Apparently, winning five straight games in the SEC isn't enough to get you ahead of two teams you have already beaten this year.
The latest AP Top 25 dropped today, and despite a resurgence that has seen Mark Pope’s squad rattle off five consecutive victories, including a signature win in Knoxville, Kentucky, finds itself on the outside looking in.
The Wildcats checked in effectively at No. 27, sitting in the "Others Receiving Votes" category, directly behind two teams that have lost to the Cats.
AP Poll defies logic
If you are looking for logic, you won't find it here. Here is the blind resume test:
- Team A: 13-6 record, 3-3 in conference, just lost at home to Team B.
- Team B: 14-6 record, 5-2 in conference, winners of 5 straight, beat Team A on the road.
In what world is Team A ranked higher? And it isn't just the Vols. St. John's (15-5) managed to sneak into the No. 25 spot, leaving Kentucky staring up at two teams that they beat. St. John's was on a neutral site, and Tennessee was in Knoxville.
It feels like the voters are punishing Kentucky for the early-season stumbles as opposed to who they are and what they are playing like right now.
A precarious spot
The disrespect adds a layer of pressure to what is already a massive "Showdown Week." Kentucky takes on No. 18 Vanderbilt and No. 15 Arkansas on the road. This is the definition of a "prove it" week.
If Kentucky can go 1-1 in these hostile environments, they should rightfully find themselves back in the Top 25. But what really matters is keeping the momentum alive. The one thing that cannot happen is a regression; two blowouts reminiscent of that Gonzaga disaster would undo all the goodwill built over the last three weeks. That just can't be the team they are anymore.
Women's Team Slides
On the women's side, the slide continues, but the respect remains. The Kentucky women have lost three in a row, the longest losing streak of the Kenny Brooks era, but they managed to hang on in the Top 20, checking in at No. 18. They will look to stop the bleeding and get things back on track against Arkansas on February 1st.
AP Top 25 men's rankings
- Arizona (20-0)
- UConn (19-1)
- Michigan (18-1)
- Duke (18-1)
- Nebraska (20-0)
- Gonzaga (21-1)
- Michigan State (18-2)
- Iowa State (18-2)
- Illinois (17-3)
- Houston (17-2)
- Texas Tech (16-4)
- Purdue (17-3)
- BYU (17-2)
- Kansas (15-5)
- Arkansas (15-5)
- North Carolina (16-4)
- Virginia (16-3)
- Vanderbilt (17-3)
- Florida (14-6)
- Louisville (14-5)
- Saint Louis (19-1)
- Clemson (17-4)
- Alabama (13-6)
- Miami (OH) (20-0)
- St. John's (15-5)
Others Receiving Votes:
Tennessee (88), Kentucky (51), Georgia (49), Iowa (30), Texas A&M (27), Auburn (15), NC State (8), SMU (4), Saint Mary's (3), Utah St. (2), Villanova (2), Wisconsin (1).