UNC Remains on Top as Tennessee, Villanova Tumble in Men’s AP Poll

A few opening-week upsets produced mild change in this week’s AP top 25 poll.

North Carolina and Gonzaga remain 1–2 in the first regular-season men’s college basketball poll from the Associated Press.

The top-ranked Tar Heels (2–0) earned 44 of 63 first-place votes in the AP Top 25 while the second-ranked Bulldogs (2–0) picked up 14 after the opening week of the regular season. Third-ranked Houston and fourth-ranked Kentucky picked up the remaining votes in a poll that featured only slight changes from the preseason poll released Oct. 17.

Baylor and Kansas were tied for fifth previously. This time, Baylor is alone at No. 5, followed by Kansas and Duke. UCLA, Arkansas and Creighton round out the top 10.

Tennessee (1–1) took the biggest tumble, falling 11 spots to No. 22 after losing to Colorado in its home state. And Villanova went from 16th to unranked for the first time since February 2019 after a loss to Temple in its second game under Kyle Neptune, who took over in the spring after the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright.

Illinois (2–0) had the biggest jump, climbing four spots to No. 19 after two easy home wins.

No. 24 Texas A&M and No. 25 Connecticut are the week’s new additions, while Oregon joined Villanova as the two teams to fall out from the preseason poll.

Men’s AP top 25 as of Nov. 14:

1. North Carolina
2. Gonzaga
3. Houston
4. Kentucky
5. Baylor
6. Kansas
7. Duke
8. UCLA
9. Arkansas
10. Creighton
11. Texas
12. Indiana
13. Auburn
14. Arizona
15. TCU
16. Virginia
17. San Diego State
18. Alabama
19. Illinois
20. Michigan
21. Dayton
22. Tennessee
23. Texas Tech
24. Texas A&M
25. UConn

Others receiving votes: Michigan State 119, Purdue 104, Villanova 96, Miami 61, Saint Louis 47, Xavier 44, Oregon 36, Ohio State 36, Iowa 36, Memphis 20, Virginia Tech 13, Colorado 11, Arizona State 9, Rutgers 8, Toledo 8, Saint Mary’s 7, Florida 5, UC Irvine 4, Grambling State 4, Seton Hall 3, Penn State 1.