Connecticut has followed last year’s run to the NCAA championship with its first No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll in nearly 15 years, while Gonzaga has fallen out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in eight years.
The Huskies moved to the top of the latest poll after a tumultuous and upset-filled week across the sport, which included five new teams entering the rankings Monday. UConn claimed 39 of 63 first-place votes to climb three spots and replace Purdue at the top after the Boilermakers’ loss at Nebraska dropped them to No. 2.
This marks the first time UConn has hit No. 1 in the AP Top 25 since spending four weeks there in the second half of the 2008-09 season, which ended with the Huskies reaching the Final Four.
“Some people don’t want the target,” coach Dan Hurley said Sunday about the potential of reaching No. 1. “I think we embrace the target at UConn.”
Purdue claimed 20 first-place votes, followed by Kansas — the poll’s only team to stay in place from last week — holding three first-place votes despite a loss at UCF.