carolinakid
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2021
- Messages
- 39,046
Gonzaga-Kentucky Feb. 10 showdown slated for afternoon tipoff on CBS© Provided by GonzagaNation.net on FanNation
For the third straight week, the Gonzaga Bulldogs were left off the AP Top 25 poll.
Gonzaga (16-6, 7-2 WCC) suffered its second WCC loss of the season when it fell 64-62 to Saint Mary's (17-6, 9-0 WCC) in Spokane on Saturday.
After the Bulldogs took an early advantage, the Gaels weathered the initial storm to make it a 1-point game at halftime. Gonzaga struggled to generate much offense down the stretch against the No. 1-ranked defense in the WCC, as it missed seven of its last 10 shot attempts and found itself trailing 60-55 with 2:37 left in regulation following an 8-0 scoring run from the visitors. Saint Mary's took a 63-57 after Augustus Marciulionis drained a controversial 3-pointer with 48 seconds left, as it appeared that Aidan Mahaney was out of bounds when he saved a loose ball moments before.
Borrow From Your Home While Keeping Your Current Mortgage Rate
Ad
LendingTree
Regardless, Saint Mary's put itself two games above Gonzaga in first place in the WCC standings.
The Gaels were left just outside the Top 25 with 73 votes from the panel, while the Bulldogs got two votes.
The poll's top three remained the same — UConn, Purdue and North Carolina — while Kansas jumped four spots to No. 4 after it's win over No. 5 Houston at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Jayhawks and Cougars are both atop the Big 12 standings at 6-3 with Baylor not far behind at 5-3 in league play after its 70-68 win over No. 14 Iowa State. The Bears moved up to No. 13.
The Big 12 has the most representatives in this week's poll with six teams in the Top 25. The SEC is next with five, while the Mountain West has three.
No. 17 Kentucky dropped seven spots amid its two-game losing skid. The Wildcats lost back-to-back games at Rupp Arena last week, the first a 94-91 letdown to Florida followed by a 103-92 loss to No. 6 Tennessee. The crucial SEC battle put Kentucky three games back of the No. 1 spot in the league standings behind No. 16 Alabama.
Borrow From Your Home While Keeping Your Current Mortgage Rate
Ad
LendingTree
The Wildcats will look to right the ship against Vanderbilt on Tuesday before they host the Bulldogs in a nonconference affair on Saturday.
Here's the complete AP Top 25 poll:
1. UConn (20-2, 10-1 Big East)
2. Purdue (21-2, 10-2 Big Ten)
3. North Carolina (18-4, 10-1 ACC)
4. Kansas (18-4, 6-3 Big 12)
5. Houston (19-3, 6-3 Big 12)
6. Tennessee (16-5, 6-2 SEC)
7. Marquette (17-5, 8-3 Big East)
8. Arizona (17-5, 8-3 Pac-12)
9. Duke (16-5, 7-3 ACC)
10. Illinois (17-5, 8-3 Big Ten)
11. Wisconsin (16-6, 8-3 Big Ten)
12. Auburn (18-4, 7-2 SEC)
13. Baylor (16-5, 5-3 Big 12)
14. Iowa State (16-5, 5-3 Big 12)
15. South Carolina (19-3, 7-2 SEC)
16. Alabama (16-6, 8-1 SEC)
17. Kentucky (15-6, 5-4 SEC)
18. Dayton (18-3, 8-1 A-10)
19. Creighton (16-6, 7-4 Big East)
20. Florida Atlantic (18-4, 8-1 AAC)
21. BYU (16-5, 4-4 Big 12)
22. Utah State (19-3, 7-2 MWC)
23. Texas Tech (16-5, 5-3 Big 12)
24. San Diego State (17-5, 6-3 MWC)
25. New Mexico (18-4, 6-3 MWC)
