Arizona was among the others receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Polls released on Monday. Losses to Oklahoma and West Virginia in November at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas knocked Arizona out of the rankings this season.
This is the longest Arizona has been un-ranked since their final season under Sean Miller during the 2020-21 season when the Wildcats finished 17-9 and were on a self-imposed postseason ban. The longest previous stretch Arizona was unranked under Tommy Lloyd was the first three polls during the 2022-22 season.
Arizona is fifth among others receiving votes which places them 30th in the AP Top 25. The USA Today Coaches voters gave Arizona 41 points, placing them sixth among others receiving votes and 31st nationally in their poll. Six 2024-25 Arizona opponents are ranked in the week 13 poll.
Duke is second in both polls, Iowa State who Arizona hosts on Monday night is third, Houston is sixth in the AP Top 25 and fifth in the Coaches Poll, Kansas is 11th in both polls, Wisconsin is 17th in both polls and Texas Tech is 22nd in the AP Top 25 and 19th in the Coaches Poll.
POLL ALERT: Auburn, Duke, Iowa State lead men's AP Top 25 as Texas Tech, Vanderbilt join poll; UConn tumbles to No. 25.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) January 27, 2025
Full poll: https://t.co/ZJG5mgWrsa pic.twitter.com/E1O6siPXBB
Arizona is currently 0-3 this season versus teams in the top 25. The Wildcats have five more games this season versus teams that are currently ranked. That begins on Monday night versus Iowa State. Arizona hosts Texas Tech on February 8, Houston on February 15, is at Iowa State on March 1 and travels to Kansas on March 8.
Arizona has the 10th most difficult remaining schedule nationally per the ESPN Basketball Power Index. All nine teams ahead of Arizona are in the SEC. Arizona is 3-6 versus teams in the BPI top 50 and needs to start winning games versus highly ranked teams to improve its 2025 NCAA Tournament resume.