College basketball rankings: Big Ten teams in updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25 on Feb. 5
The Purdue men’s basketball team went through yet another week of the 2023-24 season without suffering a loss.
Doing so wasn’t exactly easy, though.
The No. 2 Boilermakers survived a challenge last Wednesday from Northwestern before outlasting the Wildcats 105-96 in overtime at Mackey Arena. Northwestern had been only one of two teams to beat Purdue this season. Coach Matt Painter and the Boilermakers followed that up by going on the road to beat the Big Ten’s other top-10 team, No. 6 Wisconsin, 75-69 on Sunday. Reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey scored 48 points and pulled down 28 rebounds across the two victories.
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Despite those wins, Purdue is unlikely to rise to No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, as No. 1 UConn won both of its games, defeating Providence and St. John's.
It was the second loss of the week for Wisconsin, which dropped a road game in overtime 80-72 against a Nebraska team enjoying a breakthrough season. With those two setbacks, the Badgers lost as many games over a four-day stretch as they had over the previous 72 days.
Elsewhere, the conference’s third and final ranked team, No. 14 Illinois, went 2-0 after going on the road to beat Ohio State 87-75 last Tuesday before holding on in overtime against Nebraska on Sunday. Northwestern, the only Big Ten team receiving votes that didn't appear in last week's top 25, lost both of its games last week, dropping contests to Purdue and Minnesota.
How will those games and more affect where the Big Ten teams rank in the updated Coaches and AP Top 25 polls?
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College basketball rankings for Feb. 5
USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Big Ten teams in bold. First-place votes in parentheses.
UConn, 20-2 (25)
Purdue, 21-2 (7)
North Carolina, 18-4
Kansas, 18-4
Houston, 19-3
Tennessee, 16-5
Marquette, 17-5
Arizona, 17-5
Wisconsin, 16-6
Duke, 16-5
Auburn, 18-4
Illinois, 17-5
Baylor, 16-5
Iowa State, 16-5
Kentucky, 15-6
Alabama, 16-6
Dayton, 18-3
Creighton, 16-6
BYU, 16-5
South Carolina, 16-3
Utah State, 19-3
Florida Atlantic, 18-4
Texas Tech, 16-5
San Diego State, 17-5
New Mexico, 18-4
Others receiving votes: Saint Mary's 57; Indiana State 45; TCU 36; Colorado State 32; Virginia 17; Oklahoma 12; Grand Canyon 12; Northwestern 8; Boise State 7; Gonzaga 6; Texas 5; Michigan State 4; Ole Miss 2; Appalachian State 2
AP Top 25
Big Ten teams in bold. First-place votes in parentheses.
1. UConn, 20-2 (45)
2. Purdue, 21-2 (16)
3. North Carolina, 18-4
4. Kansas, 18-4
5. Houston, 19-3
6. Tennessee, 16-5
7. Marquette, 17-5
8. Arizona, 17-5
9. Duke, 16-5
10. Illinois, 17-5
11. Wisconsin, 16-6
12. Auburn, 18-4
13. Baylor, 16-5
14. Iowa State, 16-5
15. South Carolina, 19-3
16. Alabama, 16-6
17. Kentucky, 15-6
18. Dayton, 18-3
19. Creighton, 16-6
20. Florida Atlantic, 18-4
21. BYU, 16-5
22. Utah State, 19-3
23. Texas Tech, 16-5
24. San Diego State, 17-5
25. New Mexico, 18-4
Others receiving votes: Saint Mary's 73; TCU 72; Indiana State 53; Boise State 49; Colorado State 43; Virginia 32; Texas 22; Oklahoma 17; Mississippi 10; Washington State 6; Memphis 5; Appalachian State 4; Gonzaga 2; Grand Canyon 1; Michigan State 1
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: College basketball rankings: Big Ten teams in updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25
