Alabama basketball continues climb in AP Poll, now up to No. 2

College basketball fans got the latest edition of the AP Poll on Monday, and the Alabama men’s basketball team (17-2, 7-0 SEC) is now sitting at No. 2. That’s up two spots from the No. 4 ranking last week after the Crimson Tide beat Vanderbilt by 12 points and Missouri by 21.

This is the first time Alabama has been ranked in the top-2 since the 2002-03 season.

So far, the Crimson Tide remains unbeaten in conference play. The closest an SEC opponent has come to beating Alabama was Mississippi State, who still lost by 11 points at home. Four of those seven conference wins have been by 20 or more points, making this one of the most impressive starts in school history.

There are only two other SEC teams included in the top-25 with Tennessee at No. 4 and Auburn at No. 15. Oddly enough, Alabama will play back-to-back road games in Auburn and Knoxville on Feb. 11 and 15, respectively. The Tide will also welcome the Tigers to Tuscaloosa a couple of weeks later on March 1.

Gonzaga losing 68-67 to Loyola Marymount and Houston falling 56-55 to Temple this past week both hurt the Crimson Tide’s resume to some degree, but it was good to see the Cougars only drop two spots to No. 3. UConn, who has dropped five of its last seven games, also hurts. That includes another loss this past week against Seton Hall (67-66 final score).

Another Alabama opponent, Arkansas, is now out of the top-25 entirely after dropping its fifth game in just the last month. The Razorbacks are only 2-4 since the start of the new year. The timing of all these events led to Purdue beating Alabama out for the top spot.

Nate Oats and company are doing everything they can to prove they’re the No. 1 team in the country though. The eight-game win streak has certainly contributed to how they’re now being viewed, but it’s how Alabama has looked in those games that’s been so impressive.

Star freshman Brandon Miller is playing like the nation’s top player. He’s averaging 19.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 blocks through 19 games. Meanwhile, two other freshmen, forward Noah Clowney and guard Jaden Bradley are both playing lights out as well.

Throw in the impactful play of Ohio transfer Mark Sears (14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals) and the defensive prowess of center Charles Bediako, and you’re getting quality play across the board from the starters. Plus, it’s a deep bench, especially with the return of star defender Nimari Burnett.

New AP Top 25 Poll

1. Purdue Boilermakers (19-1)

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (17-2)

3. Houston Cougars (18-2)

4. Tennessee Volunteers (16-3)

5. Kansas State Wildcats (17-2)

6. Arizona Wildcats (17-3)

7. Virginia Cavaliers (15-3)

8. UCLA Bruins (17-3)

9. Kansas Jayhawks (16-3)

10. Texas Longhorns (16-3)

11. TCU Horned Frogs (15-4)

12. Iowa State Cyclones (14-4)

13. Xavier Musketeers (16-4)

14. Gonzaga Bulldogs (17-4)

15. Auburn Tigers (16-3)

16. Marquette Golden Eagles (16-5)

17. Baylor Bears (14-5)

18. Charleston Cougars (21-1)

19. UConn Huskies (16-5)

20. Miami Hurricanes (15-4)

21. Florida Atlantic Owls (19-1)

22. St. Mary’s Gaels (18-4)

23. Providence Friars (15-5)

24. Clemson Tigers (16-4)

25. New Mexico Lobos (18-2)

Others receiving votes: Duke 102, Indiana 61, San Diego State 57, Rutgers 31, Kent State 24, North Carolina 12, Michigan State 10, Creighton 9, Illinois 9, Arkansas 9, Missouri 8, Wisconsin 6, North Carolina State 4, Kentucky 3, VCU 2, Boise State 2, Memphis 1, Wake Forest 1, Oral Roberts 1

Next up, Alabama will play Mississippi State for the second time this season. After a 78-67 win in Starkville back on Dec. 28, the Crimson Tide will now welcome the Bulldogs to Coleman Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT (9 p.m. ET), and the game will air on the SEC Network.

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