AP Top 25: Week of 1/30

Our last couple Tuesdays here at Tar Heel Blog have been busy with game coverage, so it’s been a couple weeks since our last check in at the Top 25 basketball rankings. Both the UNC men’s and women’s teams have been on winning runs of late, which is good to see with things about to ramp up. Before this week’s action — which includes a Duke game —let’s check in on where the UNC teams stand in the latest AP Poll.

Men’s Basketball

AP Top 25

1. Purdue (62 first place votes)
2. Tennessee
3. Houston
4. Alabama
5. Arizona
6. Virginia
7. Kansas State
8. Kansas
9. UCLA
10. Texas
11. Baylor
12. Gonzaga
13. Iowa State
14. Marquette
15. TCU
16. Xavier
17. Providence
18. Saint Mary’s
19. Florida Atlantic
20. Clemson
21. Indiana
22. San Diego State
23. Miami
24. UConn
25. Auburn

Where is UNC?

The recent wins have the Tar Heels headed in the right direction, but they’re still a ways away from getting back into the top 25. UNC got 47 voting points this week, which was 70 off #25 Auburn, with another five teams in between the Heels and Tigers.

Biggest Winners

The biggest jumps of the week belong to Baylor and Providence. In particular, the Bears have been on fire of late, as they’re now on a six-game winning streak that includes a victory over Kansas.

Biggest Losers

The team that UNC is theoretically chasing for #25, Auburn, had the biggest drop of the week, falling ten spots to their current position. The Tigers got that way thanks to two-straight losses, including one to West Virginia at the weekend. Meanwhile, Charleston’s little run in the rankings ended after they dropped out thanks to a loss to Hofstra.

Conference Breakdown

• Big 12: 6
• Big East: 4
• ACC: 3
• SEC: 3
• Big Ten: 2
• Pac-12: 2
• WCC: 2
• AAC: 1
• Conference USA: 1
• Mountain West: 1

Marquee Matchups This Week

• #7 Kansas State (18-3, 6-2 Big 12) at #8 Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) - Tonight at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN+
• #1 Purdue (21-1, 10-1 Big Ten) at #21 Indiana (15-6, 6-4 Big Ten) - Saturday at 4:00 PM ET on ESPN
• #12 Gonzaga (18-4, 7-1 WCC) at #18 Saint Mary’s (19-4, 8-0 WCC) - Saturday at 10:30 PM ET on ESPN

Women’s Basketball

AP Top 25

1. South Carolina (28 first place votes)
2. Stanford
3. LSU
4. Indiana
5. UConn
6. Iowa
7. Utah
8. Maryland
9. Notre Dame
10. Ohio State
11. North Carolina
12. Iowa State
13. Virginia Tech
14. UCLA
15. NC State
16. Duke
17. Gonzaga
18. Michigan
19. Villanova
20. Oklahoma
21. Middle Tennessee
22. Arizona
23. Florida State
24. Texas
25. South Florida

Where is UNC?

The Tar Heels have now won seven-straight games since their late December/early January swoon, a stretch that includes three wins over three teams currently in the top 16. Thanks to that run, Carolina is back to knocking on the door of the top 10, coming in at #11, up four spots from last week.

Biggest Winners

Carolina’s four spot jump is one of the biggest of the week, but there were two teams that topped them. NC State, one of UNC’s ranked wins, moved up five spots thanks to their win over top ten Notre Dame. However, Iowa State led everyone this week, thanks to a six spot rise.

Biggest Losers

The team that just beat out UNC for the last spot in the top ten — Ohio State — fell the largest number of spots this week. The entered last week at #2 in the country, but have since lost three consecutive games, including one to unranked Purdue.

Conference Breakdown

• ACC: 6
• Big Ten: 5
• Pac-12: 4
• Big 12: 3
• Big East: 2
• SEC: 2
• AAC: 1
• Conference USA: 1
• WCC: 1

Marquee Matchups This Week

• #8 Maryland (17-4, 8-2 Big Ten) at #6 Iowa (17-4, 9-1 Big Ten) - Thursday at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN
• #1 South Carolina (21-0) at #5 UConn (20-2) - Sunday at 12:00 PM ET on FOX
• #16 Duke (18-3, 8-2 ACC) at #9 Notre Dame (17-3, 8-2 ACC) - Sunday at 1:00 PM ET on ACC Network Extra