful concerns about the quality of care provided to individuals in custody,” Christine Ellis, a Chandler city council member, said in an Instagram post.
According to Ellis, Damas was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Boston in September 2025 and was later transferred to the facility in Florence, Arizona.
The Arizona Daily Star reported that Ellis had called for an investigation into Damas’s death.
“He was complaining for almost two weeks straight, until he collapsed and got septic from the infection,” Ellis told the local news outlet. Ellis said Damas was transferred to a Scottsdale hospital sometime last week.
Ellis’s office, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian.
Damas’s death has not yet been reported by ICE, according to the agency’s notifications of detainee deaths. At least nine people have died under custody in 2026, according to ICE: Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, 42; Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55; Luis Beltrán Yáñez–Cruz, 68; Parady La, 46; Heber Sanchaz Domínguez, 34; Víctor Manuel Díaz, 36; Lorth Sim, 59; Jairo Garcia-Hernandez, 27; and Alberto Gutiérrez-Reyes, 48.
At least 32 people died in ICE custody last year, marking the deadliest year for detainees of the federal immigration agency in more than two decades.
The stark number of deaths has been just one component of a tumultuous tenure for Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary. On Thursday, Donald Trump announced he would be ousting Noem and replacing her with Markwayne Mullin, a Republican Oklahoma senator, starting on 31 March.
Under her helm, the DHS has faced bipartisan backlash after the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis at the hands of federal immigration agents earlier this year. Noem accused both US citizens of being involved in “domestic terrorism”.
FLORENCE, AZ (AP) — A Haitian man confined at an Arizona immigration detention center for months died at a hospital Monday after a tooth infection was left untreated, the man’s brother said Wednesday.
Emmanuel Damas, 56, told medical personnel at the Florence Correctional Center that he had a toothache in mid-February, but he was not sent to a dentist, said Damas’ brother, Presly Nelson.
Nelson believes the staff at the facility did not take his brother’s complaints seriously, even though it was a treatable condition. Nelson said he would expect such a death in countries with less access to health care, but not in the United States.
“As a country — I’m an American now — I think we can do better than that,” Nelson said.
Damas is among at least nine people who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this year.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. ICE had said it hoped to issue a news release Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, ICE officials announced the death of Mexican national Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes, who had been in a California ICE detention center and died in the hospital Feb. 27 after reporting chest pain and shortness of breath.
Chandler City Council member Christine Ellis, a Haitian American who is a registered nurse, said she was contacted by Damas’ family after his death.
“As a medical person, I am absolutely appalled that there were medical-licensed people that were working there and allowed those things to happen,” Ellis said. “It does not make sense to me.”
A report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Damas’ cause of death as “pending” as of Wednesday.
Damas was taken into ICE custody in September and was soon transferred to the medium-security Florence Correctional Center, where he was held for several months, including after his asylum application was denied, Ellis said.
CoreCivic, a for-profit corrections company that runs the Florence facility, did not respond to emails seeking comment.
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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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