It was a hectic week for men’s college basketball with multiple postponements, including the highly anticipated matchup between No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Baylor. Only 47 of the 72 division 1 men’s basketball games were played while the rest were canceled or postponed on Saturday. Fortunately, there were enough upsets and thrilling games in week 2 to keep fans on their toes.
Only 10 days into the season, there have been plenty of surprising results, including Kentucky’s continued struggles against Georgia Tech and a buzzer-beater by Marquette to upset Wisconsin.
Since Gonzaga and Baylor weren’t able to compete for the No. 1 spot in the country, both teams remain in the same ranking in this week’s polls. Iowa moves up to No. 3, its highest ranking since 2016 and Michigan State advances to No. 4 after an impressive win over Duke. Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks round out the top five.
The Big Ten loaded up again this week, as six teams from the conference stand in the AP top 25. This includes Iowa at No. 3, Michigan State at No. 4, Illinois at No. 6, Wisconsin is 13th, Rutgers is 21st and Ohio State comes in at No. 22.
Right next to the Big Ten sits the ACC, who also put up big numbers this week. Including a big win coming from Georgia Tech against Kentucky, the ACC also has six solid teams in the AP top 25. This includes No. 10 Duke, No. 15 Virginia Tech, No. 16 North Carolina, No. 18 Virginia and No. 25 Louisville.
In this upcoming week, the two conferences will come head to head with the tip-off of the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The series begins Tuesday, featuring North Carolina vs Iowa, Illinois vs Duke, Syracuse vs Rutgers and Michigan State vs Virginia.
Wisconsin takes a tumble, dropping nine spots to No. 13 after a big loss to Marquette in a last-second tip to lose 65-67. The team got into foul trouble early on and was forced to depend on the bench throughout the game. The Badgers will take on Rhode Island on Wednesday.
Wisconsin at Marquette | Badgers Fall to Golden Eagles | Dec. 4, 2020 | Highlights
No. 24 Louisville joined the poll after a solid 4-0 start to the season. They were up for a tough matchup this week against No 13 Wisconsin; however, it has been canceled.
A 16-point comeback win against Pepperdine puts San Diego State at No. 24 in the AP top 25. They are pitted up against Remy Martin and No. 23 Arizona State on Thursday.
Notably absent from the Top 25 is the blue blood Kentucky. The Wildcats, ranked ninth in the preseason, are off to a 1-3 start. Sunday marked the first time they have started 1-3 since the 2000-01 basketball season.
Oregon and Alabama are the other dropouts after tough losses this week.
Here is the latest AP poll:
1. Gonzaga (54)
2. Baylor (7)
3. Iowa
4. Michigan State
5. Kansas
6. Illinois
7. Houston
8. Creighton
9. Villanova
10. Duke
11. West Virginia
12. Tennessee
13. Texas
13. Wisconsin
15. Virginia Tech
16. North Carolina
17. Texas Tech
18. Virginia
19. Richmond
20. Florida State
21. Rutgers
22. Ohio State
23. Arizona State
24. San Diego State
25. Louisville
Others receiving votes: Michigan 107, Saint Louis 94, Florida 90, Indiana 40, Oregon 26, Oklahoma State 26, Marquette 22, Missouri 19, Connecticut 12, Xavier 9, Clemson 7, Alabama 5, Washington State 3, Maryland 2, UCLA 1, SMU1, Oklahoma 1.
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