A Monday win over Kansas State and road victory at Oklahoma State over the weekend propelled the Kansas men’s basketball team to No. 13 in the latest Associated Press Top 25.
It marks just the second time in the past six weeks that the Jayhawks have moved up in the AP poll, which opened with Kansas on top before the games began back in November.
That ranking is right in line with where this team sits in other key rankings, including KenPom.com, where KU is currently ranked 14th and the new NCAA Tournament Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, which have Kansas listed at No. 16 overall.
The Jayhawks remain in pursuit of a 15th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title and are one game back of K-State and Texas Tech with two games left to play. That being said, these rankings are a reminder that, even if their Big 12 streak comes to an end, there’s still plenty to play for in the next couple of weeks — most notably, NCAA Tournament seeding.
A few weeks ago, when the NCAA Selection Committee released its sneak peek at where the bracket stood midway through conference play, Kansas landed on the 3 line. ESPN.com’s Bracketology still has the Jayhawks there and the strength of their Quadrant I wins and tough schedule will work in their favor when the committee is putting together the bracket.
But winning out would be the best way to ensure that the Jayhawks get as high a seed as possible. While they’re out of the running for a No. 1 seed, making a strong push this week and next, through the Big 12 tournament, could put them in position to sneak into that No. 2 seed conversation.
Most likely, however, this team is a 3 or a 4 seed, which will create a much different road than the one the Jayhawks have traveled during recent years.
**Here’s a quick look at the updated AP Top 25:**
1 – Gonzaga, 29-2 (42)
2 – Virginia, 26-2 (21)
3 – North Carolina, 24-5
4 – Duke, 25-4 (1)
5 – Tennessee, 26-3
6 – Kentucky, 24-5
7 – Michigan, 26-4
8 – Texas Tech, 24-5
9 – Michigan State, 23-6
10 – LSU, 24-5
11 – Purdue, 22-7
12 – Houston, 27-2
13 – Kansas, 22-7
14 – Florida State, 23-6
15 – Virginia Tech, 22-6
16 – Marquette, 23-6
17 – Nevada, 26-3
18 – Kansas State, 22-7
19 – Buffalo, 26-3
20 – Cincinnati, 25-4
21 – Wisconsin, 20-9
22 – Wofford, 26-4
23 – Villanova, 22-8
24 – Maryland, 21-9
25 – UCF, 22-6
**Others receiving votes:** Auburn 43, Mississippi St. 25, Iowa St. 21, Utah St. 17, Washington 14, VCU 14, Louisville 12, New Mexico St. 8, Baylor 7, Belmont 7, Old Dominion 3.
