As basketball season continues, the men’s college basketball rankings are changing rapidly. The USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll has seen minimal shakeup near the top, but that is expected to change in the next poll as holiday tournaments are on the horizon. One of these tournaments is particularly star-studded and will reshuffle things in the rankings.
In the latest poll, there were only two changes in the top 10 teams: No. 10 Gonzaga nudged ahead of Miami (Fla.) by a single poll point, and Kansas remained No. 1 with five first-place votes. Purdue held onto its spot at No. 2 with three first-place nods, while Arizona and Connecticut rounded out the top five with one each. Marquette was also in the top 25 at No. 6, but it was not enough to push any other teams out of their spots.
However, when it comes to newcomers to the rankings, there are a few teams that stand out. Florida Atlantic dropped ten spots to No. 20 after a loss to Bryant, but still remains in the poll. Colorado also joined the rankings this week at No. 21, along with Memphis at No. 23 and Mississippi State at No. 25. These newcomers have created four dropouts thanks to last week’s tie for 25th between UCLA and Virginia, which left Arkansas, Southern California, Villanova and Saint Mary’s out of the rankings altogether.
As we approach holiday tournament season, there will likely be more changes in the rankings as teams face off against tough competition and prove themselves on national stages like Hawaii’s Maui Invitational or other tournaments across America . Stay tuned for updates on who will rise or fall as college basketball continues to evolve over time