It’s Monday afternoon, and that means the latest editions of the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls have been released. Two B1G teams have made their poll debut this week, while the conference continues to hold strong overall.
Indiana, fresh off of a huge upset of #1 Kentucky Saturday night, enters the polls at #18 (AP) and #20 (Coaches). This marks the Hoosiers’ (9-0) first appearance in the national rankings since March of 2008, and the first week under Tom Crean. Kentucky fell to #3 in each poll after the loss, but still received 4 first-place votes in the AP.
Michigan State (8-2) is ranked for the first time this year, earning #21 from the AP and #23 from the coaches. The Spartans started the season 0-2 with losses to North Carolina and Duke, but have not lost since then and enter the rankings on an 8-game winning streak.
Ohio State (8-1) held on to the #2 ranking in both polls despite losing in Lawrence to the Kansas Jayhawks. The Buckeyes have been without their star All-American candidate Jared Sullinger for two games, and the absence of the big man clearly had an impact on Saturday’s loss to KU.
Wisconsin (8-2) holds in the middle of the pack at #14 AP / #15 Coaches. Illinois extended its undefeated season to 10-0 and stands at #19 in both. Michigan (7-2) makes it 7 ranked teams for the B1G Conference, as they are #20 AP / #18 Coaches.
Regional Big East team Marquette is also undefeated (9-0) and stands at #11 in both polls. Creighton suffered its first loss of the season (7-1) to unranked Saint Joseph’s Saturday but still held onto a #25 AP / #24 Coaches ranking.
After the jump, you can check out the full rankings:
AP Top 25
1. Syracuse (51 first place votes) | 10-0 | 1,607 points
2. Ohio State (7) | 8-1 | 1,478
3. Kentucky (4) | 8-1 | 1,468
4. Louisville (2) | 9-0 | 1,374
5. North Carolina (1) | 8-2 | 1,373
6. Baylor | 7-0 | 1,284
7. Duke | 9-1 | 1,273
8. Xavier | 8-0 | 1,122
9. Connecticut | 8-1 | 1,087
10. Missouri | 9-0 | 1,030
11. Marquette | 9-0 | 988
12. Kansas | 7-2 | 945
13. Florida | 7-2 | 891
14. Wisconsin | 8-2 | 728
15. Pittsburgh | 9-1 | 696
16. Georgetown | 8-1 | 602
17. Mississippi State | 9-1 | 574
18. Indiana | 9-0 | 462
19. Illinois | 10-0 | 375
20. Michigan | 7-2 | 354
21. Michigan State | 8-2 | 310
22. Texas A&M | 8-1 | 270
23. Alabama | 8-2 | 204
24. Murray State | 10-0 | 93
25. Creighton | 7-1 | 88
25. Vanderbilt | 6-3 | 88
Also receiving votes: Harvard 73, San Diego St 59, Virginia 57, UNLV 41, Stanford 39, SLU 26, Gonzaga 25, Memphis 13, Northern Iowa 7, Cleveland State 7, Arizona 5, California 3, Long Beach State 3, Northwestern 2, Wichita State 1
ESPN / USA Today Coaches Poll
1. Syracuse (28) | 10-0 | 746
2. Ohio State (2) | 8-1 | 671
3. Kentucky | 8-1 | 665
4. Louisville | 9-0 | 658
5. Duke | 9-1 | 618
6. North Carolina | 8-2 | 608
7. Baylor | 7-0 | 539
8. Missouri | 9-0 | 512
9. Xavier | 8-0 | 503
10. Connecticut | 8-1 | 485
11. Marquette | 9-0 | 466
12. Kansas | 7-2 | 441
13. Florida | 7-2 | 418
14. Pittsburgh | 9-1 | 356
15. Wisconsin | 8-2 | 317
16. Mississippi State | 9-1 | 251
17. Georgetown | 8-1 | 246
18. Michigan | 7-2 | 185
19. Illinois | 10-0 | 182
20. Indiana | 9-0 | 171
21. Alabama | 8-2 | 143
22. Texas A&M | 8-1 | 108
23. Michigan State | 8-2 | 107
24. Creighton | 7-1 | 54
25. Vanderbilt | 6-3 | 51
Also receiving votes: Harvard 43, Murray State 42, California 29, Memphis 27, San Diego St 26, Purdue 14, Gonzaga 13, Virginia 12, UNLV 9, SLU 9, St. Mary’s 5, Stanford 5, St. Joe’s 5, Oklahoma 4, Northern Iowa 3, Northwestern 3
