In Tuscaloosa, a significant shift occurred at the top of the AP Top 25 poll after an exciting weekend of NCAA basketball. No. 1 Auburn solidified its position by defeating No. 2 Alabama in a commanding fashion. Meanwhile, No. 5 Tennessee faced disappointment as they lost to No. 15 Kentucky for the second time this season, leading to likely changes in the rankings.
Following these results, No. 3 Florida is expected to jump to No. 2 in the upcoming poll. This rise would be significant as it marks the Gators’ highest ranking since the 2013-14 season when they were No. 1 for four consecutive weeks before their postseason run ended against eventual champion UConn. Florida has been on a roll, improving to 22-3 overall after recent wins over Mississippi State and South Carolina, coupled with their previous victory over Auburn.
Auburn, despite losing its unanimous No. 1 status last week, is projected to hold onto the top spot in the rankings thanks to its recent strong performance against Alabama. Although the team’s hold on the No. 1 ranking became less secure as they shared first-place votes with three other schools, their decisive win is likely to draw back some support.
As Monday’s poll draws near, the focus is now on whether Auburn will regain its unanimous ranking or if Florida and Duke will contest the No. 2 position. The potential shift in rankings is expected to shake things up as teams gear up for the latter part of the season. Projected to drop out of the rankings is Creighton, further indicating the fluid nature of the standings as teams battle for playoff position.
