Michigan Claims The Top Spot In Latest AP Poll
Michigan has officially claimed the No.1 position in the AP Poll, and with a very tough schedule coming up, it will get the chance to prove its merit.
For the first time since 2013, the Michigan men’s basketball team is No. 1.
With Michigan’s two-win week and Arizona’s two-loss week, the Wolverines leapfrogged the Wildcats in the latest AP Poll Top 25 rankings.
Michigan was ranked No. 1 for one week in 2013 — from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 — before losing to No. 3 Indiana on the road and flipping spots.
Arizona had held the top spot for nine weeks in a row before dropping to No. 4 in Monday afternoon’s rankings. It picked up its first two losses of the season last week, the first against then-No. 9 Kansas, and the second against then-No. 16 Texas Tech.
Michigan, on the other hand, recorded yet another unblemished week to bring its record up to 24-1. It took down Northwestern 87-75 on Wednesday, but it wasn’t easy. The Wolverines were down 16 points with 14:22 to play, but they finished on a ridiculous 45-17 run to collect the road win.
On Saturday, Michigan welcomed UCLA into Crisler Center, and it collected its 10th victory of 30 or more points on the season, winning 86-56. Once again, the Wolverines rode a fiery second-half performance to the comfortable win, outscoring the Bruins 46-18 in the final 20 minutes.
Houston slid into the No. 2 spot, stealing one first-place vote, and Duke moved up to No. 3. Michigan’s next opponent, Purdue, jumped all the way up to No. 7 following wins over No. 9 Nebraska and Iowa.
Here are the complete AP Top 25 rankings from Week 15:
- Michigan
- Houston
- Duke
- Arizona
- UConn
- Iowa State
- Purdue
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Illinois
- Gonzaga
- Florida
- Texas Tech
- Virginia
- Michigan State
- North Carolina
- St. John’s
- Saint Louis
- Vanderbilt
- Arkansas
- Louisville
- Miami (OH)
- BYU
- Wisconsin
- Alabama
Other teams receiving votes: Clemson, Utah St. Tennessee, Villanova, Kentucky, Miami, Saint Mary’s, VCU.
How Can Michigan Remain At No. 1?
For the first time all season, the Wolverines will be playing defense when it comes to their ranking. The little number next to their name has no actual bearing on the season — it doesn’t matter when it comes to Selection Sunday, and it certainly doesn’t matter on the court — but there still is some amount of pride attached to having No. 1 next to the team’s name.
So, if Michigan wants to keep its position, it has to keep winning. That would be one thing if the Wolverines were simply facing some of the top teams in the Big Ten — which they are in No. 7 Purdue on Tuesday — but it’s an entirely different monster considering they take on No. 3 Duke in Washington D.C. on Saturday.
If the Wolverines can escape this week playing at Purdue and against Duke unscathed, they would have an undeniable chokehold over the No. 1 spot for the foreseeable future. Both the Boilermakers and the Blue Devils are considered title contenders, and neither game will be played in Ann Arbor.
Purdue has hit some speedbumps this season, and while it still has the top-end talent, it lacks true depth. Guard Braden Smith is one of the best point guards in the country, but his supporting cast of forward Oscar Cluff, forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, and guard Fletcher Loyer have struggled a bit with consistent production. Still, the game takes place in Mackey Arena, which is one of the most formidable road environments in college basketball.
Duke boasts one of the best players in the country in freshman phenom Cameron Boozer, who will get his go at the Wolverines’ intimidating frontcourt. Boozer is surrounded by a plethora of talent and a deep roster that can wear down any team in the country.
Both games are going to be massive tests, but with the new No. 1 tag, they’re Michigan’s games to win.
