Kentucky on the move in AP rankings. See where the Cats are now.
After two weeks stuck in neutral, the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team is on the move again in The Associated Press Top 25.
Kentucky, which held down the No. 19 spot the past two weeks, rose to No. 16 in the latest rankings released Monday.
The Wildcats’ boost was the result of their 80-72 win over then-No. 9 North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic at Chicago on Saturday.
While Kentucky rose, North Carolina dropped. The Tar Heels (8-3) settled in at No. 14 this week.
The poll also revealed a new No. 1 team. Duke (11-1) replaced Kansas atop the poll after the Jayhawks were stunned Saturday night by Arizona State. The loss dropped Kansas to No. 5.
Duke was followed in the new top five by Michigan (12-0), Tennessee (10-1), Virginia (11-0) and Kansas (10-1).
The rest of the top 10 were Nevada (12-0), Gonzaga (11-2), Michigan State (10-2), Florida State (11-1) and Virginia Tech (10-1).
Kentucky, which was ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll before a season-opening loss to Duke sent the Cats, reeling backward, gets a another chance to climb on Saturday when the Wildcats (9-2) visit archrival Louisville. The Cardinals (9-3) were among other teams receiving votes with four points in this week’s poll.
Kentucky was joined in this week’s Top 25 by three other Southeastern Conference teams — No. 3 Tennessee, No. 12 Auburn and No. 19 Mississippi State. After playing Louisville, Kentucky opens SEC action Jan. 5 at Alabama.
Men’s AP Top 25
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 23, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:
| | Record | Pts | Prv |
1. Duke (35) | 11-1 | 1529 | 2 |
2. Michigan (9) | 12-0 | 1472 | 4 |
3. Tennessee (12) | 10-1 | 1471 | 3 |
4. Virginia (4) | 11-0 | 1427 | 5 |
5. Kansas (4) | 10-1 | 1386 | 1 |
6. Nevada | 12-0 | 1316 | 6 |
7. Gonzaga | 11-2 | 1199 | 8 |
8. Michigan St. | 10-2 | 1146 | 10 |
9. Florida St. | 11-1 | 1061 | 11 |
10. Virginia Tech | 10-1 | 924 | 13 |
11. Texas Tech | 10-1 | 845 | 12 |
12. Auburn | 10-2 | 770 | 7 |
13. Ohio St. | 11-1 | 737 | 15 |
14. North Carolina | 8-3 | 678 | 9 |
15. Wisconsin | 10-2 | 673 | 16 |
16. Kentucky | 9-2 | 664 | 19 |
17. Arizona St. | 9-2 | 626 | 18 |
18. Marquette | 10-2 | 538 | 20 |
19. Mississippi St. | 11-1 | 518 | 17 |
20. N.C. State | 11-1 | 292 | — |
21. Buffalo | 11-1 | 279 | 14 |
22. Houston | 12-0 | 274 | 21 |
23. Indiana | 11-2 | 247 | 22 |
24. Iowa | 10-2 | 178 | 23 |
25. Oklahoma | 11-1 | 163 | — |
Others receiving votes: Nebraska 160, Kansas St. 69, St. John’s 67, Villanova 44, Cincinnati 11, Iowa St. 11, TCU 6, Seton Hall 5, Louisville 4, Purdue 3, Belmont 2, Furman 2, NJIT 1, Penn 1, San Francisco 1.
Next game
No. 16 Kentucky at Louisville
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
TV: ESPN2
This story was originally published December 24, 2018 at 12:29 PM.