Duke rises to No. 2 in AP Top 25 while Arizona Wildcats continue to receive votes

Duke leapfrogged now-third-ranked Iowa State from No. 3 into the second spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll Monday after the Cyclones lost at West Virginia, while Arizona received votes again this week.

The Wildcats (11-6, 5-1), who beat West Virginia on Jan. 7, received the 32nd most points in voting. Texas Tech (13-4, 4-2), which beat Arizona on Jan. 18, received the 26th most points.

Among other UA opponents this season, Kansas (13-4, 4-2) slipped from No. 9 to No. 12 while Houston (14-3, 6-0) jumped from 10 to 7 and Wisconsin (15-3, 5-2) moved up from 245 to 18. Baylor (11-6, 3-3) dropped out but West Virginia (13-4, 4-2) moved back in at 23.

Arizona remains popular in computer metrics: The Wildcats are No. 9 in Torvik, No. 14 in the NET and No. 16 in Kenpom.

The Big 12 named West Virginia’s Javon Small its Player of the Week and UCF’s Keyshawn Hall its Newcomer of the Week.

Small scored 12 of his 27 points in the final two minutes of the Mountaineers’ 64-57 win over Iowa State while adding seven rebounds. He also scored 13 points with eight assists in a loss to Houston.

Hall had 40 points, seven rebounds and six assists in UCF’s 95-89 win at ASU. His 40 points were the third-most by a UCF player in a Division I game and the most by any Big 12 player in a Conference game since Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham on Feb. 27, 2021. Hall also had 11 rebounds in UCF’s 69-68 loss to Houston and scored a go-ahead layup with 9.8 seconds to play before the Cougars pulled out that game.

Arizona has not had a player earn a Big 12 weekly award this season.

Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe

The Duke Blue Devils have made a major splash in the college basketball world, climbing to the No. 2 spot in the latest AP Top 25 rankings. Led by a talented roster and exceptional coaching, Duke has asserted themselves as one of the top teams in the nation.

With impressive wins against tough opponents and dominant performances on the court, the Blue Devils have proven themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Their rise in the rankings is a testament to their hard work and dedication to success.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Wildcats continue to receive votes in the AP Top 25, showing that they are also a team to watch this season. With a talented roster and solid performances, Arizona is making a case for themselves as a contender in the college basketball landscape.

As the season progresses, both Duke and Arizona will look to continue their strong play and make a run for the top spot in the rankings. It will be exciting to see how these teams perform and compete against the best in the country. Stay tuned for more college basketball action and updates on the AP Top 25 rankings.

Tags:

Zion Tech Group

Zion Tech Group

Duke rises to No. 2 in AP Top 25 while Arizona Wildcats continue to receive votes