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For the first time all season, we have a new number one team in the country.
Here’s everything you missed in Week 5 of the college basketball season and the latest Associated Press men’s basketball poll.
Kansas loses consecutive games
Everything was going great for the Jayhawks until last week. They began the season as the top-ranked team in the sport for the second year in a row, and earned solid top-10 wins over North Carolina and Duke early in the season.
Suddenly, though, Kansas fell completely out of the top 10 after losing two straight games to unranked teams. The Jayhawks were ranked No. 10 in this week’s poll, clearing the way for Tennessee to take its spot at No. 1.
First up was Creighton, who cruised to a resounding 13-point victory over the Jayhawks on Wednesday night. Star center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who was questionable entering the game with an injury, finished with a double-double and limited Kansas preseason All-American Hunter Dickinson to just six points and a pair of field goals all night. .
That win, which came shortly after Creighton lost three straight and fell completely out of the national rankings, returned the BlueJays to the top of the rankings this week. They received 32 votes. However, they will be without Pop star Isaacs for the rest of the season. Isaacs, who scored 27 points in the upset win over Kansas, will undergo hip surgery.
Then on Sunday, Missouri held on after nearly blowing a 14-point halftime lead to claim a 76-67 victory over the Jayhawks in Columbia. The Jayhawks had 22 turnovers as a team.
“This last week, we haven’t been good at all the last five days,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. via 247Sports. “So I don’t know if we’re close to finding an identity yet. Because who are we?… I’ll be honest with you, I think we’re in a situation right now where it’s like that.” “It would be difficult for me to say from one game to the next what we are.”
Kansas’ loss was part of a massive shakeup at the top of the sport last week. Six of the top 10 teams lost at least one game last week. The Volunteers jumped to No. 1 after a 26-point win over Syracuse, which moved them to 8-0 on the year. Although the Volunteers have only played one ranked opponent, they notched a 15-point victory over then-No. 13 Baylor in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahama championship game. They will host Miami and then travel to face Illinois this week.
Auburn, despite a loss to Duke, remained at No. 2. Iowa State, fresh off a win over Marquette, jumped three spots to No. 3. Duke and Kentucky, which rebounded to beat Gonzaga on Sunday night in Seattle, then circled the top five.
Kansas will conclude its non-conference schedule with games against NC State and Brown before hosting West Virginia on December 31. If the Jayhawks carry their losing streak into Big 12 play, it could be a long year for the conference favorites.
Games to watch this week
*Neutral site game
Tuesday December 10
No. 20 Wisconsin at Illinois | 9 pm Eastern Time | Peacock
Saturday December 14
No. 17 Texas A&M at No. 11 Purdue | 12 pm ET | CBS*
No. 1 Tennessee at Illinois | 5:30 pm Eastern Time | FOX
No. 8 Gonzaga at No. 18 UConn | 8 pm Eastern Time | FOX*
Creighton ranked No. 7 in Alabama | 8:30 pm Eastern Time | SEC Network
AP Top 25
The complete Associated Press men’s basketball poll for December 9, 2024.
1.Tennessee (8-0)
2. Chestnut (8-1)
3. Iowa State (7-1)
4. Duke (7-2)
5.Kentucky (8-1)
6. Marquette (9-1)
7.Alabama (7-2)
8. Gonzaga (7-2)
9.Florida (9-0)
10. Kansas (7-2)
11. Purdue (8-2)
12. Oregon (9-1)
13.Oklahoma (9-0)
14. Michigan (8-1)
15. Houston (5-3)
16. Clemson (9-1)
17. Texas A&M (8-2)
18. University of Connecticut (7-3)
19. Old Miss (8-1)
20. Wisconsin (8-2)
21. Michigan State (8-2)
22. Cincinnati (7-1)
23. San Diego State (6-2)
24.UCLA (8-1)
25. Mississippi State (8-1)
Others receiving votes: Baylor 150, Arizona State 143, Memphis 123, Missouri 119, Penn State 90, Arkansas 89, Drake 67, Pittsburgh 62, Utah State 57, Illinois 47, St. John’s 43, Maryland 39, Dayton 38 , Creighton 32, Indiana 30, West Virginia 30, North Carolina 24, Georgia 21, San Mary’s 20, Texas 8, Rhode Island 3, Loyola Chicago 1