The new top 25 poll was released and there are some notable changes that include Duke, Illinois, and San Diego State. Here are a few quick reactions.
Here is the new Associated Press Top-25 (released on Monday, December 14):
- Gonzaga
- Baylor
- Iowa
- Michigan State
- Kansas
- Houston
- Villanova
- West Virginia
- Creighton
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Texas Tech
- Florida State
- Missouri
- Virginia
- San Diego State
- Rutgers
- Ohio State
- Duke
- North Carolina
- Louisville
- Clemson
- Michigan
Here a few takeaways:
Duke Slides Way Down
It isn’t the best year to have a young team because there weren’t many practices before the season and for the most part, young teams have struggled to start the season. The Blue Devils are a great example of this. They’ve struggled mightily in their non-conference schedule, losing both of their biggest games at home against Michigan State and most recently Illinois (who then lost to unranked Missouri) this past week.
They canceled their games against the remaining non-conference opponents so don’t anticipate them moving up the rankings until they get back on the court.
No Votes for Kentucky
The rankings have been listed above but what you didn’t see is the other teams that received votes despite not being in the top 25. John Calipari‘s Wildcats received zero votes.
Teams such as UConn, Georgia, Arkansas, and SMU received votes. Kentucky did not. Just let that sink in.
Kentucky is another young team just like Duke, and have started the season 1-4 after losing to a mediocre Notre Dame squad on Saturday. If not for their great defense and second-half comeback, they would’ve lost by double digits.
Kentucky has to dig itself out of a big hole that they’ve created for themselves to start the season, and their schedule isn’t getting easier.
SDSU is Going to Continue to Climb
I have said it since the beginning of the season. The Aztecs are the real deal once again this season. They’ve lost their best player to the NBA and two other starters from last year but they’ve played as nothing happened.
Their biggest test of the season was against #23 Arizona State on the road and they won by 12. Let me remind you that those very same Sun Devils nearly beat Villanova to start the season.
Especially if these young top-25 teams continue to struggle, the sky is the limit for Brian Dutcher’s team.
Back Like They Never Left
Villanova started the season as the fourth-best team in the country but then was upset by Virginia Tech in their third game which knocked them out of the top ten. Now, they’ve bounced back with three straight wins and have gotten back into the top ten.
The Wildcats have an opportunity to get into the top five thanks to their next few games. They would have a strong case if their win streak can grow to five this week with wins over Butler and #18 Virginia on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
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