Tommy Lloyd has to be sleeping pretty well these days. His Arizona Wildcats just squeezed the life out of the competition to grab 60 of 61 first-place votes in the latest ap basketball top 25 men poll. It wasn't that long ago—literally last week—that they were clinging to the top spot by a single, solitary point over Michigan. Then the Wolverines went and tripped over Wisconsin, and suddenly the path at the top looks a lot clearer for the desert crew.
But honestly? The real story isn't Arizona. It isn't even Iowa State sitting there at number two with their own lone first-place vote.
The real story is the absolute carnage happening between ranks 10 and 25. If you haven't been paying attention to Nebraska or Vanderbilt, you’re missing the weirdest, most fun season of college hoops in a decade. We have unbeatens that nobody expected, blue bloods like Kansas falling out of the rankings entirely, and a mid-major in Utah State that just got punched in the mouth by Grand Canyon. It’s chaos.
The Unbeatens Nobody Invited to the Party
Usually, by mid-January, we know who the heavyweights are. It’s the Dukes, the Kents, the UConns. And yeah, UConn is sitting pretty at number three, but look at number eight and number ten.
Nebraska (16-0) and Vanderbilt (16-0) are still perfect.
Think about that. The Huskers haven't been ranked this high since 1966. Back then, gas was 32 cents a gallon and The Sound of Music was winning Oscars. Coach Fred Hoiberg has found some kind of magic in Lincoln. They aren't just winning; they’re climbing two spots a week and proving that the Big Ten is way deeper than just Purdue and Michigan.
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Vanderbilt is even more of a head-scratcher. They cracked the top 10 for the first time since the 2011-12 preseason. They basically shoved Alabama out of the way to get there. It’s the kind of season that makes you realize the ap basketball top 25 men isn't just a list of the "best" teams—it's a living, breathing record of who is actually showing up when the lights are on.
Why the Blue Bloods are Shaking
If you’re a Kansas fan, you probably want to stop reading. The Jayhawks fell out of the poll again. They were 19th in the preseason, fell out in November, clawed back, and then got bounced by West Virginia. It’s been a revolving door in Lawrence.
They aren't alone in the struggle.
- Alabama took the week's biggest nosedive, falling five spots to number 18.
- Tennessee slid three spots down to 24.
- Kentucky? Nowhere to be found in the current top 25.
It feels like the talent is more spread out than ever. When Virginia jumps seven spots in a single week to hit number 16, you know the ACC is a total toss-up. Ryan Odom has the Cavaliers playing that suffocating defense again, and home wins against the California schools really helped their case with the voters.
The SEC is Basically a Pro League This Year
You can’t talk about the ap basketball top 25 men without mentioning the SEC. They have six teams in the rankings. That's a national best. But here is the kicker: five of those teams are ranked 17th or lower.
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It’s a dogfight.
Florida is back at number 19 after being the preseason number three and then falling out entirely. That is some serious whiplash. The Gators are talented enough to beat anyone, but they've been as inconsistent as the weather. Meanwhile, Georgia is hanging on at 21, and Clemson—technically ACC but geographically in the mix—just entered the poll at 22.
The Big 12 and Big Ten are also packed, each boasting five teams. The difference? All of the Big 12 and Big Ten teams are in the top 15. That tells you the voters think the top of those conferences is significantly stronger than the middle of the SEC right now.
Small Schools and Big Statements
Utah State was the darling of the Mountain West for a minute there. Then they went to Phoenix to play Grand Canyon on Saturday. "Rankings come here to die," the fans' signs said. They weren't kidding.
GCU took down the 23rd-ranked Aggies 84-74. It was a physical, nasty game where the Lopes held Utah State to 36% shooting. It just goes to show that being in the ap basketball top 25 men is like wearing a giant target on your back. The minute you get that little number next to your name on the scoreboard, every mid-major in the country wants to ruin your week.
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Looking at the Numbers
If you're into the "nerd" side of the game—the KenPom and Bart Torvik metrics—there’s a bit of a disconnect with the AP poll. While Arizona is the clear human choice for number one, the computers actually still prefer Michigan.
The Wolverines are 14-1, and even with that loss to Wisconsin, their efficiency margins are through the roof. It’s a classic "Eye Test vs. Spreadsheet" debate. The AP voters care about the 'L' in the column. The computers care about how much you won by and who you played.
How the Conferences Stack Up
- SEC: 6 teams (Leader: Vanderbilt at #10)
- Big 12: 5 teams (Leader: Arizona at #1)
- Big Ten: 5 teams (Leader: Michigan at #4)
- ACC: 5 teams (Leader: Duke at #6)
- Big East: 2 teams (Leader: UConn at #3)
What Happens Next
We are heading into a brutal stretch of conference play. Purdue is tied for first in the Big Ten with Nebraska after Braden Smith’s heroics against USC. That 1,000th victory for the program since 1981 was a statement, but they have to travel to UCLA next.
Vanderbilt has a massive target on them as they head to Arkansas. If the Commodores can survive the Bud Walton Arena crowd, they might actually be a Final Four threat. For now, they’re just trying to keep the "0" in the loss column.
Keep an eye on the "Others Receiving Votes" too. Saint Louis and Miami (Ohio) are right on the edge. Miami (Ohio) is 18-0. Eighteen and zero! They haven't cracked the top 25 yet because their strength of schedule is a bit thin, but if they keep winning, the AP voters won't be able to ignore them much longer.
Actionable Insights for the Week Ahead:
- Watch the Unbeatens: Nebraska faces Washington and Vanderbilt travels to Arkansas. If both survive, expect them to jump into the top five.
- Value Plays: Keep an eye on Saint Louis. They are 16-1 and received 92 votes. They are the most likely team to jump into the rankings next Monday.
- Fade the Bottom: The teams in the 20-25 range (Seton Hall, Tennessee, Utah State) are incredibly vulnerable right now. High turnover in these spots is almost guaranteed in the next poll.
- Check the Metrics: Watch Michigan's next game against Indiana. If they win big, the gap between the "computer #1" and "human #1" Arizona might start to close again.
The ap basketball top 25 men poll is going to look completely different by the time February rolls around. That is just the nature of the beast this year. Enjoy the madness.