The latest AP Top 25 men's basketball rankings, released on February 3, showcased the dominance of the Southeastern Conference, with five teams Kentucky has defeaed making the cut, including four inside the top 10: Mississippi State (No. 22), Florida (No. 6), Tennessee (No. 4), Texas A&M (No. 10), and Duke (No. 2). However, the Arkansas loss hurt, dropping them two spots to No. 14 after a disappointing 89-79 loss to Arkansas.
POLL ALERT: Auburn, Duke remain 1-2 atop AP Top 25, SEC has 9 teams in poll; Maryland makes 1st poll appearance since February 2023.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) February 3, 2025
Full poll: https://t.co/ZJG5mgWrsa pic.twitter.com/Ortb6Mk5aT
The Wildcats have a crucial opportunity to bounce back this week as they travel to Oxford to take on No. 25 Ole Miss, a key conference matchup that could help Kentucky regain momentum.
AP Top 25 Men’s Basketball Rankings (Week 14 - February 3, 2025)
1. Auburn Tigers (20-1) - 1,550 points (62 first-place votes)
- Last game: Defeated Ole Miss, 92-82
2. Duke Blue Devils (19-2) - 1,488 points
- Last game: Defeated North Carolina, 87-70
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (19-3) - 1,422 points ⬆️ 1
- Last game: Defeated Georgia, 90-69
4. Tennessee Volunteers (18-4) - 1,295 points ⬆️ 4
- Last game: Defeated Florida, 64-44
5. Houston Cougars (17-4) - 1,245 points ⬆️ 1
- Last game: Lost to Texas Tech, 82-81
6. Florida Gators (18-3) - 1,183 points ⬇️ 1
- Last game: Lost to Tennessee, 64-44
7. Purdue Boilermakers (17-5) - 1,102 points ⬆️ 3
- Last game: Defeated Indiana, 81-76
8. Iowa State Cyclones (17-4) - 1,078 points ⬇️ 5
- Last game: Lost to Kansas State, 80-61
9. Michigan State Spartans (18-3) - 1,044 points ⬇️ 2
- Last game: Lost to USC, 70-64
10. Texas A&M Aggies (17-5) - 976 points ⬆️ 3
- Last game: Defeated South Carolina, 76-72
11. Marquette Golden Eagles (18-4) - 875 points ⬇️ 2
- Last game: Lost to UConn, 77-69
12. St. John's Red Storm (19-3) - 808 points ⬆️ 3
- Last game: Defeated Providence, 68-66
13. Texas Tech Red Raiders (17-4) - 793 points ⬆️ 9
- Last game: Defeated Houston, 82-81
14. Kentucky Wildcats (15-6) - 747 points ⬇️ 2
- Last game: Lost to Arkansas, 89-79
15. Missouri Tigers (17-4) - 717 points ⬆️ 5
- Last game: Defeated Mississippi State, 88-61
16. Kansas Jayhawks (15-6) - 599 points ⬇️ 5
- Last game: Lost to Baylor, 81-70
17. Memphis Tigers (18-4) - 530 points ⬆️ 2
- Last game: Defeated Rice, 86-83
18. Maryland Terrapins (17-5) - 390 points
- Last game: Defeated Wisconsin, 76-68
19. UConn Huskies (16-6) - 322 points ⬆️ 6
- Last game: Defeated Marquette, 77-69
20. Arizona Wildcats (15-6) - 308 points
- Last game: Defeated Arizona State, 81-72
21. Wisconsin Badgers (17-5) - 287 points ⬇️ 4
- Last game: Defeated Northwestern, 75-69
22. Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-6) - 217 points ⬇️ 8
- Last game: Lost to Missouri, 88-61
23. Illinois Fighting Illini (15-7) - 208 points ⬇️ 5
- Last game: Defeated Ohio State, 87-79
24. Michigan Wolverines (16-5) - 191 points
- Last game: Defeated Rutgers, 66-63
25. Ole Miss Rebels (16-6) - 184 points ⬇️ 2
- Last game: Lost to Auburn, 92-82
Others receiving votes: Clemson (182), Saint Mary’s (136), Louisville (86), Creighton (50), Oregon (39), UCLA (26), New Mexico (23), Drake (18), Gonzaga (11), Utah State (8), Vanderbilt (4), Baylor (3), George Mason (3), Texas (1), Oklahoma (1).
Kentucky's Upcoming Matchup: No. 25 Ole Miss Awaits
After a frustrating week, Kentucky will aim to regain its footing on the road against No. 25 Ole Miss in Oxford. A strong performance could push them back into the top 10 conversation, but another loss could see them slide further down the rankings. With nine (including Kentucky) SEC teams still ranked, the conference remains one of the most competitive in the country and in history.
To see the women's poll, click here