AP Poll Analysis: Week 14

Week 13’s college basketball action featured the end of the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ undefeated run.

After starting 20-0 along with Arizona and Miami-OH, Nebraska was overcome by 19-1 Michigan in Ann Arbor 75-72. The Huskers scored 50 points in the first half but were only able to muster up 22 the rest of the way in the Big Ten heavyweight battle. Sunday’s follow-up game at home against 19-3 and #9-ranked Illinois made things worse by striking them with a second L in a 78-69 defeat that ended their home winning streak also. Fortunately for Nebraska, while the undefeated run might be over, their next game is at Rutgers, so it’ll be really hard for these two losses to turn into three.

The win bumped Michigan back up to #3, and Illinois’ W got them to #5. Kansas also rose three spots after a 2-0 week against top-15 BYU and top-15 Texas Tech. The biggest faller was Arkansas after its first home loss of the season to Kentucky on Saturday. Everybody wants to be #1, but Arizona refuses to budge an inch. Let’s take a look at the Wildcats and the complete AP poll of Week 14:

Notes:

Down to two undefeateds: Arizona and Miami-OH. The Wildcats have a monster stretch coming up starting Monday the 9th (Saturday they get to host unranked Oklahoma State). To turn 23-0 into 27-0, they have to win at Kansas, then host and beat Texas Tech and BYU, and then finally defeat Houston in their own building. Miami-OH on the other hand has to win at Buffalo and Marshall, host Ohio, win at UMass, and then host Bowling Green. Who will last longer? Who will be the last unbeaten standing?

Some 1-loss teams might run the table the rest of the way. Nobody in the Big East has been able to stop UConn, nobody in the ACC has been able to catch Duke, and Gonzaga is just conducting business as usual in their last run through the WCC. Michigan’s gonna have a tougher time in the Big Ten though.

Don’t forget about St. Louis. The Bilikens are 21-1 and climbing higher up the rankings every week.

Kentucky received 28 votes in this poll. With Oklahoma and Tennessee both at home this week, a 2-0 week might get the Cats back into the rankings, which was unfathomable a month ago.

Biggest games this weekend: It’s a loaded Saturday. #4 Duke’s at #14 Carolina, #5 Illinois’s at #10 Michigan State, and to cap it all off #8 Houston tips at #16 BYU at 10:30pm. February is the month for big-time conference-play hoops!

Source link