Houston tops AP males’s hoops ballot; Kansas drops out of high 10

Houston nonetheless has a good grip on No. 1 within the AP High 25.

The Cougars obtained 52 first-place votes from a 62-person media panel within the males’s ballot launched Monday to carry the highest spot for the second straight week.

UConn moved up a spot to No. 2 and had six first-place votes to leapfrog No. 3 Purdue, which had 4 first-place votes. Tennessee and Arizona rounded out the highest 5.

Houston moved to No. 1 for the primary time this season per week in the past and gained each of its video games final week: 67-59 at residence over Cincinnati and, because of Jamal Shead’s last-second shot, 87-85 at Oklahoma.

Houston remains to be main the nation in KenPom’s adjusted defensive effectivity regardless of giving up 85 factors to the Sooners. The win allowed coach Kelvin Sampson to have a triumphant return to Norman, the place he coached from 1994 to 2006.

UConn had a pleasant bounce-back after being knocked from the No. 1 spot following a six-week run, blowing out Seton Corridor 91-61 at residence for its first outright Massive East title in 25 years. The Huskies, the reigning nationwide champions, had not gained even a share of the Massive East regular-season title in 18 years.

“The toughest factor to do is to be wonderful over the course of three, 4 months in a brutal, onerous league,” UConn coach Dan Hurley mentioned.

Purdue dropped a spot regardless of an 80-74 win over Michigan State that clinched a share of a second straight Massive Ten title. The Boilermakers have a two-game lead with two video games left.

FADING JAYHAWKS

Kansas spent the primary three weeks at No. 1 and was within the high 10 for 3 years.

Consecutive losses final week ended the Jayhawks’ run.

Kansas fell seven spots to No. 14 on this week’s ballot, its worst rating since hitting No. 15 halfway by means of the 2020-21 season. The Jayhawks have been within the high 10 for 55 straight weeks, which had been the longest lively streak. Houston now has the longest lively top-10 run at 36 straight weeks.

Losses to No. 20 BYU and No. 11 Baylor ensured Kansas cannot win the Massive 12 regular-season title. The Jayhawks have seven convention losses for the primary time in 21 years below coach Invoice Self.

RISING AND FALLING

No. 15 Baylor and No. 19 Gonzaga had the largest climbs amongst groups within the ballot this week, every shifting up 4 spots. No. 23 Saint Mary’s had the largest drop, dropping six locations after Gonzaga ended the Gaels’ 16-game profitable streak.

IN AND OUT

BYU moved again into the ballot after dropping out final week, coming in at No. 20 after wins over Kansas and TCU. Florida dropped out from No. 24 after dropping at No. 17 South Carolina.

CONFERENCE WATCH

The Southeastern Convention and the Massive 12 every have 5 ranked groups after BYU reentered the ballot and Florida dropped out.

The Massive East has three, adopted by the Massive Ten, Atlantic Coast, Pac-12, Mountain West and West Coast conferences with two. The Atlantic 10 and AAC every have one.