Houston back at No. 1 as Northwestern makes AP Top 25 debut

Houston returned to No. 1 within the AP males’s school basketball ballot on Monday for the third time this season, whereas Northwestern and Texas A&M barged into the rankings after every had a pair of spectacular wins final week.

The Cougars, driving a seven-game profitable streak, jumped over Alabama and again into the highest spot, the place they spent two weeks in November and December and had one other two-week stint final month. They picked up 48 first-place votes from the 62-member nationwide media panel to put declare to No. 1 with simply two weeks left within the common season.

“That is my fourth 12 months teaching these guys. We’ve developed a extremely good program right here,” stated Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, referring to his veteran leaders that went to a Remaining 4 two years in the past and the Elite Eight final season. “However the emphasis is ‘we have now.’ One individual doesn’t do it. I’m pleased with our program. I’m pleased with everybody in it.”

The Crimson Tide dropped just one spot after shedding to Tennessee and routing Georgia of their lone week at No. 1. They held onto seven first-place votes, whereas Kansas additionally earned seven to climb two spots to No. 3 on this week’s ballot.

UCLA remained at No. 4 whereas Purdue slid two spots to spherical out of the highest 5.

“We’re not nearly as good a basketball workforce, from a tactical standpoint, as final 12 months’s basketball workforce but,” stated Jayhawks coach Invoice Self, whose workforce is making an attempt to turn out to be the primary back-to-back nationwide champions since Florida in 2006 and ’07. “From a aggressive standpoint, this workforce is an equal, or on par, with that workforce.”

That was evident Saturday, when the Jayhawks rallied from 17 right down to beat No. 9 Baylor 87-71 in Allen Fieldhouse.

Virginia was at No. 6 after beating Louisville and Notre Dame final week. Arizona was seventh whereas Texas fell two spots to eighth after shedding to Texas Tech and needing time beyond regulation to beat Oklahoma. The Bears held their spot whereas Marquette moved into the highest 10 for the primary time since Feb. 25, 2019.

The Volunteers dropped to No. 11 after following up their win over Alabama with a loss to Kentucky. Gonzaga, Miami and Kansas State had been subsequent, with Saint Mary’s giving the West Coast Convention two groups within the prime 15.

The Gaels (24-5, 13-1) and Bulldogs (23-5, 12-2) every play midweek video games earlier than their showdown on Saturday.

Xavier held regular at No. 16 this week whereas Indiana, UConn, Creighton and Windfall rounded out the highest 20.

Northwestern entered the ballot for the primary time in additional than two years at No. 21 after following its upset of Purdue two weeks in the past with wins over the Hoosiers and Iowa. San Diego State, Iowa State and TCU had been subsequent, with Texas A&M making it again into the ballot after spending one week at No. 24 in November.

“We haven’t gotten forward of ourselves,” Wildcats coach Chris Collins stated. “We’ve had large aspirations of who we might be, and never many individuals believed it. I’m positive lots of people laughed at them. However we had them and so they had been actual. And these guys have adopted up on it. However we’re nonetheless within the second. For me, it’s not a time for reflection.

“We would like extra,” Collins continued. “We are able to mirror on the finish of the 12 months, when it’s all executed in a month’s time. And we will look again on the ups and downs. However we’re making an attempt our hardest proper now to remain within the second.”

IN AND OUT

The Wildcats, winners of 5 straight, and the Aggies entered the ballot on the expense of North Carolina State and Florida Atlantic. The Wolfpack misplaced to Syracuse on Tuesday and the Owls misplaced to Center Tennessee on Thursday.

RISING AND FALLING

There was little or no motion on this week’s ballot. Windfall made the largest climb at simply 4 spots to No. 20 after wins over Creighton and Villanova. Iowa State likewise made the largest fall at 4 sports activities to No. 23 after following a win over TCU with a loss to Kansas State on Saturday.

CONFERENCE WATCH

The Large 12 continues to cleared the path with six groups within the AP High 25 and Oklahoma State receiving a vote. The Large East has 5 groups within the ballot — and all within the prime 20 — whereas the SEC and Large Ten have three groups apiece.

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AP school basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25