AP men's college basketball poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team?

ByESPN staff ESPN logo
Monday, December 23, 2024 6:45PM
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Week 6 came and went with highly-ranked teams battling it out on the hardwood.

Auburn strengthened its case to be No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll after defeating Purdue. Cincinnati and Dayton squared off in a close battle.Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma remained undefeated with the Sooners narrowly escaping against Michigan.

But unranked matchups can also boast challenges. Kentucky dropped its game against Ohio State and North Carolina stormed back to beat UCLA, meaning there were some shakeups at the top and bottom of the Top 25.

Here's a look at the Week 7 poll for the 2024-25 season.

Previous polls: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3| Week 4| Week 5| Week 6

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.

All times Eastern

1. Tennessee Volunteers


Previous ranking:1

2024-25 record:11-0

Stat to know:Tennessee is off to its fourth 11-0 start in program history. The Volunteers' best start to a season is 14-0 in 1922-23.

What's next: Monday vs. Middle Tennessee, 7 p.m., SEC Network

2. Auburn Tigers


Previous ranking:2

2024-25 record:11-1

Stat to know: Auburn's win over Purdue marked itsfourth win over a Top 25 team this season -- the most by any team in the country.

What's next: Monday, Dec. 30 vs. Monmouth, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+

3. Iowa State Cyclones


Previous ranking:3

2024-25 record:10-1

Stat to know:Iowa State has six wins this season by at least 25 points.

What's next: Monday, Dec. 30 at Colorado, 9 p.m., CBSSN

4. Duke Blue Devils


Previous ranking:5

2024-25 record:10-2

Stat to know:Cooper Flagg had 25 points and nine rebounds in Duke's victory against George Mason last Tuesday.It marked his fifth 20-point game, tied for the second most among freshmen behind Dylan Harper's eight.

What's next: Tuesday, Dec. 31 vs. Virginia Tech, 4:30 p.m., ACC Network

5. Alabama Crimson Tide


Previous ranking:6

2024-25 record:10-2

Stat to know: Alabama forward Grant Nelson has had at least 10 rebounds in three straight games.

What's next: Sunday vs. South Dakota State, 3 p.m., ESPN+

6. Florida Gators


Previous ranking:7

2024-25 record:12-0

Stat to know:Florida is off to itssecond-best start to a season in program history. The Gators started 17-0 in 2005-06 and went on to win the national title.

What's next:Sunday vs. Stetson, 1 p.m.

7. Kansas Jayhawks


Previous ranking:8

2024-25 record:9-2

Stat to know: Hunter Dickinson is a double-double machine. On Sunday, he notched his23rd double-double in 44 games at Kansas -- more than twice as many as the next-most player in the Big 12.

What's next: Tuesday, Dec. 31 vs. West Virginia, 2 p.m., ESPN+

8. Marquette Golden Eagles


Previous ranking:9

2024-25 record:11-2

Stat to know:Marquette committed only two turnovers in its win over Butler.

What's next: Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Providence, 6 p.m., FS1

9. Oregon Ducks


Previous ranking: 10

2024-25 record:11-1

Stat to know: In a game between former Pac-12 rivals, Oregon held Stanford to37.1% from the field and26.7% from deep.

What's next: Sunday vs. Weber State, 5 p.m.

10. Kentucky Wildcats


Previous ranking:4

2024-25 record:10-2

Stat to know:Kentucky shot 18% on 3-pointers against Ohio State, its lowest percentage in a game since March 1, 2023.

What's next: Tuesday, Dec. 31 vs. Brown, 2 p.m., ESPNU

11. UConn Huskies


Previous ranking:11

2024-25 record:10-3

Stat to know:FreshmanLiam McNeeley had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists in UConn's win against Butler. He's the fifth UConn freshman in the past 20 seasons to have at least 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a game.

What's next: Wednesday, Jan. 1 at DePaul, 12 p.m., CBSSN

12. Oklahoma Sooners


Previous ranking:14

2024-25 record:12-0

Stat to know:Jeremiah Fears has had a season to remember so far. He's thefirst freshman in Division I this season with multiple 25-point games against ranked opponents.

What's next: Sunday vs. Prairie View, 2 p.m., ESPN+

13. Texas A&M Aggies


Previous ranking: 12

2024-25 record:10-2

Stat to know:Texas A&M outrebounded Houston Christian 52-25 in its win.

What's next: Saturday vs. Abilene Christian, 4 p.m., SEC Network

14. Gonzaga Bulldogs


Previous ranking:13

2024-25 record:9-3

Stat to know:Gonzaga scored 24 points off Bucknell's 19 turnovers in its win Saturday.

What's next: Saturday vs. UCLA (West Coast Hoops Showdown), 4 p.m., Fox

15. Houston Cougars


Previous ranking:15

2024-25 record:8-3

Stat to know:Saturday marked Houston's 17th win by 35-plus points in the past three seasons, most by any team in Division I in that span.

What's next: Monday, Dec. 30 at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m., ESPN+

16.Ole Miss Rebels


Previous ranking:17

2024-25 record:11-1

Stat to know: Ten of Ole Miss' 11 wins this season have been by double-digit margins.

What's next: Saturday at Memphis, 2 p.m., ESPN2

17. Cincinnati Bearcats


Previous ranking:19

2024-25 record:10-1

Stat to know: Cincinnati grabbed 17 offensive rebounds against Dayton, leading to 18 second-chance points.

What's next: Monday, Dec. 30 at Kansas State, 7 p.m., CBSSN

18. Michigan State Spartans


Previous ranking:20

2024-25 record: 10-2

Stat to know:Michigan State blocked a season-high 11 shots against Oakland.

What's next:Monday, Dec. 30 vs. Western Michigan, 3 p.m., Big Ten Network

19. Mississippi State Bulldogs


Previous ranking:Unranked

2024-25 record:11-1

Stat to know:Mississippi State's win against Memphis marked its second double-digit win over a AP Top-25 opponent this season, tied for the most in Division I.

What's next: Monday, Dec. 30 vs. Bethune, 9 p.m., SEC Network

20. San Diego State Aztecs


Previous ranking: 23

2024-25 record:8-2

Stat to know:California had scored at least 80 points in six straight games for the first time since 1972 before San Diego State held it to 50.

What's next: Saturday vs. Utah State, 6 p.m., Fox

21. Purdue Boilermakers


Previous ranking:16

2024-25 record:8-4

Stat to know:Purdue shot33% from the field in the first half against Auburn, its lowest field goal percentage in a half this season.

What's next: Sunday vs. Toledo, 6 p.m., Big Ten Network

22. UCLA Bruins

Previous ranking:18

2024-25 record:10-2

Stat to know:UCLA's16-point lead against North Carolina was its largest blown lead in a game since having a 19-point advantage at Arizona last season.

What's next:Saturday vs. Gonzaga (West Coast Hoops Showdown), 4 p.m., Fox

21. Memphis Tigers


Previous ranking: 21

2024-25 record:9-3

Stat to know:PJ Haggerty had 21 of his 27 points in the second half of Memphis' comeback win vs. Virginia.

What's next:Saturday vs. Ole Miss, 2 p.m., ESPN2

22. Dayton Flyers


Previous ranking: 22

2024-25 record:10-3

Stat to know:Dayton's loss to Cincinnati marked its third straight game shooting under 30% on 3-pointers. That's the Flyers' longest streak since March 9-12, 2023.

What's next:Tuesday, Dec. 31 vs. La Salle, 2 p.m.

23. Arkansas Razorbacks


Previous ranking:Unranked

2024-25 record:10-2

Stat to know: Junior forward Adou Theiro leads the Razorbacks in points (18), rebounds (5.9) and steals (2.1) per game.

What's next: Monday, Dec. 30 vs. Oakland, 8 p.m., ESPN2

24. Illinois Fighting Illini


Previous ranking:NR

2024-25 record:8-3

Stat to know: Illinois went 22 of 23 from the free throw line against nonconference rival Missouri on Sunday.

What's next: Sunday vs. Chicago State, 2 p.m., BTN

25. Baylor Bears


Previous ranking:25

2024-25 record:10-3

Stat to know:Robert Wright III set a Baylor freshman record with 13 assists in the Bears' last game against Norfolk State.

What's next: Friday vs. Arlington Baptist, 7 p.m.

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