Michigan State suffered its second loss in three games on Saturday. A combination of too many turnovers and a stalling offense has jolted Sparty into a funk that has blown the Big Ten race wide open, allowing Purdue and Ohio State to take firm control atop the standings just one-third of the way into league play.
The result for Michigan State after a disappointing week is a free fall in the latest AP Top 25, dropping from No. 4 to No. 9 after going 1-1 and falling by double digits to Michigan at home this week. There's silver lining for Spartans fans: there's not a ranked opponent on the schedule until Purdue comes to town on Feb. 10.
The not-so-silver lining? Purdue looks like it might be the best team in the conference and a national title contender. Winners of 13 straight, the Boilermakers are 6-0 in the Big Ten, tied for first with Ohio State, and now up to No. 3 in the AP Top 25, behind top-ranked Villanova and No. 2 Virginia.
AP Top 25 poll
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' men's college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 14, 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 | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
1 | Villanova (63) | 16-1 | 1,623 | 1 |
2 | Virginia (1) | 16-1 | 1,527 | 3 |
3 | Purdue (1) | 17-2 | 1,411 | 6 |
4 | 14-2 | 1,371 | 9 | |
5 | 15-2 | 1,319 | 7 | |
6 | 15-2 | 1,304 | 2 | |
7 | 15-2 | 1,283 | 5 | |
8 | 15-2 | 1,276 | 8 | |
9 | Michigan State | 16-3 | 1,062 | 4 |
10 | 14-3 | 1,032 | 12 | |
11 | 16-3 | 928 | 10 | |
12 | 15-2 | 858 | 14 | |
13 | 16-3 | 829 | 15 | |
14 | 14-4 | 723 | 17 | |
15 | 14-4 | 666 | 20 | |
16 | 14-3 | 639 | 11 | |
17 | 16-1 | 523 | 22 | |
18 | 14-3 | 487 | 21 | |
19 | 15-3 | 455 | 13 | |
20 | 15-2 | 444 | 19 | |
21 | 12-4 | 358 | 24 | |
22 | Ohio State | 15-4 | 276 | -- |
23 | Michigan | 15-4 | 223 | -- |
24 | 13-4 | 196 | 16 | |
25 | Miami | 13-3 | 143 | 18 |
Others receiving votes: Creighton 56, Rhode Island 39, Florida State 25, Nevada 23, Saint Mary's 19, New Mexico State 4, Louisville 2, Florida 1.