Coaches Poll Top 25: Cyclones hold at No. 3 ahead of Big 12 Conference opener

Iowa State will enter Big 12 play as the highest-ranked team from the conference

TJ Otzelberger and Iowa State maintained the No. 3 ranking in the latest Coaches Poll. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ahead of the Big 12 Conference opener, the Iowa State men remain the highest-ranked league team, checking in once again at No. 3 in the latest college basketball Coaches Poll Top 25.

Tennessee and Auburn remain in the top spots, receiving all 31 first-place votes this week.

Duke, Florida, Alabama, Kansas, Marquette and Oregon all moved up a spot after Kentucky fell six slots to No. 10. 

Oklahoma was another big climber, going up four spots to No. 11. Mississippi State moved up six spots, Illinois climbed four with Cincinnati, San Diego State and Baylor going up three spots. Purdue dropped eight spots, just hanging on this week at No. 25.

Along with Iowa State and Kansas, Houston is No. 12, the Bearcats are 17th and the Bears are 23rd from the Big 12. Texas Tech and West Virginia are both receiving votes. 

The Cyclones (10-1) open Big 12 play on Monday, Dec. 30 when they travel to Colorado. From there, ISU hosts Baylor and Utah, heads to Texas Tech and returns home to welcome Kansas to Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 15. 

Here is the college basketball men’s Coaches Poll Top 25 for Week 8:

College Basketball Coaches Poll Top 25

(Dec. 23)

1. Tennessee (20)

2. Auburn (11)

3. Iowa State

4. Duke

5. Florida

6. Alabama

7. Kansas

8. Marquette

9. Oregon

10. Kentucky

11. Oklahoma

12. Houston

13. Texas A&M

14. Connecticut

15. Gonzaga

16. Mississippi

17. Cincinnati

18. Michigan State

19. Mississippi State

20. San Diego State

21. UCLA

22. Illinois

23. Baylor

24. St. John’s

25. Purdue

Others receiving votes: Maryland 65; Michigan 52; Drake 51; Arkansas 51; Georgia 42; Clemson 40; Dayton 28; Memphis 25; Pittsburgh 22; Utah State 14; Texas Tech 9; Wisconsin 7; North Carolina 6; Missouri 6; West Virginia 5; Penn State 1.

Dropped from rankings: Michigan 21; Memphis 22; Dayton 24.