Gonzaga’s offer to become the No. 1 wire-to-wire transmission is in its final week.
The Zags received 61 out of 63 first-place votes from a media panel in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, released on Monday, while trying to become the first No. 1 wire-to-wire since Kentucky in 2014- 15.
Baylor had two votes for first place and returned to second place after losing a position last week.
Illinois, Michigan and Iowa complete the top 5. Eighth place, Arkansas, is in the top 10 for the first time since reaching first place in 1994-95.
Gonzaga won his ninth consecutive title in the West Coast Conference regular season after 14-0 and is the only remaining undefeated team in Division I. The Zags (24-0) play against Saint Mary in the semifinals of the WCC Tournament the night of Monday and would advance to the title game Tuesday with a win.
Beat these two and Gonzaga will become the fifth team in the past 45 years to go to the NCAA Tournament undefeated.
“I don’t know how important this is and all of that. I mean, it would be quite an achievement, to be honest,” said Gonzaga coach Mark Few. “It’s hard to be the favorite and lead the mile in four laps. Everyone is looking for you.”
Gonzaga will likely be in first place, regardless of what happens this week, and may be planning to become the first team to finish a perfect season since Indiana in 1975-76.
BEARS JUMP BACK
Baylor dropped to third place last week after losing to tenth place in West Virginia in overtime on March 3.
The Bears were back in their ways of dominating last week after their only loss of the season, beating the Mountaineers in the rematch and then knocking down No. 12 Oklahoma State and No. 20 Texas Tech by double digits.
The victory over West Virginia gave Baylor his first title of the regular season Big 12 and took him back to second place this week. Bears ended unbeaten at home for the first time in 73 years.
RISING RAZORBACKS
Arkansas has made a big leap in two seasons under coach Eric Musselman.
The Razorbacks were in good shape to make it to the NCAA Tournament in Musselman’s first year, before the pandemic ended the 2019-20 season’s end.
Arkansas ended the regular season on 21-5 and ended it with seven consecutive wins, including in Kentucky and then number. 10 Missouri.
The Razorbacks entered the AP Top 25 on February 15th and made a quick climb, reaching 12th place last week. The victories against South Carolina and Texas A&M last week put them in the top 10 for the first time since Nolan Richardson took them to the first place in the ranking and the 1995 national championship game.
POLL MOVEMENT
Oklahoma State number 12 and Virginia number 16 had the biggest hops of the week, climbing five positions each. … No. 25 Oklahoma had the biggest drop, dropping nine places after losing four consecutive games, including 69-65 to No. 13 Texas on Thursday. … Southern California moved to the Top 25 in 24th position after defeating Stanford and rival UCLA last week. … Wisconsin left 25th after defeats to Iowa and No. 23 Purdue.