Duke held onto the top spot in the Associated Press men's college basketball Top 25 poll released on Monday, receiving 56 of 61 first-place votes after completing a 29-2 regular season. Florida surged to No. 4, positioning itself as a contender for the final No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed, while Illinois and Virginia entered the top 10. The rankings come ahead of Selection Sunday, with the Blue Devils in line for the overall No. 1 seed.
The Associated Press men's basketball poll, released on Monday, underscores the intense competition for top seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Duke, with a record of 29-2 and winners of 18 of their last 19 games, solidified its position as the No. 1 team and the top seed in the ACC tournament. The Blue Devils are poised to claim the No. 1 overall seed when the 68-team bracket is unveiled on Sunday.
Following Duke are Michigan at No. 2, Arizona at No. 3, and Florida at No. 4. The Gators, who won the SEC outright by three games, made a late-season push that has them favored over UConn for the final No. 1 seed spot, despite UConn's head-to-head advantage. Florida ranks higher in six of seven NCAA team sheet metrics and holds four more Quad-1 wins, though UConn's losses to Creighton and Marquette may hinder its case.
The top 10 also includes Houston, UConn, Iowa State, Michigan State, Illinois, and Virginia. Virginia achieved its highest ranking of the season at No. 10, marking its first top-10 appearance since February 2023. St. John's rose five spots to No. 13, while Texas Tech dropped six to No. 16.
Notable movements include Arkansas jumping three spots to No. 17 after wins over Texas and Missouri, despite missing star guard Darius Acuff Jr. in the latter game. Alabama, with nine wins in their last 10, is now in contention for a No. 3 seed, boasting a strong offense led by players like Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway under coach Nate Oats.
One point of discussion is the placement of undefeated Miami (Ohio), which went 31-0 in the regular season but dropped from No. 19 to No. 20 in some reports, a move described as puzzling given losses by other ranked teams. Others receiving votes include Miami (Fla.) with 60 points, TCU with 19, and BYU with 18.
The poll reflects a fluid race for seeds, with conference tournaments this week potentially influencing final placements. For instance, a Florida SEC title could lock in their No. 1 seed, while Houston's Big 12 performance might elevate it.
