Matt SakKentucky Rises In AP Poll, Now A Projected 1 Seed
Here are the list of AP ranked teams who have lost to an unranked opponent this past week:
#1 Auburn
#3 Purdue
#6 Houston (Twice)
#7 Duke
#9 Texas Tech
#14 Wisconsin
#16 Ohio State
#18 Marquette
#22 St. Mary's
#25 Xavier
In fact, there were 19 total ranked losses this past week. With Kentucky avoiding this list by picking up a pair of double digit wins over South Carolina and Florida, they once again move up in the AP Poll, as well gain respect in Bracketology (projections of NCAA tournament seeding).
Kentucky reaches a new season high in the AP Poll, coming in at #4 behind Gonzaga, Auburn, and Arizona. They also come in at the 1 seed line in Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology projection.
A lot of change can still come in either direction with a stretch of tough games coming up. Kentucky has 4 potential "Quadrant 1" matchups in a row including:
2/15 @ #16 Tennessee
2/19 vs #25 Alabama
2/23 vs LSU ("Others Receiving Votes" in AP Poll)
2/27 @ #23 Arkansas
These games may prove to be especially difficult if TyTy Washington (lower leg) and Jacob Toppin (ankle) are unable to go. The status on both of these players for any upcoming games is yet to be announced.
The full AP Poll is as follows:
Gonzaga
Auburn
Arizona
Kentucky
Purdue
Kansas
Baylor
Providence
Duke
Villanova
Texas Tech
Illinois
UCLA
Houston
Wisconsin
Tennessee
USC
Ohio State
Michigan State
Texas
Murray State
Wyoming
Arkansas
Connecticut
Alabama