Purdue Falls to No. 3 in Latest AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll

Purdue dropped to No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll following an 64-58 loss to Northwestern. The Boilermakers are 23-3 overall and 12-3 in Big Ten play. They were one of two conference teams ranked this week.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Turnovers have plagued Purdue at home and on the road in its most recent stretch. The team split its pair of matchups this past week and has now lost two of its last three games. 

The Boilermakers are now 23-3 and 12-3 in Big Ten play and no longer hold the top spot in college basketball's national rankings. Following a 64-58 loss on the road against Northwestern on Sunday, Purdue fell to No. 3 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. 

3️⃣ in this week’s AP Top 25 poll. pic.twitter.com/H2Zx0bnlqj

— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) February 13, 2023

Alabama leapfrogged Purdue and Houston for the No. 1 ranking, pulling 38 first-place votes. The Cougars and Boilermakers also earned votes for the top spot, garnering 22 and two, respectively. 

Purdue has held the No. 1 ranking for a total of six weeks during the 2022-23 season, including last week despite suffering a 79-74 loss to Indiana on Feb. 4 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. 

Looking to bounce back from a disappointing result against their in-state rival, the team held off a strong second-half Iowa comeback for an 87-73 win on Thursday inside Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers led by as many as 21 points but finished with 17 turnovers as the Hawkeyes brought the game to within six points. 

Purdue couldn't overcome late turnovers in a hostile environment against Northwestern and gave up a 12-1 run in the final three-plus minutes. After only giving the ball away three times in the first half, the Boilermakers tallied 13 turnovers in the second half, including five during the Wildcats' deciding surge. 

Despite its recent struggles, Purdue still holds a two-game lead atop the Big Ten standings. Indiana was the only other conference school ranked this week, coming in at No. 14. Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa, Rutgers and Maryland all received votes. 

The Boilermakers will be on the road again for a game against Maryland at 7:30 p.m. Et on Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Xfinity Center in College Park, Md. Following the trip away from Mackey Arena, Purdue will be at home for three of its final four regular-season contests. 

AP Top 25 college basketball poll, Feb. 13

Here's a look is the Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll for Week 15, with Big Ten teams in bold.

1. Alabama (22-3)
2. Houston (23-2)
3. Purdue (23-3)
4. UCLA (21-4)
5. Kansas (20-5)
6. Texas (20-5)
7. Virginia (19-4)
8. Arizona (22-4)
9. Baylor (19-6)
10. Tennessee (19-6)
11. Marquette (20-6)
12. Kansas State (19-6)
13. Gonzaga (21-5)
14. Indiana (18-7)
15. Miami (20-5)
16. Xavier (19-6)
17. Saint Mary's (22-5)
18. Creighton (17-8)
19. Iowa State (16-8)
20. UConn (19-7)
21. San Diego State (20-5)
22. TCU (17-8)
23. North Carolina State (20-6)
24. Providence (18-7)
25. Florida Atlantic (24-2)

Other receiving votes: 

Missouri 114, Northwestern 96, Illinois 84, Pittsburgh 82, Nevada 36, Oklahoma State 23, Texas A&M 16, Oral Roberts 9, Iowa 5, Arkansas 4, Rutgers 2, Charleston 1, Maryland 1, Boise State 1

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Related Stories on Purdue Basketball

• Late Turnovers Cost Purdue in 64-58 loss to Northwestern: Purdue turned the ball over six times in the final minutes and gave up a late 12-1 run during Sunday's loss at Northwestern. Junior center Zach Edey led the team with 24 points but also registered six turnovers. CLICK HERE
• Purdue Coach Matt Painter Reacts to Loss Against Northwestern: Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter addressed the media following the team's 64-58 loss to Northwestern on Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. The Boilermakers fell to 23-3 on the season and 12-3 in Big Ten play. CLICK HERE 
• Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery Praises Purdue's Unselfishness: No. 1 Purdue basketball had five players score in double figures to take down Iowa 87-73 on Thursday night at Mackey Arena. Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery talked about the team's selfless approach during his postgame press conference. CLICK HERE
• Braden Smith Leads Purdue to Victory Over Iowa: Freshman point guard Braden Smith was one of five scorers in double figures for Purdue in a victory over Iowa on Thursday at home. He posted a career-high 24 points and made four 3-pointers, finishing 8-of-10 from the field. CLICK HERE

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