Top 25: Week of 12/20

Last week, we saw COVID wreck some havoc on the schedule, leading to the postponement or cancellation of a couple games. The North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team had it’s expected game against UCLA at the CBS Sports Classic turned into one against Kentucky, that did not go well. The women were supposed to play Jacksonville and Boston College, but the first of those games didn’t end up happening.

Ahead of a planned quiet week ahead, let’s take a look at where the Top 25 rankings stand now.

Men’s Basketball

AP Top 25

1. Baylor Bears (60 first place votes)
2. Duke Blue Devils
3. Purdue Boilermakers
4. Gonzaga Bulldogs
5. UCLA Bruins
6. Arizona Wildcats (1)
7. Kanas Jayhawks
8. USC Trojans
9. Iowa State Cyclones
10. Alabama Crimson Tide
11. Michigan State Spartans
12. Auburn Tigers
13. Houston Cougars
14. Ohio State Buckeyes
15. Seton Hall Pirates
16. Texas Longhorns
17. LSU Tigers
18. Xavier Musketeers
19. Tennessee Volunteers
20. Kentucky Wildcats
21. Colorado State Rams
22. Providence Friars
23. Villanova Wildcats
24. Wisconsin Badgers
25. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Where is UNC?

Last week, the Heels weren’t too far away from the top 25, and probably would have gotten back in if they had won at the CBS Sports Classic. Well, that did not happen, and it’s probably going to take a couple more winning weeks to get there. UNC still got a couple votes, but they’re now a ways back of #25 Texas Tech.

Biggest Winners

Not a ton of big gainers this week, but two teams led the way by moving up four spots, and they’re both Big East teams. Xavier at #18 and Providence at #22 had the biggest moves up of the week.

Biggest Losers

On the other side, it was another Big East team that took the biggest fall of the week. Villanova dropped 14 spots after getting blown out by Baylor and Creighton in back-to-back games. A real shame, I say with no sarcasm whatsoever.

Conference Breakdown

• Big 12: 5
• SEC: 5
• Big East: 4
• Big Ten: 4
• Pac-12: 3
• AAC: 1
• ACC: 1
• Mountain West: 1
• WCC: 1

Marquee Matchups This Week

• #18 Xavier (11-1, 1-0 Big East) at #23 Villanova (7-4, 0-1 Big East) - Tonight at 7 PM ET on FS1
• #6 Arizona (11-0) at #19 Tennessee (8-2) - Wednesday at 7 PM ET on ESPN2
• Virginia Tech (8-4, 0-1 ACC) at #2 Duke (10-1, 0-0 ACC) - Wednesday at 9 PM ET on ESPN2

Women’s Basketball

AP Top 25

1. South Carolina Gamecocks (29 first place votes)
2. Stanford Cardinal
3. Louisville Cardinals
4. Arizona Wildcats
5. NC State Wolfpack
6. Maryland Terrapins
7. Tennessee Volunteers
8. Indiana Hoosiers
9. Michigan Wolverines
10. Baylor Bears
11. UConn Huskies
12. Texas Longhorns
13. Iowa State Cyclones
14. Georgia Bulldogs (tied with Iowa State)
15. Iowa Hawkeyes
16. Duke Blue Devils
17. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
18. South Florida Bulls
19. BYU Cougars
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
21. LSU Tigers
22. Kentucky Wildcats
23. Texas A&M Aggies
24. Ohio State Buckeyes
25. North Carolina Tar Heels

Where is UNC?

After a week that featured a win over Boston College to open the conference season, the Heels stayed exactly where they were last week at #25.

Biggest Winners

It wasn’t a massive week in terms of changes as no teams entered or exited from last week’s poll. However, the biggest jumps of the week belong Michigan and Georgia, who each moved up four spots.

Biggest Losers

The biggest fall this week was Baylor. The Bears dropped four spots thanks to a loss to the aforementioned Michigan team last week.

Conference Breakdown

• ACC: 6
• SEC: 6
• Big Ten: 5
• Big 12: 3
• Pac-12: 2
• AAC: 1
• Big East: 1
• WCC: 1

Marquee Matchups This Week

• #21 LSU (9-1) vs. Texas Tech (7-2) in West Palm Beach, FL - Tonight at 3:30 PM ET
• #2 Stanford (8-2) at #1 South Carolina (11-0) - Tonight at 7 PM ET on ESPN2
• #20 Notre Dame (10-2) at DePaul (11-2) - Wednesday at 8:30 PM ET