Auburn Holds No. 1 Spot Amid College Basketball Chaos

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Auburn remained the unanimous No. 1 in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll released Monday, capping a chaotic week that saw 19 ranked teams lose at least one game. The Tigers (17-1) held their top spot despite playing without an injured key player, securing wins over Georgia and another opponent to maintain their dominance.

Duke climbed to No. 2 after two victories, while Iowa State dropped to No. 3 following a loss to Kansas. Alabama and Florida rounded out the top five, each suffering a loss last week but retaining their positions. The week’s upheaval allowed Michigan State to re-enter the top 10 for the first time this season, and Missouri made its poll debut at No. 22.

Louisville, under first-year coach Pat Kelsey, continued its remarkable turnaround, entering the rankings at No. 25. The Cardinals, who won just 12 games combined over the past two seasons, have won eight straight games, including a historic victory over a conference rival.

St. John's also made waves, re-entering the poll at No. 20 under coach Rick Pitino. The Red Storm (16-3) are off to their best start in nearly four decades and lead the Big East for the first time since 1992.

Purdue and Wisconsin saw the biggest jumps in the rankings, each climbing six spots, while Memphis fell six places after a loss to Temple. Gonzaga, Georgia, and Baylor dropped out of the poll entirely after multiple losses.

The SEC leads all conferences with eight ranked teams, including five in the top 10. The Big Ten and Big 12 follow with six and five ranked teams, respectively. The Big East and ACC each have two teams in the poll.

“Louisville is the hottest team in the league right now,” said Virginia coach Ron Sanchez after the Cardinals’ recent win. The team’s resurgence has been a bright spot in an otherwise unpredictable season.

As the season progresses, the rankings remain fluid, with upsets and surprises becoming the norm. Auburn’s consistency, however, has been a rare constant in a year defined by chaos.