Auburn has ascended to the top spot in the men’s basketball rankings, marking the second time the program has reached No. 1 in its history. Meanwhile, Georgia has made a noteworthy return to the rankings after a 14-year absence.
The Tigers, under the guidance of Bruce Pearl, boast a record of 15-1 and received 60 out of 62 first-place votes, moving up one place after the prior number one, Tennessee, suffered its first defeat of the season in a 30-point loss to Florida. This ended Tennessee’s five-week reign at the top. Previously, Auburn was ranked No. 1 for three weeks in early 2022, and they have become the third team to lead the rankings this season.
Auburn’s only setback came against Duke in early December, and they are currently on an eight-game winning streak. However, the status of star forward Johni Broome remains uncertain due to an ankle injury he sustained during a recent match against South Carolina.
The latest rankings show the Southeastern Conference (SEC) dominating with nine teams in the Top 25, including three in the top five and five within the top ten. Following Auburn, Iowa State climbed to No. 2, achieving its highest ranking in history, while Duke, Alabama, and Florida rounded out the top five, with both Duke and Florida securing a first-place vote.
Tennessee, which had held the No. 1 position since December 9 and was the last unbeaten team in Division I, fell to No. 6 following their loss to Florida. Despite a rebound victory over Texas, they dropped five ranks. Marquette held steady in the seven spot, while Kentucky, Kansas, and Houston completed the top ten.
In terms of significant jumps, both Michigan State at No. 12 and Michigan at No. 20 saw the most movement, each climbing four spots, while Florida and No. 17 Purdue improved by three positions. Overall, 15 teams that were previously ranked have seen upward shifts in the latest poll.
On the downside, Tennessee’s decline was significant, but Illinois experienced the sharpest drop, sinking six spots to No. 19 after losing at home to Southern California. UConn, the two-time defending national champion, also dipped five places to No. 14 following a loss to Villanova. Overall, six teams from last week’s rankings have fallen.
New entrants to the rankings include Georgia at No. 23, Wisconsin at No. 24, and Baylor at No. 25. For Georgia, this marks a significant milestone as it is their first appearance in the AP Top 25 since January 2011, and the Bulldogs have recently secured victories against ranked foes Kentucky and Oklahoma, the first back-to-back wins over ranked opponents for the program since the 2006-07 season. The Badgers and Bears have also been featured in the poll multiple times this season.
West Virginia (No. 21) and UCLA (No. 22) fell out of this week’s rankings, joining Oklahoma.
In terms of conference representation, the SEC continues to lead, having nine ranked teams for the fifth time this season, featuring No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 15 Mississippi State, and No. 21 Mississippi. The Big Ten follows with six ranked teams, while the Big 12 has four. The Big East has two teams, and the Atlantic Coast, West Coast, American Athletic, and Mountain West conferences each have one representative.
