College Basketball Rankings: AP Poll Top 25 Prediction After Week 18 Matchups

The AP Poll’s Top 25 is set for major changes entering the final week of the regular season for most major conferences, and postseason action for some mid-tier teams. The chaos of a weekend full of hectic means a lot of movement up and down the board.

UConn and Florida defended their position to move up the rankings this week with big wins, while Iowa State and Houston each suffered another loss. Meanwhile, the bottom of the Top 25 features many newcomers.

With Week 18 of the college basketball season over, it’s time to see how the results could affect the upcoming rankings. Here’s an early projection of what Monday’s AP Poll could look like after the latest set of games.

AP Poll Planned Top 25

1. Duke (Last week: 1)

Duke concludes the regular season with wins over NC State and North Carolina, cementing a spot atop the AP Poll’s Top 25 for another week. The Blue Devils will now prepare for the ACC Tournament.

2. Arizona (Last week: 2)

Arizona ends its regular season with wins over Iowa State and Colorado, enough to maintain its spot in this week’s rankings. The Wildcats now turn their attention to the Big 12 Tournament.

3. Michigan (Last week: 3)

Michigan added victories over Iowa and Michigan State to close the regular season and remain stable in the AP poll. The Wolverines now look ahead to the Big Ten Tournament.

4. Florida (Last week: 5)

Florida closed the regular season strong, with wins over Mississippi State and Kentucky that propelled them up in the projected AP Poll. The Gators now focus on the upcoming SEC tournament.

5. University of Connecticut (Last week 4)

UConn played only one game in the final week of the regular season, falling to Marquette. The Huskies will now look to climb back into the Top 25 with a strong performance in the Big East Tournament.

6. houston (Last week: 7)

Houston closed its regular season with wins over Baylor and Oklahoma State, setting them up for a rise into the Top 25 of the AP Poll. The Cougars will now enter the Big 12 Tournament with momentum.

7. Iowa State (Last week: 6)

Iowa State began the final week of the regular season with a loss against Arizona, but rebounded well against Arizona State to limit the damage. They have a great opportunity ahead of them in the Big 12 Tournament.

8. Michigan State (Last week: 8)

Michigan State started the week with a win over Rutgers, but suffered a loss against Michigan to close out the regular season. The Spartans won’t fall far and have a chance to bounce back in the Big Ten Tournament.

9. Illinois (Last week: 11)

Illinois concludes the regular season with a pair of wins over Oregon and Maryland, setting them up to move up the standings. The Fighting Illini will now enter the Big Ten Tournament with momentum.

10. Virginia (Last week: 14)

Virginia finished the regular season with wins over Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, setting them up to move into the Top 25. The Cavaliers will now look for opportunities in the ACC Tournament.

Predicting 11-25

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

11. Nebraska (Last week: 9)

12. Gonzaga (Last week: 12)

13. Saint John (Last week: 18)

14. Texas Tech (Last week: 10)

15. Kansas (Last week: 14)

16. Purdue (Last week: 15)

17.Alabama (Last week: 16)

18. Miami (OH) (Last week: 19)

19. North Carolina (Last week: 17)

20. Arkansas (Last week: 20)

21. Santa Maria (Last week: 21)

22. Vanderbilt (Last week: 24)

23. louisville (Last week: NR)

24.Wisconsin (Last week: NR)

25.Miami (Last week: 22)

Projected to leave: Tennessee (Last week: 23), Saint Louis (Last week: 25)

Latest Update