Back-to-back losses to open Big Ten play, including a 90-68 defeat at Michigan State, didn’t help Iowa’s standing in the polls. But the Hawkeyes bounced back Thursday with a 98-84 win over Iowa State and are still in this week’s top 25.
Iowa (7-2) slipped from No. 19 to No. 21 in the latest USA TODAY coaches poll. Michigan State (8-2) and Wisconsin (8-2), the two teams it lost to, are No. 9 and No. 19, respectively. The Cyclones are receiving votes.
Kansas (8-0) is the new No. 1 team in the coaches poll after Tennessee beat Gonzaga 76-73 Sunday. The Volunteeers (7-1), whose only loss is to KU, moved up to No. 4, while the Zags (9-1) dropped to sixth. Duke (9-1) and Virginia (9-0) follow Kansas at 2-3, while Michigan (10-0) rounds out the top five as the highest-ranked Big Ten team.
Other Big Ten teams ranked: No. 14 Ohio State (8-1), No. 23 Maryland (8-2) and No. 25 Nebraska (8-2). Purdue and Indiana are receiving votes.
Following Kansas in the Big 12 are No. 11 Texas Tech (8-0) and No. 24 Kansas State (6-2). Oklahoma, TCU and Texas are also receiving votes.
Iowa is No. 22 in this week’s AP poll.
The Hawkeyes take on Northern Iowa in the Hy-Vee Classic at 6 p.m. Saturday in Des Moines (BTN).
Men’s college basketball coaches poll: Dec. 10, 2018
1. Kansas (8-0)
2. Duke (9-1)
3. Virginia (9-0)
4. Tennessee (7-1)
5. Michigan (10-0)
6. Gonzaga (9-1)
7. Nevada (10-0)
8. Auburn (8-1)
9. Michigan State (8-2)
10. Florida State (8-1)
11. Texas Tech (8-0)
12. North Carolina (7-2)
13. Virginia Tech (8-1)
14. Ohio State (8-1)
15. Buffalo (9-0)
16. Villanova (8-2)
17. Mississippi State (8-1)
18. Kentucky (7-2)
19. Wisconsin (8-2)
20. Arizona State (7-1)
21. Iowa (7-2)
22. Houston (8-0)
23. Maryland (8-2)
24. Kansas State (6-2)
25. Nebraska (8-2)
Top 25 games this week
Saturday
No. 16 Villanova at No. 1 Kansas, 11 a.m. (ESPN)
No. 6 Gonzaga at No. 12 North Carolina, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
