This week’s Related Press Prime 25 males’s basketball ballot, launched on Monday, options some motion among the many prime 5 and a few risers and fallers all through the ballot as the ultimate week of the common season arrives for many groups and convention tournaments get underway for others.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the ballot:
Tennessee strikes up after buzzer-beating win over Alabama
After the game-winning buzzer-beater three from senior Jahmai Mashack on Saturday, Tennessee (24-5, 11-5 SEC), up one spot to No. 4, had essentially the most exhilarating win of the week of all the highest 5 groups.
It was Tennessee’s first buzzer-beater from behind the arc since Lamonte Turner’s nook triple towards VCU in 2019. Essentially the most spectacular a part of all the recreation was Tennessee’s potential to decelerate the Crimson Tide’s top-ranked offense within the nation (91 PPG). The 76 factors allowed was solely the second time in convention play that Alabama has failed to achieve 80 factors.
That sort of defensive depth has Tennessee in place to be a prime 4 seed within the SEC Event if it might care for enterprise towards unranked Ole Miss and South Carolina this week. If the momentum carries over, count on Tennessee to be a powerful contender for the SEC Event championship and a troublesome out within the NCAA Event.
St. John’s rises after ending 40-year drought
For the primary time since 1985, St. John’s (26-4, 17-2 Large East), up one spot to No. 6, is outright Large East regular-season champions following a 71-61 win over Seton Corridor on Saturday. Based on ESPN Bracketology professional Joe Lunardi, the Purple Storm are a projected four-seed. In the event that they preserve taking good care of enterprise, although, that may possible enhance earlier than alternatives are made on March 16.
St. John’s is led by three gamers in double-figures in juniors RJ Luis Jr. (17.8 PPG) and Zuby Ejiofor (14 PPG) and senior Kadary Richmond (12.8 PPG). The Purple Storm are additionally the ninth-best rebounding workforce within the nation (40.67 RPG), making it tough to beat them even when the photographs are usually not falling.
Louisville positive aspects 5 spots after successful seventh straight
With seven straight wins, Louisville (23-6, 16-2 ACC), up 5 spots to No. 14, is tied for its most convention wins in a season in program historical past after it beforehand went 16-2 within the Large East in 2008-09.
The Cardinals have gone from failing to win 10 video games every of the final two seasons to being a prime three seed within the ACC and a workforce that’s solidly within the NCAA Event beneath first-year head coach Pat Kelsey. Every of Louisville’s seven wins throughout its successful streak have come towards groups that aren’t at present within the NCAA Event, so it must be fascinating to see how the Cardinals fare towards stiffer competitors.
Michigan suffers one other setback following historic residence loss
Michigan (22-7, 14-4 Large Ten), falls two spots to No. 17 after a 93-73 loss to unranked Illinois on Sunday. That was this system’s worst loss at residence towards an unranked opponent since a 93-72 loss to Duke in 1967.
After successful six straight, the Wolverines have break up their final 4, together with a 75-62 loss to then-No. 14 Michigan State on Feb. 21. The Spartans now possess 5 straight wins over Quad 1 opponents and a one-game lead over Michigan within the convention standings With the 2 groups set for a rematch on Sunday, a win over No. 13 Maryland on Wednesday would give the Wolverines a shot of clinching at the very least a share of the Large Ten regular-season title.
Texas A&M experiences largest drop in rankings
Following a pair of losses final week and a four-game shedding streak total, Texas A&M (20-9, 9-7 SEC), down 10 spots to No. 22, has fallen prey to the SEC gauntlet. The Aggies have misplaced to Tennessee and Florida throughout that stretch and host No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday. These are three of the highest 5 groups within the nation.
Texas A&M has shot lower than 40 % in every of its final 4 losses. Whereas the Aggies are sixth in rebounding (40.79 RPG), the taking pictures should enhance with solely two regular-season video games remaining.
