Exciting times are ahead in the college basketball world, especially in the SEC. Here’s a recap of Week 8 in college basketball and the latest AP men’s basketball poll:
SEC action is set to kick off this week, bringing a new level of competition to the court. The top teams remained mostly unchanged, with Tennessee holding onto the No. 1 spot and teams like Auburn, Iowa State, Duke, and Alabama following closely behind. A notable jump in the rankings was made by UCLA, moving up seven spots to No. 15 after a victory over Gonzaga.
As SEC play begins, all eyes are on matchups like Tennessee hosting No. 23 Arkansas and Florida entering conference play with a perfect 13-0 record. Florida’s upcoming game against No. 10 Kentucky will be a test of their undefeated streak. Another team to watch is No. 12 Oklahoma, also undefeated but facing their first conference challenge against No. 5 Alabama.
Key games to watch this week include Illinois vs. Oregon, Creighton vs. Marquette, Florida vs. Kentucky, Arkansas vs. Tennessee, Baylor vs. Iowa State, and Oklahoma vs. Alabama.
The latest AP Top 25 rankings as of December 30, 2024, show Tennessee leading the pack, followed by Auburn, Iowa State, Duke, Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Marquette, Oregon, and Kentucky rounding out the top 10. Teams like UConn, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and UCLA also hold strong positions in the rankings. Stay tuned for more exciting college basketball action ahead!
1. Alabama (11-1)
2. Michigan State (10-2)
3. Gonzaga (9-4)
4. Purdue (9-4)
5. Memphis (10-3)
6. Illinois (9-3)
7. Arkansas (10-2)
8. Ole Miss (11-2)
9. Baylor (8-3)
Teams receiving votes:
– Maryland 133
– Drake 100
– St. John’s 98
– Dayton 90
– Michigan 65
– Utah State 59
– Georgia 48
– Pittsburgh 35
– West Virginia 30
– San Diego State 28
– Ohio State 19
– Missouri 19
– North Carolina 19
– Arizona State 13
– Indiana 11
– Texas Tech 8
– Clemson 8
– Wisconsin 7
– Penn State 5
– St. Bonaventure 2
– Nebraska 1
