LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The holiday break and COVID-19 limited the teams in the Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll to 17 total games last week.
Only a trio of Top 25 teams — No. 6 Arizona; No. 10 Alabama and No. 18 Xavier — were defeated.
That will create a minor shuffling in the poll when it is released at noon Monday.
1. Baylor (11-0) — The Bears have only won 39 of their last 41 games.
2. Kansas (9-1) — The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard Wednesday. On Sunday evening, positive tests within the Harvard program forced a cancelation of the game.
3. Duke (11-1) — After beating Virginia Tech, the Blue Devils play back-to-back ACC road games with Clemson and Notre Dame.
4. Purdue (11-1) — Ken Pomeroy puts the Boilermakers’ win probability at 52% or better for all of their remaining games.
5. Gonzaga (10-2) — It’s a little early in the year for me to have Gonzaga Fatigue, but I have it.
6. UCLA (8-1) — The Bruins have not played since Dec. 11 and are not supposed to resume until Jan. 6. Another COVID creation.
7. USC (12-0) — Although the Trojans have not played a daunting schedule, they have won three road games and two others at neutral sites.
8. Michigan State (10-2) — The Spartans host Tubby Smith and High Point Wednesday, two days before Tubby returns to Kentucky.
9. Arizona (11-1) — I just noticed the Wildcats start three freshmen, which might explain their loss at Tennessee.
10. Houston (11-2) — The Cougars rank in Ken Pomeroy’s Top 7 in offensive and defensive efficiency.
11. Auburn (11-1) — LSU at Auburn on Wednesday is the Game of the Day as the Southeastern Conference opens league play.
12. Iowa State (12-0) — With seven wins against teams ranked 268 or worse on KenPom, the Cyclones could be exposed quickly in the Big 12.
13. Kentucky (9-2) — The Wildcats looked like the team that John Calipari promised against North Carolina and Western Kentucky.
14. LSU (12-0) — The days of playing McNeese State and Northwestern State are over for Will Wade’s team.
15. Seton Hall (9-1) — The Pirates open Big East play at Providence Wednesday. Fun matchup.
16. Ohio State (8-2) — The Buckeyes have not played since Dec. 11. COVID has hit every conference.
17. Alabama (9-3) — The Crimson Tide have lost two of their last three. Nick Saban would never do that.
18. Illinois (9-3) — The Illini manhandled the Missouri team Kentucky hosts on Wednesday by 25 points.
19. Providence (11-1) — Former IU guard Al Durham has become a leader for the Friars even though he’s only 10 of 45 from distance.
20. Texas Tech (9-2) — Other than Tennessee, the Red Raiders haven’t beaten anybody.
21. Villanova (8-4) — The Wildcats flexed on Xavier.
22. Tennessee (9-2) — The Vols open SEC play at Alabama Wednesday night.
23. Loyola Chicago (9-2) — KenPom has the Ramblers going 15-3 in the Missouri Valley.
24. UConn (10-3) —The Huskies registered a nice Big East road win against Marquette.
25. Colorado State (10-0) — Niko Medved will be in line for a higher profile job next March.
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