Where Michigan basketball ranks in AP poll following another blowout win

Michigan Wolverines basketball was No. 3 in the Associated Press top 25 last week, and has moved up to No. 2 following another blowout victory, this time a 101-60 win over Rutgers Saturday at Crisler Center. The Wolverines are No. 1 in the coaches poll.

Receiving 19 first-place votes, Michigan is behind No. 1 Arizona (33 first-place tallies). The Wildcats picked up a marquee home win over Auburn Saturday night. Earlier that day, previously-top-ranked Purdue fell in blowout fashion to Iowa State. The Boilermakers dropped to No. 6 this week, while the Cyclones rose six spots to No. 4.

Here’s the AP poll top 10: No. 1 Arizona, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Duke, No. 4 Iowa State, No. 5 UConn, No. 6 Purdue, No. 7 Houston, No. 8 Gonzaga, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 10 BYU.

While it’s on the cusp, Michigan hasn’t been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll since the Jan. 28, 2013 release. The Wolverines were No. 1 that season for one week, falling to Indiana at the end of it and dropping down to No. 3.

The Wolverines entered this season No. 6 in the preseason poll, their highest spot at the beginning of a year since 2021-22. Michigan is 8-0 on the year and has Villanova up next, Tuesday at Crisler Center.

Michigan is one of six Big Ten teams currently in the top 25, joined by No. 6 Purdue, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 13 Illinois, No. 23 Nebraska and No. 25 UCLA.

The Wolverines play at Purdue (Feb. 17) and Illinois (Feb. 27), will host UCLA (Feb. 14) and Nebraska (Jan. 27) and have a home-and-home with Michigan State (Jan. 30 in East Lansing, March 8 in Ann Arbor). The Maize and Blue will also take on No. 3 Duke Feb. 21 in Washington D.C.

Coming out of the fourth week of the college basketball regular season, Michigan is the No. 1 team nationally on KenPom, checking in No. 11 on offense and No. 1 on defense in the site’s adjusted efficiency ratings.

Michigan is also No. 1 in the NET rankings, with 3 Quad 1 victories over Gonzaga (No. 4 in NET), Auburn (No. 34) and TCU (No. 67).

College basketball AP poll

1. Arizona (33 first-place votes)
2. Michigan (19)
3. Duke (7)
4. Iowa State (1)
5. UConn
6. Purdue
7. Houston
8. Gonzaga
9. Michigan State
10. BYU
11. Louisville
12. Alabama
13. Illinois
14. North Carolina
15. Vanderbilt
16. Texas Tech
17. Arkansas
18. Florida
19. Kansas
20. Tennessee
21. Auburn
22. St. John’s
23. Nebraska
24. Virginia
25. UCLA