As of Sunday, the calendar has now flipped to February. We are inching towards crunch time on the 2025-26 college basketball season. You know things are starting to heat up when the first UNC-Duke men’s game comes on the calendar, as it will this week.
As we continue to get closer to March and the madness that comes with it, let’s take a look at this week’s new AP Top 25 polls that were released on Monday. (It should be noted that means that the polls did not take into account either the UNC men’s or women’s games yesterday.)
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Men’s Basketball
AP Top 25
Arizona (59 first place votes)
Where is UNC?
Since the last poll release, the Tar Heels have played just once, but it was a fairly easy road win at Georgia Tech, which has been a tough trip for them in the past. Thanks to the victory and other results elsewhere, Carolina was on the move up again, as they jumped two places to come in at #14.
Biggest Winners
In their past three games, Illinois has two wins over previously top five tams, beating then #4 Purdue and then #5 Nebraska. Thanks to those wins, the Illini are now in the top five themselves. They were the biggest winners this week, moving up four spots to land at #5.
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Biggest Losers
Alabama fell out of the poll, having been #23, but they technically only fell four spots as they’re second among the “others receiving votes.” However after failing to knock off his old team, John Calipari’s Arkanas dropped six places down to #21 this week.
Conference Breakdown
Marquee Matchups This Week
#4 Duke (20-1, 9-0 ACC) at #14 North Carolina (17-4, 5-3 ACC) – Saturday at 6:30 PM ET on ESPN
#5 Illinois (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten) at #10 Michigan State (19-3, 9-2 Big Ten) – Saturday at 8:00 PM ET on FOX
#1 Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) at #11 Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12) – Monday at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN
Women’s Basketball
AP Top 25
UConn (31 first place votes)
Where is UNC?
After a couple weeks out of the poll, the Tar Heels are back this week. That was despite not playing at all last week, as before last night — which didn’t factor into the latest Top 25 — UNC last played on Sunday, January 25th.
Biggest Winners
Ole Miss got the honor of the biggest gainers of the week. Following a victory over then #5 Vanderbilt, Ole Miss shot up four places this week, and now sit at #13.
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Biggest Losers
Maryland women’s basketball is on a four game losing streak of late, although most of the losses have come to currently ranked teams. However, the defeats are doing a number on their ranking. They were number seven in the country going into the new year, but now they’re all the way down to #22.
Conference Breakdown
Marquee Matchups This Week
#17 Duke (16-6, 11-0 ACC) at #6 Louisville (21-3, 11-0 ACC) – Thursday at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN
#5 LSU (21-2, 7-2 SEC) at #4 Texas (21-2, 6-2 SEC) – Thursday at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN
#2 UCLA (21-1, 11-0 Big Ten) at #8 Michigan (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten) – Sunday at 3:00 PM ET on FOX
