Tennessee is the new No. 1 in men’s basketball after a huge shakeup in the AP Top 25.
The Vols received 58 first-place votes from a 62-person media panel, reaching No. 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Tennessee climbed two spots after Kansas lost twice and Auburn fell to No. 4 Duke. The Tigers remained No. 2 and received three first-place votes.
No. 3 Iowa State had one first-place vote, moving up three spots from last week for its highest ranking since 1956-57. Kentucky rounded out the top five.
A total of 14 ranked teams lost, including six teams in the top 10; Kansas and then-No. 11 Wisconsin lost twice. Only two teams — Auburn and No. 12 Oregon — stayed the same in the polls, and the volatility saw five teams jump in the rankings.
Tennessee (8-0) is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season at 9-0 and is No. 1 in the NET rankings. The Vols also rank second in the KenPom Ratings, ranking second in defensive efficiency and ninth in offensive efficiency, despite losing four starters from last year’s SEC championship team. Tennessee defeated Syracuse 96-70 in their lone game.
Kansas had been No. 1 since the preseason poll before losing 76-63 to Creighton and 76-67 to rival Missouri. The losses dropped the Jayhawks to No. 10.
Auburn was on the cusp of moving to the No. 1 ranking for the first time since 2021-2022, but lost 84-78 at Duke before beating Richmond.
Iowa State had its highest preseason ranking at No. 5 after reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Cyclones lost to Auburn by two points in the Maui Invitational, but have since won four straight.
Iowa State defeated Jackson State 100-58 in their only match before facing rival Iowa.
Huskies are coming back
Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out of the poll after an 0-for-3 run in Maui. The Huskies rebounded nicely with impressive wins over Baylor and Texas, moving them up seven spots in the poll to No. 18.
“Maybe it was the people with the shovels and the dirt, maybe they were too quick to grab the shovel and throw the dirt on us,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
Rise and fall
Oklahoma had the biggest jump in the poll, moving up eight spots to No. 13 after beating Georgia Tech and Alcorn State. Duke and No. 17 Texas A&M each moved up five spots.
Kansas had the biggest drop, followed by No. 20 Wisconsin, which dropped nine spots. No. 22 Cincinnati dropped eight places.
In and out
Several teams went in and out of the poll.
No. 14 Michigan is in the rankings for the first time in almost three years after narrow victories over Wisconsin and Iowa. The Wolverines have won seven straight games under first-year coach Dusty May.
No. 16 Clemson is in the rankings for the first time this season after wins over Kentucky and Miami. No. 21 Michigan State is also in the rankings for the first time after wins over Nebraska and Minnesota.
No. 24 UCLA rises in the rankings for the first time in nearly two years after wins over Washington and Oregon. No. 25 Mississippi State is back in the polls after defeating Pittsburgh 90-57 and beating Prairie View A&M.
Baylor, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Illinois and North Carolina all dropped out of the rankings.
Watching conference
The SEC led all conferences with nine ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten with six and the Big 12 with four. The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big East each had two ranked teams, while the West Coast and Mountain West conferences each had one.
