ESPN updates BPI top 25 rankings after chaotic college basketball Saturday

275133747_4796292347117549_592518599057046758_nby:Jonathan Wagner•02/26/23•

Jonathan Wagner

Saturday marked one of the most chaotic days of college basketball we’ve seen yet this season. Nine ranked teams lost on the day, while plenty of others survived in tight games. After all of the action, ESPN has updated its BPI top 25 rankings.

No. 3 Purdue was the highest-ranked team to lose on Saturday. The Boilermakers played in a top 25 matchup against No. 17 Indiana, with the Hoosiers coming away with the 79-71 victory. That was one of three matchups been two ranked teams on the day, as No. 9 Baylor defeated No. 8 Texas 81-72 and No. 12 Gonzaga took down No. 15 Saint Mary’s 77-68.

The highest-ranked team to lose to an unranked opponent was No. 6 Virginia, who dropped a disappointing contest against North Carolina, 71-63 in Chapel Hill. No. 7 Arizona also lost, dropping an 89-88 game against Arizona State.

The upsets were far from over from there, though. Florida State found a way to beat No. 13 Miami 85-84. Villanova picked up an impressive win over No. 19 Creighton, 79-67. Oklahoma also beat No. 23 Iowa State 61-50, while Mississippi State knocked off No. 25 Texas A&M 69-62.

Overall, 14 of the 18 games that involved at least one ranked team on Saturday was decided by 10 or less points. It was a tight day throughout the country, and as the end of the regular season nears, teams are still fighting to bolster their resumes in the final days.

Updated ESPN BPI top 25

  1. Houston Cougars (27-2) (–)
  2. Tennessee Volunteers (21-8) (+1)
  3. Alabama Crimson Tide (25-4) (-1)
  4. UCLA Bruins (25-5) (–)
  5. UConn Huskies (22-7) (–)
  6. Texas Longhorns (22-7) (–)
  7. Purdue Boilermakers (24-5) (–)
  8. Kansas Jayhawks (24-5) (–)
  9. Baylor Bears (21-8) (–)
  10. Gonzaga Bulldogs (25-5) (+2)
  11. Arizona Wildcats (24-5) (-1)
  12. Arkansas Razorbacks (19-10) (+2)
  13. Creighton Bluejays (18-11) (-2)
  14. Indiana Hoosiers (20-9) (-1)
  15. Kentucky Wildcats (20-9) (+8)
  16. Saint Mary’s Gaels (25-6) (+3)
  17. Marquette Golden Eagles (23-6) (-1)
  18. Maryland Terrapins (19-9) (-1)
  19. Texas A&M Aggies (21-8) (+3)
  20. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (17-11) (-2)
  21. Xavier Musketeers (21-8) (+7)
  22. San Diego State Aztecs (23-5) (+5)
  23. West Virginia Mountaineers (16-13) (+7)
  24. TCU Horned Frogs (19-10) (+1)
  25. Virginia Cavaliers (21-6) (-10)

Kentucky was this week’s biggest riser, leaping eight spots up to No. 15. Virginia was the biggest faller, dropping 10 spots and barely holding onto the top 25 at No. 25.

Xavier (No. 21) rose seven spots to join this week’s BPI top 25, as did West Virginia (No. 23). San Diego State also rose five spots up to No. 22. Iowa State (previously No. 20), Auburn (previously No. 21) and Illinois (previously No. 24) fell out of this week’s BPI rankings.