College Basketball: Coaches Poll Top 25 updated ahead of final week of regular season

The USA TODAY Coaches Poll Top 25 has been updated as we enter March, with the madness of conference tournaments and the fight for an NCAA title on the horizon.

Some heavyweight bouts graced our television screens over the last week. The Baylor Bears sent shockwaves throughout the Big 12 with their victory over the Kansas Jayhawks, while Tennessee Volunteers continued their ascent up the rankings with a victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in an SEC clash.

Of course, there were plenty of other fascinating results throughout the week as well, featuring some of the top teams in the nation. Here’s where everything stands as we enter the pivotal month of March.

1. Houston

Houston climbed to the top of the AP Poll Top 25 last week after the top teams slipped up. Now, they hold onto the position by beating Cincinnati and escaping at the last second against Oklahoma to maintain their spot atop the Big 12 standings.

The Cougars will play against UCF on the road before a showdown with Kansas to wrap up the regular season.

2. UConn

UConn got a full week to prepare for their Big East matchup with Seton Hall on Sunday. The Huskies passed another test as the regular season nears and conclusion and conference tournaments approach.

The Huskies will get a pair of road games against Marquette and Providence to close out the Big East schedule.

3. Purdue

Purdue remains at No. 2 this week, just behind Houston and ahead of UConn. They got a week off before facing Big Ten foe Michigan State as they look to wrap up the Big Ten regular season title and prepare for postseason play.

The Boilermakers will face a road test against Illinois before playing Wisconsin.

4. Tennessee

Tennessee was able to pair up a pair of big wins last week, starting with Auburn in the mid-week before Alabama over the weekend. The latter win put them firmly in control of the SEC regular season title run with one week left to play.

The Volunteers will play against South Carolina on the road before a home game against Kentucky closes out the schedule.

5. Arizona

Arizona fell last week, but rebounded well with wins over Arizona State and Oregon to reclaim their spot atop the Pac-12 standings. They now look to clinch a regular season title and carry momentum into the postseason.

The Wildcats will face a pair of Los Angeles road games against UCLA and USC.

6. Iowa State

Iowa State picked up a pair of important Big 12 wins this week when they beat Oklahoma and UCF. They have cemented themselves as the second team in the conference standings behind Houston and validated the analytics attached to their resume.

The Cyclones will face BYU and then play on the road against Kansas State.

7. North Carolina

North Carolina was able to make the quick transition from Saturday to Monday and beat Miami this week before taking down in-state rival NC State in a tight game. They remain on top of the ACC standings with just one week left in the regular season.

The Tar Heels will play against Notre Dame before a big rivalry game against Duke on the road.

8. Duke

Duke took care of business this week by handling Louisville in the mid-week and dominating Virginia over the weekend. They continue to carry upward momentum in the Top 25 as the regular season reaches a conclusion.

The Blue Devils will finish out the conference schedule at NC State before a home game against North Carolina.

9. Marquette

Marquette started the week off well with a win over Providence on Wednesday before dropping a game against Creighton. They split results for the week, but still have one of the strongest resumes in the Big East and remain in the Top 10 this week.

The Golden Eagles will face UConn before a road game against Xavier wraps things up.

10. Creighton

Creighton bounced back from a loss last week by beating Seton Hall and Marquette. They have regained the momentum which they picked up in a resume-defining win over UConn.

The Blue Jays will play Villanova over the weekend to wrap up regular season play after a week off.

College Basketball Coaches Poll — Ranking 11-25: 

11) Baylor
12) Illinois
13) Kentucky
14) Auburn
15) Kansas
16) South Carolina
17) Alabama
18) Gonzaga
19) San Diego State
20) Washington State
21) St. Mary’s
22) Utah State
23) BYU
24) South Florida
25) Florida

Schools Dropped Out: Dayton

Others Receiving Votes: Dayton 31; Texas Tech 24; Nevada 24; Boise State 16; App State 13; James Madison 10; Oklahoma 8; Northwestern 7; Indiana State 5; Clemson 5; TCU 4; Wake Forest 3; Nebraska 1

Alas, the USA TODAY Coaches Poll is one of the best representations of the current state of college basketball week-in and week-out. The rankings could look very different at this time next week, as a myriad of pivotal clashes take place with the regular season coming to its conclusion.

On3’s James Fletcher III contributed to this article.