LAWRENCE, Canada – Kansas dropped the Associated Press men’s basketball poll for the first time in 12 years on Monday, ending the Jayhawks’ record series of 231 consecutive weeks in the Top 25.
Gonzaga and Baylor maintained the first two places, as they did all season, with the Bulldogs getting 55 out of 63 votes in first place, and the Bears getting the other eight. Michigan took advantage of Villanova’s loss to St. Louis. John’s to jump in the top three, rival Ohio State climbed three places to 4th, and the Wildcats completed the top five.
Illinois gave the Big Ten three teams out of the top six after defeating Indiana in overtime and beating Wisconsin No. 21 at the weekend. The Illini were followed by Texas Tech, Houston, Virginia and Missouri, who defeated Kentucky and No. 11 Alabama to reach the top 10 for the first time since December 24, 2012.
But the real drama did not come at the top of the poll, but at the bottom.
The Jayhawks started their Top 25 series on February 2, 2009, when freshman goalie Bryce Thompson was 6 years old. Their ten-year dominance, which began the season after winning the national championship, included 10 consecutive Big 12 titles in the regular season, five conference tournament titles, two more trips to the Final Four and a final in 2012.
Their game against the state no. 23 in Oklahoma on Monday night was to be the first Jayhawks ranked in 434 games.
“It’s basketball and we have another game to focus on,” Jayhawks goalkeeper Jalen Wilson said after a 91-79 loss to No. 14 in West Virginia on Saturday, their sixth of the last 10 games. “In basketball you sometimes have to focus on what you have in front of you and not think about the past and what you couldn’t do. Another day, another game that we just have to focus on.”
The Jayhawks started 8-1 and climbed to 3rd by December 28, with their only loss to Gonzaga and victories over then-ranked Kentucky, West Virginia, Creighton and Texas Tech along the way. But they quarreled from the start of the Big 12 game, losing Thompson due to an injury and failing to get enough production from an otherwise veteran team.
“We have a lot of games to win and I know this team can do it,” said Kansas goalkeeper Christian Braun. “Everyone’s head is in a good place, but we just have to do it on the ground. We have to stop talking about it and actually be about it.”
Just like the Bulldogs and Bears were this season.
Gonzaga watched the Pacific at halftime last week, before finishing 25-8 to easily win the game, then had the year of his game against Santa Clara at the weekend. The Bulldogs had a tough test against BYU on Monday night.
“It’s very hard when everyone around them nationally and everything just thinks you’re going to go through things,” Bulldogs coach Mark Few said after their last win, “but it’s not reality.”
Baylor knocked then. 6 Texas on the road last week in the first game involving top-10 teams in the state of Texas, only to announce another break for COVID-19 on Thursday. This led to delays against TCU and no. 11 Oklahoma, so the Bears won’t be on the field – the fastest – until they face Texas Tech on Saturday.
The Crimson Sea and Sooners were followed by the 13th Longhorns, who fell seven places after their losses in Baylor and Oklahoma State last week. It is followed by Mountaineers, Iowa, falling seven places to 15th, followed by Tennessee, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Creighton and Southern California.
Completing the Top 25 were Wisconsin, Chicago Loyola, Oklahoma State, Purdue and Rutgers.
IN AND OUT
Loyola went to the polls for the first time since the last poll in the 1984-85 season. This may surprise those who remember the Ramblers’ dramatic road to the Final Four in 2018, but never broke the Top 25 that season.
The Trojans win then – No. 21 UCLA on Saturday night propelled them to their first ranking in December 2017, while Oklahoma State and Rutgers also joined in the Top 25. Cowboys are ranked for the first time since February 2015.
The Bruins gave up, along with Kansas, Florida and Drake, whose 18-0 start was pampered in a 74-57 loss to Valparaiso.
Knocking on the door
Colorado, San Diego and Xavier were the top three to live outside the Top 25, while Belmont continued to win votes after the Bruins improved to 20-1 with rackets over Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois. Edwardsville.