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Men's college basketball rankings: Gonzaga stays at No. 11 in AP Top 25 poll – Yardbarker
Following their victory over a tough Yale squad to open the 2023-24 season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs retain their spot at No. 11 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday morning. Gonzaga sat outside the poll’s top 10 with 825 total points from the voters.
Gonzaga held its preseason ranking despite losing 6-foot-7 wing and projected starter Steele Venters for the season, after the Eastern Washington transfer tore his ACL in practice just days before the Zags’ win over Yale at home to tip off the season.
Without Venters, freshman Dusty Stromer was inserted into the starting lineup. The 6-foot-6 guard finished with eight points, three rebounds and an assist in his collegiate debut, while redshirt freshman Braden Huff paced with 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field. The frontcourt controlled the interior and the boards throughout, as Gonzaga outrebounded Yale 42-28 and scored 44 points in the paint to Yale’s 20.
While the Zags stood their ground in the poll, the rest of the top 10 saw plenty of movement.
Kansas (2-0) held its spot atop the rankings as the ensuing six teams moved up from their preseason positions. The biggest jump came from Arizona (2-0), which ascended nine spots up to No. 3 after defeating then-No. 2 Duke, 78-73, in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils (1-1) dropped seven spots to No. 9.
No. 24 James Madison (2-0) entered the AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history after it pulled off an upset against Michigan State on opening night. It was the Dukes’ second win against a ranked opponent and the first since 1992. Mark Byington’s squad parlayed the historic win with a thrilling double-overtime win over Kent State on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Tom Izzo’s Spartans (1-1) dropped 10 spots to No. 14.
No. 15 Baylor (3-0) and No. 16 USC (2-0) each jumped up five spots in the poll as a reward for pulling out victories against tough opponents to start the season. The Bears defeated Auburn (No. 21 in KenPom) on Tuesday, while the Trojans (2-0) took care of business against Kansas State (No. 43 in KenPom) on opening night in Las Vegas.
Saint Mary’s (2-1) fell out of the top 25 following a tough loss at home to Weber State (No. 104 in KenPom) on Sunday. The Gaels let a 16-point lead slip through their grasp in the second half, as Dillon Jones’ 29 points and 10 rebounds was enough to pull off the upset in Moraga, California.
Here’s the AP Top 25 poll after the first week of the season:
1. Kansas (2-0)
2. Purdue (2-0)
3. Arizona (2-0)
4. Marquette (2-0)
5. UConn (2-0)
6. Houston (2-0)
7. Tennessee (2-0)
8. Creighton (2-0)
9. Duke (1-1)
10. Florida Atlantic (1-0)
11. Gonzaga (1-0)
12. Miami (FL) (2-0)
13. Texas A&M (2-0)
14. Arkansas (2-0)
15. Baylor (3-0)
16. USC (2-0)
17. Kentucky (2-0)
18. Michigan State (1-1)
19. Texas (2-0)
20. North Carolina (2-0)
21. Villanova (2-0)
22. Alabama (2-0)
23. Illinois (2-0)
24. James Madison (3-0)
25. Colorado (2-0)
This article first appeared on FanNation Gonzaga Nation and was syndicated with permission.
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