The new No.1 team in college basketball resides in Texas.
The Houston Cougars (24-3) have taken over the top spot in the latest AP Poll, which was released Monday, after UConn’s 19-point loss to Creighton. The Cougars spent much of the 2022-2023 season at No.1, including the final three weeks of the regular season, as they finished with a 31-3 record and were a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Houston had yet to reach the No.1 spot this season, spending much of it as the No.2 team and never sinking lower than seventh nationally. The Cougars and Baylor (No.15) are the only two in-state top 25 representatives from the Lone Star State as Texas Tech fell out. BYU also dropped out of the top 25, leaving the Big 12 with a season-low four ranked teams.
The SEC now leads the country with five ranked squads.
Colorado State also fell from the top 25, paving the way for South Florida, Gonzaga, and Utah State to rejoin the group.
Here is the complete AP Top 25 for this week:
1. Houston Cougars (24-3)
2. Purdue Boilermakers (25-3)
3. UConn Huskies (25-3)
4. Tennessee Volunteers (21-6)
5. Marquette Golden Eagles (21-6)
6. Arizona Wildcats (21-6)
7. Kansas Jayhawks (21-6)
8. Iowa State Cyclones (21-6)
9. North Carolina Tar Heels (21-6)
10. Duke Blue Devils (21-6)
11. Auburn Tigers (21-6)
12. Creighton Bluejays (20-8)
13. Illinois Fighting Illini (20-7)
14. Alabama Crimson Tide (19-8)
15. Baylor Bears (19-8)
16. Kentucky Wildcats (19-8)
17. Saint Mary’s Gaels (23-6)
18. South Carolina Gamecocks (22-5)
19, Washington State Cougars (21-7)
20. San Diego State Aztecs (21-7)
21. Dayton Flyers (21-5)
22. Utah State Aggies (22-5)
23. Gonzaga Bulldogs (22-6)
24. Florida Gators (19-8)
25. South Florida Bulls (21-5)
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: BYU 92, Texas Tech 65, Clemson 45, TCU 45, Wake Forest 44, Wisconsin 42, Nevada 25, Colorado State 20, Arizona State 17, New Mexico 10, FAU 8, Oklahoma 7, Nebraska 7, Mississippi State 5, Washington 4, Appalachian State 3, Northwestern 1, Boise State 1, McNeese State 1, Indiana State 1, Loyola Chicago 1.