For the first time in over two years, Alabama men’s basketball is on the outside looking in.
The Crimson Tide dropped out of the AP Top 25 this week, ending a 42-week streak in the national rankings - the fifth-longest active run heading into the season. Alabama had held firm in the poll since January 2024, but a tough stretch, capped by a blowout loss to No.
19 Florida, proved too much to overcome. The 100-77 defeat in Gainesville wasn’t just a loss - it was a statement game, and not the kind Nate Oats’ squad wanted to be on the wrong end of.
Alabama began the week at No. 23 but lost two of its last three, and the tumble opened the door for Tennessee to sneak back into the rankings at No. 25, officially snapping the Tide’s streak.
Meanwhile, Arizona continues to look untouchable. The Wildcats remain the unanimous No. 1 team in the country for the eighth straight week, riding a blistering 22-0 start that now stands as a school record.
Tommy Lloyd’s group secured all 59 first-place votes from the national media panel and shows no signs of slowing down. Next up: a trip to Oklahoma State with a chance to set a new program-best with a 23rd consecutive win.
Right behind Arizona, Michigan made a big leap to No. 2 after a statement week of its own. The Wolverines took down previously unbeaten Nebraska and then handled business against in-state rival Michigan State.
That kind of résumé boost is hard to ignore. UConn, Duke, and Illinois round out the top five, each continuing to build strong cases as March creeps closer.
Gonzaga holds steady at No. 6, while Iowa State and Houston each climbed a spot to tighten things up in the middle of the top 10. Nebraska, after suffering its first loss, slipped to No. 9, and Michigan State landed at No.
- That leaves just two unbeaten teams in Division I: Arizona and Miami (Ohio).
The SEC, which had been flexing its depth in recent weeks, now has four teams in the Top 25 - down one with Alabama’s departure. But with plenty of conference play still ahead, there’s room for reshuffling. For Alabama, the challenge now is clear: regroup, respond, and claw their way back into the national conversation.