The Week 7 college basketball AP Top 25 came out on Monday morning. Like it did much of last season, the SEC again paces the nation in ranked teams (7). The order and composition of those respective schools, though, is a bit non-traditional.

Vanderbilt (No. 13) is the conference’s highest-ranked team. The Commodores, under head coach Mark Byington, are 10-0 following a victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday. They won the Battle 4 Atlantic during Feast Week and are the SEC’s last unbeaten squad. Arkansas (No. 14) slots right behind Vandy following an impressive 93-85 triumph over then-No. 16 Texas Tech. The Razorbacks had the second-biggest jump (+3) of any team in the AP poll, worse than only Nebraska (+8).

Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn and Florida all remain in the top 25. They were joined by Georgia, who snared the No. 25 spot. The Bulldogs (9-1) are ranked in back-to-back seasons for the second time this century (2001-02 & 2002-03) after an 84-65 drubbing of Cincinnati. You can see the full AP poll below:

• No. 1 – Arizona
• No. 2 – Michigan
• No. 3 – Duke
• No. 4 – Iowa State
• No. 5 – UCONN
• No. 6 – Purdue
• No. 7 – Gonzaga
• No. 8 – Houston
• No. 9 – Michigan State
• No. 10 – BYU
• No. 11 – Louisville
• No. 12 – North Carolina
• No. 13 – Vanderbilt
• No. 14 – Arkansas
• No. 15 – Nebraska
• No. 16 – Alabama
• No. 17 – Kansas
• No. 18 – Illinois
• No. 19 – Texas Tech
• No. 20 – Tennessee
• No. 21 – Auburn
• No. 22 – St. John’s
• No. 23 (Tied) – Florida
• No. 23 (Tied) – Virginia
• No. 25 Georgia

The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

Evening: 0-8-3

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

Evening: 7-8-7-9

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

08-23-32-33-34, Lucky Ball: 15

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

06-11-17-18-37

Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?

• Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
• Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
• Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
• Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
• Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
• Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
• Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
• Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
• LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.

This is “Arkies in the Beltway” for the week of Dec. 14, 2025! I’m Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

[Click here to listen to the podcast.]

Arkansas farm leaders are thankful for the White House’s plan to help agriculture, but they remain uneasy about farming’s immediate future.

The Trump administration plans to provide farmers across the country with one-time relief payments in the coming months. The package totals $12 billion, with row crop farmers set to receive most of the funds.

STORY: Arkansas farmers thankful, remain uneasy following Trump economic relief announcement

The Trump administration announced the relief package during a roundtable last Monday at the White House.

Two Arkansans — U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Crittenden County farmer Charles Williams — joined other lawmakers and farmers for the event.

Read the full story in Monday’s edition of the Democrat-Gazette.

The Arkansas Army National Guard continues its mission in the nation’s capital. Roughly 100 National Guard members arrived in Washington, D.C., earlier this month to assist local law enforcement.

The topic of deploying National Guard units to cities across the country was the subject of a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last Thursday.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., serves on the committee. The Little Rock senator defended the president’s ability to use the National Guard and military units in American cities, citing President Dwight Eisenhower’s 1957 decision to send federal troops to Little Rock to desegregate Little Rock Central High School.

STORY: Cotton defends Trump’s National Guard deployments to U.S. cities, compares them to Central High crisis

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced David Clay Fowlkes’ nomination to the full chamber for its consideration.

President Donald Trump nominated Fowlkes to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The Arkansan currently serves as the district’s U.S. attorney.

STORY: U.S. Senate committee advances Fowlkes judicial nomination

Thank you for supporting “Arkies in the Beltway!” You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for more developments from the nation’s capital!