Alabama Basketball Moves Up Once Again in Latest AP Top 25, Coaches Poll

The Crimson Tide is once again the highest-ranked team in the Southeastern Conference after beating the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week.

Alabama men's basketball is once again the highest-ranked team in the Southeastern Conference as the Crimson Tide is ranked No. 7 in both the latest AP Top 25 Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll.

Alabama opened SEC play last Wednesday at then-No. 21 Mississippi State, taking care of business in the 78-67 victory. The Crimson Tide will now host both Ole Miss and Kentucky this week before hitting the road and playing at Arkansas.

Around the rest of the SEC in the AP Top 25, Tennessee slipped to No. 8 after winning narrowly at Ole Miss. Arkansas is next up at No. 13, falling four spots after losing at LSU. 12-1 Missouri is ranked No. 20, followed closely by Auburn at No. 21.

LSU received the most points out of any SEC team ranked outside the top 25 with 83. Kentucky, on the other hand, fell out of the rankings after a rough loss on the road at Missouri.

In the Coaches Poll, Alabama rose two spots to No. 7. Tennessee is next at No. 9, followed by Arkansas at No. 13. Auburn and Missouri are ranked right beside each other at Nos. 20 and 21, respectively. Kentucky closes out the ranked SEC teams and is tied with Iowa State for No. 25.

Here are the full AP Top 25 and Coaches Polls for Week 9:

AP Top 25 - January 2, 2022

(Ranking, team, record, points, first-place votes)

1. Purdue (13-0) 1,524 (60) 

2. Houston (14-1) 1,417 

3. Kansas (12-1) 1,351 

4. UConn (14-1) 1,342 (1) 

5. Arizona (13-1) 1,334 

6. Texas (12-1) 1,185 

7. Alabama (11-2) 1,132 

8. Tennessee (11-2) 1,114 

9. Gonzaga (12-3) 1,003 

10. UCLA (13-2) 993 

11. Virginia (10-2) 926 

12. Miami (FL) (13-1) 814 

13. Arkansas (11-2) 717 

14. Wisconsin (10-2) 639 

15. Indiana (10-3) 558 

16. Duke (11-3) 554 

17. TCU (12-1) 545 

18. Xavier (12-3) 531 

19. Baylor (10-3) 520 

20. Missouri (12-1) 329 

21. New Mexico (14-0) 290 

22. Auburn (11-2) 287 

23. Charleston (14-1) 116 

24. Ohio State (10-3) 114 

25. Iowa State (10-2) 94

Others receiving votes:

LSU 83, San Diego State 72, Mississippi State 62, Kentucky 53, Kansas State 41, Illinois 21, Marquette 20, Providence 14, Virginia Tech 7, Memphis 6, West Virginia 5, Michigan State 5, Florida Atlantic 3, Creighton 1.

USA Today Sports Coaches Poll - Week 9

(Ranking, team record, points, first-place votes)

1. Purdue 13-0 798 (30)

2. Houston 14-1 740 (2)

3. Kansas 12-1 720

4. Arizona 13-1 693

5. Connecticut 14-1 659

6. Texas 12-1 652

7. Alabama 11-2 560

8. UCLA 13-2 559

9. Tennessee 11-2 556

10. Gonzaga 12-3 510

11. Virginia 10-2 494

12. Miami (FL) 13-1 380

13. Arkansas 11-2 377

14. Duke 11-3 370

15. Wisconsin 10-2 326

16. Baylor 10-3 290

17. Texas Christian 12-1 273

18. Xavier 12-3 246

19. Indiana 10-3 226

20. Auburn 11-2 131

21. Missouri 12-1 130

22. New Mexico 14-0 118

23. Ohio St. 10-3 112

24. Illinois 9-4 65

25. Kentucky 9-4 62

25. Iowa State 10-2 62

Others receiving votes:

Mississippi State 47; Kansas State 38; Louisiana State 35; Providence 30; West Virginia 28; Charleston 24; San Diego St. 17; Michigan St. 14; Marquette 14; Saint Mary's 12; Penn St. 11; Maryland 9; Virginia Tech 6; Florida Atlantic 3; UAB 2; Texas Tech 1.