Luke DeCock’s AP Top 25 basketball poll ballot: Week 14
We have reached what you could call the Gonzaga Portion of the schedule, wherein the Zags probably aren’t going to lose more than once the rest of the way in the shallow waters of the WCC. (Although BYU and St. Mary’s are no pushovers, to be sure, but still.) That’s going to require a constant reevaluation of the top five, or Gonzaga’s just going to end up a permanent No. 1 by default eventually -- and San Diego State a permanent No. 2 for the same reasons.
There’s no reason to move Baylor out of the top spot, but it’s impossible not to have Kansas in the second spot based on the Jayhawks’ resume (No. 1 in KenPom, No. 1 in WAB, No. 3 in BPI, No. 3 in SOR) compared to Gonzaga’s (5, 4, 2, 4) and San Diego State’s (4, 3, 9, 2). Duke will be a part of that discussion as well if the Blue Devils keep winning. Maybe Dayton as well.
So for the moment, Gonzaga slides from two to four behind Kansas and San Diego State, but that will be a weekly re-evaluation from this point forward.
A ton of movement elsewhere, with just about every team not in the top 10 losing once this week. That’s a nice opportunity for a reshuffle and reappraisal of just about where everyone stands, and it opens the door for Creighton to take a mighty leap onto the ballot at 19 after winning at Villanova. Also under consideration for a first appearance, among others: Northern Iowa, BYU, Rhode Island.
THIS SEASON’S BALLOTS
Week 1 (Preseason) Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13
THIS WEEK’S TOP 25 BASKETBALL BALLOT
1. Baylor (Last week: 1)
2. Kansas (3)
3. San Diego State (4)
4. Gonzaga (2)
5. Duke (6)
6. Dayton (7)
7. Louisville (8)
8. Maryland (12)
9. Florida State (5)
10. West Virginia (9)
11. Auburn (17)
12. Villanova (10)
13. Seton Hall (11)
14. Butler (13)
15. Penn State (22)
16. Iowa (15)
17. LSU (23)
18. Michigan State (16)
19. Creighton (NR)
20. Oregon (14)
21. Arizona (NR)
22. Colorado (20)
23. Illinois (18)
24. Houston (19)
25. Kentucky (21)
OUT Rutgers (24), East Tennessee State (25).
This story was originally published February 3, 2020 at 9:23 AM.
