Men's Basketball Poll Watching Week 17: Houston Takes Over Top Spot

The Cougars are one of three teams from the Big 12 ranked in the Top 10 of both polls this week.

The Houston Cougars (24-3, 11-3 in Big 12) jumped over UConn this week to secure the top spot in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll for Week 17. The Cougars went 2-0 last week, with both wins over ranked opponents. They beat then-No. 6 Iowa State at home 73-65 then Baylor on the road in overtime 82-76.

© Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

UConn fell to second in the Coaches Poll and to third in the AP Top 25. Purdue is No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and No. 3 in the Coaches Poll. Tennessee and Marquette round out the top five in both polls.

The Big 12 has three teams in the Top 10 - Houston, Kansas, and Iowa State. But for the first time this season, only four Big 12 teams are ranked. However, several Big 12 teams are in the "receiving votes" category.

As for the TCU Horned Frogs (19-8, 8-6), they are no longer ranked in the Coaches Poll, as they were in Week 16. The Frogs went 1-1 last week, with a tough road loss to Texas Tech then a huge win at home over Cincinnati. 

The Big 12 also has the lowest NET ranking at 46.0. The nearest competition is the Big Ten at 60.9.

Big 12 Men's Basketball Teams Ranked or Receiving Votes - Week 17:

• Houston - No. 1 in both polls
• Kansas - No. 7 in the AP Top 25 and No. 9 in the Coaches Poll
• Iowa State - No. 8 in the AP Top 25 and No. 6 in the Coaches Poll
• Baylor - No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and No. 14 in the Coaches Poll
• BYU - Receiving votes in both polls (26/26)
• Texas Tech - Receiving votes in both polls (27/29)
• TCU - Receiving votes in both polls (28/28)
• Oklahoma - Receiving votes in both polls (37/31)

Here are the highlights from both the AP Top 25 poll and the Coaches Poll:

AP Top 25 Men's Basketball Week 17

1 - Houston (24-3), up 1

2 - Purdue (25-3), up 1

3 - UConn (25-3), down 2

4 - Tennessee (21-6), up 1

5 - Marquette (21-6), up 2

6 - Arizona (21-6), down 2

7 - Kansas (21-6), up 2

8 - Iowa State (21-6), down 2

9 - North Carolina (21-6), up 1

10 - Duke (21-6), down 2

15 - Baylor (19-8), down 4

Dropped from the rankings - Colorado State (#22), Texas Tech (#23), BYU (#25)

Other Big 12 schools receiving votes -BYU (#26), Texas Tech (#27), TCU (#28), Oklahoma (#37)

Coaches Poll Men's Basketball Week 17

1 - Houston (24-3), up 1

2 - UConn (25-3), down 1

3 - Purdue (25-3), up 1

4 - Tennessee (21-6), up 1

5 - Marquette (21-6), up 3

6 - Iowa State (21-6), no change

7 - Arizona (21-6), down 3

8 - North Carolina (21-6), up 1

9 - Kansas (21-6), up 1

10 - Duke (21-6), down 3

14 - Baylor (19-8), down 3

Dropped from the rankings - BYU (#21), Texas Tech (#23), Colorado State (#24), TCU (#25)

Other Big 12 schools receiving votes -BYU (#26), TCU (#28), Texas Tech (#29),  Oklahoma (#31)

Bold teams = Big 12 Conference teams

TCU Men's Basketball Loses Heartbreaker to Texas Tech

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