This year’s SEC is proving they should be in the conversation for strongest conference
USA TODAY Sports’ Jordan Mendoza explains what makes the SEC so dominant in men’s college basketball.
Sports Seriously
There is no change at No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll this week, though there is some shuffling in the top five.
Auburn retains the top spot, but it is not unanimous this time. The Tigers were picked first on 28 of 30 ballots submitted, with the remaining two first-place nods going to Duke following the Blue Devils’ impressive week. They move up to No. 2 overall, nudging ahead of Florida by 15 poll points. Houston moves up a notch to No. 4, and Tennessee is back in the top five as Alabama slips to No. 6.
TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll
St. John’s climbs two positions to a season-best No. 7, and Michigan State vaults five places to No. 8 after seizing control of the Big Ten race. Iowa State and Texas Tech round out the top 10 as Texas A&M falls four spots to No. 11.
No. 14 Clemson and No. 15 Maryland continue their upward trajectory, while No. 19 Purdue and No. 22 Marquette take big falls in the other direction. Creighton returns to the poll at No. 25, as preseason No. 1 Kansas falls out.