Kansas managed to retain the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll, fending off a strong challenge from Auburn. The Jayhawks secured 35 of the 61 first-place votes, while the Tigers received the remaining 26 votes and rose to No. 2 following their triumph in the Maui Invitational. Meanwhile, UConn, the two-time reigning national champion, plummeted to No. 25 after a winless week at the same tournament, narrowly avoiding a rare drop from No. 2 to unranked status.
The past week was marked by significant shifts in the rankings due to the holiday-week tournaments, resulting in the inclusion of six new teams in the poll. Notably, SEC teams made a strong showing, with Tennessee and Kentucky claiming the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively, each climbing four positions. Marquette followed at No. 5, with Iowa State, Gonzaga, Purdue, Duke, and Alabama rounding out the top 10.
The latest entrants to the rankings included Oregon at No. 12, Memphis at No. 16, Pittsburgh at No. 18, Illinois at No. 19, Oklahoma at No. 21, and San Diego State at No. 24. On the other hand, Indiana, Arkansas, Creighton, Xavier, Arizona, and Mississippi State dropped out of the poll.
For those interested in staying updated on the AP Top 25 rankings throughout the season, it is possible to receive poll alerts and updates by signing up on the AP college basketball website. The latest AP Top 25 rankings can be accessed at the following links: AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll and College Basketball.
