Houston vaulted five spots to No. 3 in the Associated Press men’s Top 25 college basketball poll released on Monday.
Unbeaten Arizona (23-0) remained No. 1 for the ninth straight week and claimed all 59 first-place votes for the fourth consecutive week. No. 2 Michigan (22-1) held steady, with the surging Cougars (21-2) followed by No. 4 Duke (21-2) and No. 5 Iowa State (21-2).
Houston defeated UCF 79-55 last Wednesday and won 77-66 at then-No. 16 BYU on Saturday to return to the top five for the first time since November.
No. 6 UConn (22-2) dropped three places after losing Friday to then-No. 22 St. John’s. Nebraska (21-2), Illinois (20-4), Kansas (18-5) and Michigan State (20-4) round out the top 10.
Gonzaga (23-2) took the week’s biggest tumble, sliding six spots to No. 12 after a stunning loss to Portland last Wednesday. BYU also fell six spots.
No. 25 Kentucky (17-7) is back in the poll for the first time since December after Saturday’s 74-71 victory against former No. 25 Tennessee, which knocked the Volunteers out of the top 25.
The rest of the Top 25:
11. North Carolina (19-4)
12. Gonzaga (23-2)
13. Purdue (19-4)
14. Florida (17-6)
15. Virginia (20-3)
16. Texas Tech (17-6)
17. St. John’s (18-5)
18. Saint Louis (23-1)
19. Vanderbilt (19-4)
20. Clemson (20-4)
21. Arkansas (17-6)
22. BYU (17-6)
23. Miami (Ohio) (24-0)
24. Louisville (17-6)
25. Kentucky (17-7).
–Field Level Media
