After its 30-point domination of Seton Hall on Sunday to clinch the Big East regular-season title, the UConn men’s basketball team jumped Purdue into the second spot in the Associated Press top 25 poll on Monday.
The Huskies held the top spot for six consecutive weeks before dropping to No. 3 last week with a loss at Creighton. Sunday’s win resulted in an additional first place vote, pushing the Huskies ahead of Purdue with six. Houston, No. 1 in KenPom and in the NET, held the top spot for the second week in a row with 52 first place votes after beating Cincinnati and Oklahoma.
Tennessee held at No. 4 and Arizona rounded out the top five after Marquette lost at Creighton without stars Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro.
The Golden Eagles, who will be without their star point guard Kolek for the final two games of the regular season, including Wednesday’s game against UConn, dropped to No. 8 and Creighton moved up to No. 10. It is the 10th consecutive week with three Big East teams ranked in the top 25.
Villanova, on the NCAA Tournament bubble, received two top 25 votes.
UConn (26-3, 16-2 Big East) was ranked No. 2 on KenPom and in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll, third in the NCAA’s NET, on Monday.
The newly crowned Big East regular-season champs remain the betting favorite to win it all, which would make them the first back-to-back NCAA champions since Florida in 2006-07.
The Huskies are set to finish the season with games at Marquette on Wednesday and Providence on Saturday.
Steph earns his 10th @BIGEAST Freshman of the Week, tying @carmeloanthony for the most all-time‼️ pic.twitter.com/UuiNkEIOSq
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) March 4, 2024
Stephon Castle ties Big East record, Clingan on honor roll
UConn’s Stephon Castle, after his best game of the season on Sunday, was named the Big East Freshman of the Week for a 10th time on Monday, tying Syracuse’s Carmelo Anthony (2002-03) for the most all-time.
Castle tied his career-high with 21 points on 12 shots in the win over Seton Hall, adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Overall this season, Castle leads all Big East freshmen with 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Donovan Clingan, after posting his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Pirates, was named to the conference’s honor roll for the third time this season. He also tied his career-high with five blocks and had two assists.
AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll: Week 18
- Houston (52)
- UConn (6)
- Purdue (4)
- Tennessee
- Arizona
- Iowa State
- North Carolina
- Marquette
- Duke
- Creighton
- Baylor
- Illinois
- Auburn
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- Washington State
- Gonzaga
- BYU
- San Diego State
- Utah State
- Saint Mary’s
- South Florida
- Dayton
