The Associated Press (AP) has released one last Top 25 poll before the official March Madness bracket unveiling Sunday night.
Selection Sunday is just days away as the college basketball regular season wrapped up over the weekend, and teams begin their conference tournaments.
Houston remains No.1 overall after surviving a late Memphis run on a buzzer-beating jumper from Jamal Shead. The Cougars will be the top seed in the American Athletic Conference tournament and play East Carolina or South Florida at noon CST on Friday.
Alabama drops to No.4 after losing to Texas A&M on Saturday. The Aggies make the most significant jump, up six spots to No.18, while UCLA replaces the Crimson Tide at No.2.
Kansas remains third despite a double-digit loss to Texas. The Longhorns move up from No.9 to No.7 after going 1-1 during the week. Texas has earned the No.2 seed in this week’s Big 12 tournament and will play at 6 p.m. CST Thursday against either Oklahoma or Oklahoma State.
Baylor falls three spots to No.10 following a narrow win at Oklahoma State and a loss to Iowa State. The Bears have a rematch with the Cyclones at 11:30 a.m. CST Thursday.
TCU stays put at No.22, earning a 14th consecutive week in the poll. The Horned Frogs play No.12 Kansas State at 8:30 p.m. CST on Thursday.
“It’s an opportunity,” TCU head coach Jamie Dixon said during a media session on Tuesday.
“Everybody in this tournament is unbelievable. It’s an unbelievable opportunity. [There are] Great matchups throughout, so I know our guys are excited to go out and play and play against the best.”
Providence, Maryland, and Pittsburgh all fall out of the top 25, while Duke returns at No.21.
The SEC and the Big 12 each have five teams ranked at the end of the regular season.
Here is the complete poll.
FULL AP TOP 25 (first-place votes)
1. Houston (58) 29-2
2. UCLA (3) 27-4
3. Kansas 25-6
4. Alabama 26-5
5. Purdue 26-5
6. Marquette 25-6
7. Texas 23-8
8. Arizona 25-6
9. Gonzaga 26-5
10. Baylor 22-9
11. Connecticut 24-7
12. Kansas State 23-8
13. Virginia 23-6
14. Miami (FL) 24-6
15. Xavier 23-8
16. Saint Mary’s 25-6
17. Tennessee 22-9
18. Texas A&M 23-8
19. Indiana 21-10
20. San Diego State 24-6
21. Duke 23-8
22. TCU 20-11
23. Kentucky 21-10
24. Creighton 20-11
25. Missouri 23-8
Here are the other teams who received votes but did not make the top 25:
Oral Roberts 54, Florida Atlantic 53, Utah State 32, Providence 26, Iowa State 23, Northwestern 16, West Virginia 15, Toledo 10, Pittsburgh 10, Charleston 9, Michigan State 9, VCU 8, Boise State 7, Iowa 5, USC 5, Vanderbilt 3, Maryland 3, Memphis 3, Arkansas 2, North Texas 1, Drake 1
***
The bracket will be released next week. Here is where the schools from Texas stand, according to the experts.
Safely In
No.1 Houston (29-2, 17-1 American Athletic Conference)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): No.1 seed in the East Region vs. No.16 seed Howard or No.16 seed Alcorn State
CBS (Jerry Palm): No.1 seed in the Midwest Region vs. No.16 seed Howard
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): No.1 seed in the Midwest Region vs. No.16 seed Texas A&M – Corpus Christi
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): No.1 seed in the East Region vs. No.16 seed Alcorn State or No.16 seed Farleigh Dickinson
No.7 Texas (23-8, 12-6 Big 12)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): No.2 seed in the West Region vs. No.15 seed Vermont
CBS (Jerry Palm): No.3 seed in the Midwest Region vs. No.15 seed Montana State
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): No.2 seed in the Midwest Region vs. No.15 seed Vermont
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): No.2 seed in the East Region vs. No.15 seed Vermont
No.10 Baylor (22-9, 11-7 Big 12)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): No.2 seed in the East Region vs. No.15 seed Montana State
CBS (Jerry Palm): No.3 seed in the West Region vs. No.14 seed Kennesaw State
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): No.2 seed in the West Region vs. No.15 seed Northern Kentucky
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): No.2 seed in the West Region vs. No.15 seed Colgate
No.18 Texas A&M (23-8, 15-3 SEC)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): No.7 seed in the Midwest Region vs. No.10 seed North Carolina State
CBS (Jerry Palm): No.5 seed in the East Region vs. No.12 seed Sam Houston State
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): No.6 seed in the South Region vs. No.11 seed Charleston
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): No.6 seed in the West Region vs. No.11 seed Charleston
No.22 TCU (20-11, 9-9 Big 12)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): No.5 seed in the South Region vs. No.12 seed Drake
CBS (Jerry Palm): No.6 seed in the East Region vs. No.11 seed Penn State or No.11 seed Mississippi State
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): No.5 seed in the West Region vs. No.12 seed Oral Roberts
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): No.5 seed in the East Region vs. No.12 seed Drake
***
Possible Candidates
North Texas (25-6, 16-4 Conference USA)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): n/a
CBS (Jerry Palm): n/a
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): n/a
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): n/a
North Texas is not currently projected to make the field but can play its way in by winning the Conference USA tournament.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (21-10, 14-4 Southland Conference)
ESPN (Joe Lunardi): No.16 seed in the West Region vs. No.1 seed UCLA
CBS (Jerry Palm): No.16 seed vs. No.16 seed Southeast Missouri State (play-in), winner plays No.1 seed Purdue
Fox (Mike DeCourcy): No.16 seed in the Midwest Region vs. No.1 seed Houston
Yahoo (Michael Lazarus): No.16 seed in the West Region vs. No.1 seed UCLA
The Islanders are currently projected to make the NCAA tournament if they can win the Southland Conference tournament, which they are favored to win.
