Luke DeCock’s AP Top 25 basketball poll ballot: Week 6
With Arizona’s loss to Purdue, the top spot on this ballot is open again, and undefeated Houston will claim it. Not because the Cougars are undefeated, although that doesn’t hurt, but because they’re a runaway No. 1 in efficiency and have the third-best resume (behind Purdue and, yes, Clemson).
It’s basically a coin flip with Purdue, but the Boilermakers have had their shot and now the Cougars get theirs. Not a ton of movement otherwise. There were so many great matchups over the weekend (finally), that it’s hard to hold many of the losses against the losers.
What is clear at this point is that there appears to be a slight six-team breakaway from the pack by Houston, Purdue, Kansas, UConn, Marquette and Arizona. It feels like about 75 percent of the Final Four will end up coming from that sextet.
There have been questions about why Illinois isn’t on my ballot. The Illini have been under consideration the past three weeks but when there have been spots on my ballot open, other teams (like Auburn this week) have been able to make stronger cases. It’s unfortunate for Illinois but sometimes that’s the way things work.
This season’s ballots
Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5
Luke DeCock’s Week 6 AP Top 25 basketball ballot
1. Houston (Last week: 2)
2. Purdue (3)
3. Kansas (4)
4. Connecticut (5)
5. Marquette (8)
6. Arizona (1)
7. Creighton (6)
8. Oklahoma (11)
9. Tennessee (13)
10. BYU (14)
11. Baylor (7)
12. Colorado State (15)
13. Clemson (10)
14. Virginia (16)
15. Florida Atlantic (17)
16. Wisconsin (18)
17. North Carolina (12)
18. San Diego State (20)
19. Gonzaga (9)
20. Kentucky (21)
21. Texas A&M (19)
22. James Madison (22)
23. Duke (23)
24. Memphis (25)
25. Auburn (NR)
OUT Alabama (24)
Under consideration Illinois, Iowa State, Mississippi, Princeton, Utah
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This story was originally published December 18, 2023 at 7:30 AM.
