Kentucky jumps into Top 10 of AP Poll after win over Duke

MrsTylerKSR

Kentucky Wildcats center Amari Williams (22) reacts with guard Jaxson Robinson (2) against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

As expected, Kentucky made a significant jump in the AP Poll after last week’s win over Duke. The Cats are No. 9 in the new AP Poll, up from No. 19 a week ago. That’s the largest jump in the AP Poll in program history, passing the 2000-01 team’s nine-spot rise on Feb. 19, 2001. Duke, previously No. 6, fell to No. 12.

Kentucky is one of seven SEC teams in the Top 25. Both Auburn (No. 4) and Alabama (No. 8) are ahead of the Cats. Tennessee stayed put at No. 11, Arkansas fell two spots to No. 20, Florida is No. 21, and Texas A&M No. 23. Ole Miss, Texas, and Mississippi State received votes. Kansas remains the No. 1 team in the land, followed by UConn (No. 2), Gonzaga (No. 3), Auburn (No. 4), and Iowa State (No. 5). The Cats face the Bulldogs in Seattle on Dec. 7.

The win over Duke was Kentucky’s third of the season and the first signature victory for Mark Pope as Kentucky’s head coach. It also marked the first time the Cats have started the season 3-0 since the 2016-17 season. The win makes Pope the quickest coach in Kentucky Basketball history to beat an AP Poll-ranked opponent. Both Eddie Sutton and Tubby Smith beat ranked opponents in their fifth games as Kentucky’s head coach.

The Cats will be back in action tomorrow night vs. Lipscomb (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network+), their first game of the BBN Invitational, a multi-team event that also includes Jackson State and Western Kentucky. Lipscomb lost to the Hilltoppers last night 66-61 in Bowling Green. The Bison are now 2-3, with losses to Western Kentucky, Belmont (80-79), and Arkansas (76-60).

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AP College Basketball Poll – Nov. 18

RK	Team	REC	PTS	TREND
1	Kansas (49)	4-0	1509	–
2	UConn (7)	3-0	1416	↑1
3	Gonzaga (2)	3-0	1397	↑1
4	Auburn (3)	3-0	1370	↑1
5	Iowa State	2-0	1184	↑2
6	Purdue	4-0	1172	↑7
7	Houston	2-1	1091	↑1
8	Alabama	3-1	1084	↓6
9	Kentucky	3-0	1009	↑10
10	North Carolina	2-1	969	–
11	Tennessee	4-0	942	–
12	Duke	3-1	914	↓6
13	Baylor	3-1	765	↓1
14	Creighton	4-0	722	–
15	Marquette	4-0	630	–
16	Indiana	3-0	573	–
17	Arizona	2-1	437	↓8
18	Cincinnati	3-0	412	↓1
19	Wisconsin	4-0	370	↑7
20	Arkansas	2-1	313	↓2
21	Florida	4-0	302	↓1
22	St. John’s	4-0	270	–
23	Texas A&M	3-1	233	–
24	Rutgers	3-0	143	–
25	Illinois	3-0	116	↑1

Others Receiving Votes: Texas Tech 109, Mississippi 103, Xavier 89, BYU 27, UCF 21, Texas 17, VCU 17, Michigan St. 16, Mississippi St. 15, Ohio St. 13, Miami 10, Pittsburgh 9, Oregon 7, Memphis 6, Penn St. 4, Providence 4, Utah St. 3, Kansas St 3, Clemson 2, Furman 2, Arizona St 2, Michigan 1, Hofstra 1, Maryland 1.

Kentucky in other National Rankings

Kentucky is getting plenty of love from the national media. Andy Katz named the Cats his March Madness National Team of the Week this morning, boosting them from No. 15 to No. 5 in his rankings. Jon Rothstein has them even higher, at No. 4. Here’s a roundup of where Kentucky stands in all the national rankings today.