Around the Top 25 (Basketball): Feb. 11
Several upsets in the world of college basketball shook up the Top 25, the most noteworthy coming courtesy of the Arkansas Razorbacks, who knocked off the No. 1 team in the country, the Auburn Tigers in overtime.
Auburn was riding an 18-game win streak when they arrived in Bud Walton Arena. The Tigers were met by an impressive performance from guard JD Notae and the Razorbacks, which was followed by an equally as impressive performance from the Arkansas fans, storming the court in epic fashion.
The Razorbacks have been climbing their way back into the Top 25 since dropping five of six games around New Year’s, and they will almost certainly be ranked when the next AP poll drops on Monday.
No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers
The No. 3 team in the country, the Purdue Boilermakers had an eventful week in their own right.
The Boilermakers started the week off with a highly anticipated matchup with the No. 13 ranked Fighting Illini, picking up a huge 84-68 win to move into the lead in the Big Ten standings. Fresh off the big win, the Boilermakers were dominated by the Michigan Wolverines, a team they had just beaten five days prior.
No. 6 Houston Cougars
The Houston Cougars, ranked No. 6 in the nation, dropped a nail-biter to unranked SMU, a loss that will certainly result in a drop in the polls for the AAC leaders.
No. 7 Duke Blue Devils
The perennial blue blood Duke Blue Devils fell to conference foe Virginia on Monday, thanks to a go-ahead 3-pointer from Virginia’s Reece Beekman with 1.1 seconds remaining on the clock.
The No. 7 team in the country had a bounce-back game on Thursday, defeating the Clemson Tigers 82-64 in a chippy matchup, Duke’s Wooden Award candidate Paolo Banchero recorded a double-double, posting 15 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks
Fellow Blue Blood and No. 8 ranked Kansas Jayhawks followed up their big win over the defending champion Baylor Bears with a loss on Monday to the No. 20 ranked Texas Longhorns. They return to action on Saturday, facing off against unranked Oklahoma.
No. 9 Texas Tech Red Raiders
Speaking of the Sooners, they defeated the No. 9 team in the country Texas Tech by a score of 70-55. Texas Tech had nobody to blame but themselves in this game, shooting an abysmal 11.8% from the 3-point line, as compared to Oklahoma’s 46.4% from three.
No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers faced off against the Spartans of Michigan State in a matchup between the No. 14 and No. 17 ranked teams in the country, respectfully. The Badgers went into the Breslin Center and beat the Spartans 70-62 behind a 25-point performance by Badger guard Johnny Davis.
The Badgers return to action Saturday to take on the Scarlet-hot Knights of Rutgers.
No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes
Rutgers’ hot streak comes thanks in part to the No. 16 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes let Rutgers go on a 10-0 run to close the game and ended up falling to the Scarlet Knights, 66-64. Senior guard Geo Baker led the Knights with a 25-point showing in the home victory.
The Buckeyes return to action Saturday to take on heated rival Michigan, fresh off a huge victory over Purdue.
No. 18 Marquette Golden Eagles
The No. 18 team in the country, the Marquette Golden Eagles dropped an 80-72 contest to Big East rival Connecticut, who is ranked No. 24 in the country.
No. 22 Saint Mary’s Gaels
The Saint Mary’s Gaels lost their fifth game of the season immediately after being ranked in the AP poll for the first time all season, falling to unranked Santa Clara. The Gaels gear up for their biggest game of the season next, the first of two matchups with the No. 2 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs.
No. 23 Murray State Racers
Murray State has finally done it - the Racers are ranked for the first time all season.
The now No. 23 team in the country is 23-2 and has not lost a game since Dec. 22 to the No. 1 ranked Auburn Tigers. The college basketball world has been clamoring for the Racers to be ranked for a long time, and they finally get their wish.
No. 25 Xavier Musketeers
The No. 25 squad in the nation, the Xavier Musketeers have dropped two straight games to unranked foes, likely resulting in a new team in the poll on Monday.
Jameson Kramer is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jek5650@psu.edu.
