Alabama is No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in 20 years.
The Crimson Tide (22-3) received 38 first-place votes to supplant Purdue atop the rankings in the poll released Monday. Alabama is No. 1 for the first time since the 2002-03 season, when it spent two weeks there under then head coach Mark Gottfried. This team under Nate Oats has won four in row to remain undefeated in league play.
Purdue (23-3) lost at Northwestern on Sunday and fell to third, claiming two first-place votes. Houston (23-2) remained at No. 2, garnering 22 first-place votes.
UCLA (21-4) jumped three spots to No. 4 and Kansas (20-5) rounds out the top 5, having jumped four spots.
Texas (20-5), Virginia (19-4), Arizona (22-4), Baylor (19-6) and Tennessee (19-6) comprise the rest of the top 10.
The Vols dropped just four spots despite two losses to unranked teams last week, including Vanderbilt. Tennessee hosts the top-ranked Tide on Wednesday.
Baylor was one of two teams to climb five spots in the rankings, joining No. 18 Creighton.
Iowa State was the week’s biggest faller, dropping eight spots to No. 19 following two losses.
Florida Atlantic (24-2) is back in the Top 25 — at 25 — one week after getting bounced. The Owls replace Rutgers, which got knocked out after losses to Indiana and Illinois.
The rest of the poll:
11. Marquette
12. Kansas State
13. Gonzaga
14. Indiana
15. Miami (FL)
16. Xavier
17. Saint Mary’s
18. Creighton
19. Iowa State
20. UConn
21. San Diego State
22. TCU
23. NC State
24. Providence
25. FAU
–Field Level Media
