Men’s college basketball rankings: Gonzaga up to No. 4 in Associated Press Top 25 poll

Bulldogs cracked the top five of the AP Poll for the first time since November 2022

Gonzaga senior guard Michael Ajayi. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Back-to-back wins over Big 12 opponents to start the 2024-25 season have the Gonzaga men’s basketball team up to No. 4 in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll that was released Monday.

The Bulldogs (2-0) cracked the top five of the poll for the first time in two years after dismantling then-No. 8 Baylor, 101-63, in the season opener. The 38-point margin marked the largest margin of victory for any team in a season opener over a top-10 opponent in AP poll history. The Bears rebounded with a 72-67 win over Arkansas in Dallas, Texas, though they still dropped four spots to No. 12 in the first poll of the regular season.

Mark Few and company followed their opening act with a thriller against Arizona State on Sunday, as the Zags prevailed 88-80 over the Sun Devils in a game where neither side led by more than eight points. Braden Huff and Khalif Battle combined for 40 points, including 17 of the team’s final 21 points in the second half, while Ryan Nembhard notched his second straight double-double to start the season: 13 points, 11 assists. The senior guard is up to 22 assists and just two turnovers in the young season.

"I think we did a good job of closing the game,” Few said after the Arizona State game. “They look tough and they look versatile, and they got a lot of guys and they all bring a little bit of something different.”

The top three of the poll remained the same from the preseason edition. Kansas held firm at No. 1 following its 92-89 win over No. 10 North Carolina on Friday. Despite squandering a 20-point lead, the Jayhawks held on behind a big night from Hunter Dickinson.

Kansas received 44 of the 62 first-place votes. No. 2 Alabama (2-0) received six first-place votes and No. 3 UConn (2-0) had seven first-place votes.

Auburn was the biggest riser from the preseason poll. The Tigers jumped six spots to No. 5 after upending then-No. 4 Houston, 74-69, on the road on Saturday night despite missing two players from a plane altercation.

Kentucky (2-0), which plays Gonzaga in Seattle on Dec. 7, moved up four spots to No. 19. Potential Battle 4 Atlantis foes in No. 16 Indiana and No. 9 Arizona each moved up one spot.

The Sun Devils (2-1) received two votes from the panel. Saint Mary’s (2-0) didn’t receive any nods despite receiving five votes in the preseason poll.

AP Top 25 poll (Week 1):
1. Kansas (2-0)
2. Alabama (2-0)
3. UConn (2-0)
4. Gonzaga (2-0)
5. Auburn (2-0)
6. Duke (2-0)
7. Iowa State (1-0)
8. Houston (1-1)
9. Arizona (2-0)
10. North Carolina (1-1)
11. Tennessee (2-0)
12. Baylor (1-1)
13. Purdue (2-0)
14. Creighton (2-0)
15. Marquette (2-0)
16. Indiana (2-0)
17. Cincinnati (2-0)
18. Arkansas (1-1)
19. Kentucky (2-0)
20. Florida (2-0)
21. Ohio State (1-0)
22. St. John’s (2-0)
23. Texas A&M (1-1)
24. Rutgers (1-0)
25. Ole Miss (2-0)

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

• What Mark Few said after Gonzaga's win over Arizona State

• Gonzaga’s Khalif Battle brings the house down with huge dunk vs. Arizona State

• Gonzaga vs. Arizona State live updates recap, highlights

• Gonzaga’s national championship odds boosted following Baylor win

• Top plays from Gonzaga's win over Baylor

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