FORT LAUDERDALE, Sporting Alert – Kentucky is the new No. 1 team in the AP College Basketball Top 25 Rankings, following the release on Monday, Nov. 23.
The undefeated Wildcats (4-0) replaced North Carolina as the nation’s top-ranked side after the Tar Heels fell to a very solid Northern Iowa team last week.
Kentucky, which registered four successive wins to start the season, including a 74-63 win over then-No. 5 Duke in the Champions Classic last week, received 59 of the 65 first place votes from the media panel and 1,619 points.
John Calipari’s team was No. 1 for the entire regular season last year, and if their performance against Duke is the platform for what is to come for the rest of the season, it is difficult to see anyone replacing them at the top anytime soon.
Maryland improved one place to the No. 2 spot this week after getting the other six first place votes.
The Terrapins (3-0) have been solid thus far this season and will be in action again on Tuesday against Illinois State as they continue to prepare for the showdown on Dec. 1 with North Carolina.
Michigan State (3-0), Iowa State (2-0) and Kansas (1-1) completed the top five.
The Spartans, who impressively knocked off then-No. 4 Jayhawks 79-73, in addition to beating Florida Atlantic AR-Pine Bluff to start the season, improved 10 places in this week’s AP College Basketball Top 25 Rankings to third.
Duke (4-1), Oklahoma (2-0), Villanova (4-0), North Carolina (3-1) and Gonzaga (2-0) rounded out the top 10 teams in the rankings.
North Carolina is still playing without star guard Marcus Paige, who is still injured.
Another highlighted mover this week was Virginia (4-1), which fell six-places to No. 12 after losing 73-68 to George Washington.
Meanwhile, after making a very impressive start to the season and knocking off two AP top 25 ranked sides, Miami (FL) breaks into the rankings this week.
The Hurricanes (5-0) beat No. 16 Utah and No. 22 Butler by a combined 60 points, and were justly rewarded for their bright start.
Xavier, Cincinnati, Texas A&M and SMU have all broke into the AP College Basketball Top 25 Rankings this week.
Utah 16, Baylor 20, Butler 22 and Michigan 24 – were all dumped this week.
AP College Basketball Top 25 Rankings
1 Kentucky (59) 4-0 1,619
2 Maryland (6) 3-0 1,518
3 Michigan State 3-0 1,448
4 Iowa State 2-0 1,297
5 Kansas 1-1 1,243
6 Duke 4-1 1,238
7 Oklahoma 2-0 1,210
8 Villanova 4-0 1,153
9 North Carolina 3-1 1,141
10 Gonzaga 2-0 1,138
11 Arizona 4-0 970
12 Virginia 4-1 872
13 Indiana 3-0 846
14 California 3-0 746
15 Miami (FL) 5-0 724
16 Purdue 5-0 550
17 Notre Dame 3-0 480
18 Connecticut 3-0 432
19 Vanderbilt 3-0 431
20 Wichita St 2-1 423
21 Oregon 4-0 369
22 LSU 3-0 285
23 Xavier 3-0 143
24 Cincinnati 4-0 110
25 Texas A&M 4-0 100
25 SMU 3-0 100
Dropped from rankings: Utah 16, Baylor 20, Butler 22, Michigan 24
Others receiving votes: Utah 95, George Washington 85, Baylor 81, West Virginia 69, Butler 59, Louisville 40, Northern Iowa 23, Iowa 20, Dayton 18, Tulsa 17, Colorado State 13, Providence 8, Georgetown 4, Michigan 3, Valparaiso 2, Washington 1, Chattanooga 1
Kansas only drops 1 place in the AP poll whilr north Carolina drops eight placest loss. Please get real. North Carolina has played 4 more games.