Gonzaga and UCLA rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the latest AP Top 25 poll for a third consecutive week, setting up a marquee matchup between the two powers on Tuesday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will mark the 43rd meeting between the top two teams in the AP poll in the 72 years of its existence.
The Zags are 4-0 on the season with all four of its wins -- including over a top-five Texas team -- coming by double figures as they've flexed their top-ranked muscles with ease. Their No. 1 ranking continues a streak of appearances in the top spot after earning the No. 1 ranking last preseason and never relinquishing it.
UCLA also enters Tuesday's matchup 4-0 on the season and with its own win over a top-five team after defeating No. 5 Villanova in overtime in its second game of the season earlier this month. Gonzaga and UCLA will play neutral-court tune-ups against Central Michigan and Bellarmine in Vegas, respectively, before the Tuesday night tilt.
The AP poll did see some changes this week despite the top two of Gonzaga and UCLA holding steady. Kansas fell one spot to No. 4 as Purdue moved up three slots into No. 3, Michigan moved from No. 4 to 20, Villanova fell from No. 5 to No. 7 and both Duke and Memphis moved up two spots to No. 5 and No. 9, respectively.
AP Top 25
The top 25 teams in the Associated Press college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sunday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking.
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Prev. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonzaga (55) | 4-0 | 1,515 | 1 |
| 2 | UCLA (5) | 4-0 | 1,443 | 2 |
| 3 | Purdue (1) | 5-0 | 1,391 | 6 |
| 4 | Kansas | 3-0 | 1,354 | 3 |
| 5 | Duke | 5-0 | 1,225 | 7 |
| 6 | Baylor | 4-0 | 1,154 | 9 |
| 7 | Villanova | 3-2 | 1,090 | 5 |
| 8 | Texas | 3-1 | 1,083 | 8 |
| 9 | Memphis | 4-0 | 1,002 | 11 |
| T-10 | Kentucky | 3-1 | 880 | 13 |
| T-10 | Alabama | 4-0 | 880 | 14 |
| 12 | Houston | 3-0 | 861 | 15 |
| 13 | Arkansas | 3-0 | 754 | 16 |
| 14 | Illinois | 2-1 | 624 | 10 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 3-1 | 558 | 17 |
| 16 | St. Bonaventure | 5-0 | 517 | 22 |
| 17 | Arizona | 5-0 | 474 | NR |
| 18 | BYU | 4-0 | 449 | NR |
| 19 | Auburn | 3-0 | 374 | 21 |
| 20 | Michigan | 3-2 | 367 | 4 |
| 21 | Seton Hall | 3-0 | 363 | NR |
| 22 | UConn | 4-0 | 342 | 23 |
| 23 | Florida | 3-0 | 294 | 24 |
| 24 | USC | 3-0 | 138 | 25 |
| 25 | Xavier | 4-0 | 102 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Oregon 96, Virginia Tech 91, Ohio St. 89, North Carolina 75, Indiana 45, Michigan St. 44, Marquette 41, Colorado St. 30, Maryland 28, Texas Tech 26, Iowa 6, LSU 6, Florida St. 4, Mississippi St. 4, Drake 2, San Francisco 1, George Mason 1, Ohio 1, Loyola Chicago 1.
