Another week, another strong showing for the state of Michigan in men’s college basketball.
Michigan continues to look every bit the part of a national title contender, holding firm at No. 2 in the latest AP Top 25 poll and tightening the gap on top-ranked Arizona. The Wolverines picked up 19 first-place votes this week - a bump of four from last week - and now trail the Wildcats by just 20 points in the overall tally. It’s a sign of growing national confidence in a team that’s been steamrolling opponents.
And “steamrolling” might actually be putting it lightly. Michigan (11-0, 2-0 Big Ten) dismantled La Salle 102-50 in its only game last week, marking the fifth time in its last six outings that it has cracked the 100-point mark.
That’s not just offensive firepower - that’s sustained dominance. The Wolverines are now riding an eight-game streak of wins by at least 18 points, a level of consistency that’s hard to come by in today’s college game.
Just a few spots down the rankings, Michigan State is holding steady at No. 9 after another solid week. The Spartans (11-1, 2-0) took care of business at home against Toledo, 92-69, and then followed that up with a 79-70 win over Oakland at Little Caesars Arena. It’s the kind of week that won’t make national headlines but will absolutely keep you in the top 10 - and that’s exactly what Tom Izzo’s team did.
At the top, Arizona remains the team to beat. The Wildcats (11-0) earned 38 of the 58 first-place votes and extended their stay at No. 1 for a third consecutive week.
Their defense was on full display in a 68-45 rout of San Diego State, and they followed that up by cruising past Abilene Christian, 92-62. Arizona has now won six straight games by 20 or more points - a feat the program hasn’t matched since the 1942-43 season.
That’s not just a hot streak; that’s a historic one.
Right behind the top two, Iowa State continues its unbeaten run and jumps to No. 3, even grabbing a first-place vote. UConn and Purdue round out the top five, both continuing to build impressive resumes as the calendar flips to the new year. The next AP poll won’t drop until January 5, giving teams a chance to solidify - or shake up - their standing during the holiday stretch.
Elsewhere, Nebraska keeps climbing. The Cornhuskers are up to No. 13, their highest ranking since the 1991-92 season, after continuing their unbeaten run. They’re 12-0 and quietly becoming one of the season’s best stories.
On the flip side, a few teams took hits. Texas Tech made the biggest leap, jumping four spots to No. 15 after a dramatic 82-81 comeback win over Duke - a game that handed the Blue Devils their first loss of the season and knocked them down three spots to No.
- Louisville had the biggest drop, sliding five places to No. 16 after a loss to Tennessee, despite bouncing back to blow out Montana.
Arkansas also slipped, falling four spots to No. 18 after a 94-85 loss to Houston.
Two teams made their way back into the rankings. USC returns at No. 24 after convincing wins over UTSA and UC Santa Cruz, while Iowa re-enters at No. 25, riding a 10-2 start - its best since 2020.
Auburn and St. John’s, meanwhile, fell out.
Auburn dropped from No. 21 after a blowout loss to Purdue, its third defeat in five games. St.
John’s exited the poll after a 78-66 loss to Kentucky.
The Big Ten continues to flex its depth, leading all conferences with seven teams in the Top 25, thanks to the additions of USC and Iowa. The SEC and Big 12 each have six, with the Big 12 placing four teams in the top 10. The ACC has four ranked teams, while the Big East and West Coast Conference each have one.
Here’s how the full AP Top 25 shapes up heading into the holiday break:
AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll 1.
Arizona (38) - 11-0
2.
Michigan (19) - 11-0
3.
Iowa State (1) - 12-0
4.
UConn - 12-1
5.
Purdue - 11-1
6.
Duke - 11-1
7.
Gonzaga - 12-1
8.
Houston - 11-1
9.
Michigan State - 11-1
10.
BYU - 11-1
11.
Vanderbilt - 12-0
12.
North Carolina - 11-1
13.
Nebraska - 12-0
14.
Alabama - 9-3
15.
Texas Tech - 9-3
16.
Louisville - 10-2
17.
Kansas - 9-3
18.
Arkansas - 9-3
19.
Tennessee - 9-3
20.
Illinois - 8-3
21.
Virginia - 10-1
22.
Florida - 8-4
23.
Georgia - 10-1
24.
USC - 12-1
25.
Iowa - 10-2
With conference play heating up and a new year around the corner, the next few weeks will be crucial in separating contenders from pretenders. For now, Michigan, Michigan State, and Arizona are proving they belong at the top - and they’re doing it with authority.