College Basketball Rankings February 19: Purdue Slips Three More Spots

As the season went on and Purdue’s winning streak kept going there is one thing I wanted for the program: A No. 1 overall ranking. Yes, in the end that is mostly a vanity thing, but of the 25 teams that have appeared in the most AP Polls of all-time only two have never been No. 1 overall: Purdue and Maryland. Both have reached no. 2 (for Purdue, most recently in 1988), but never got to No. 1.

Purdue had its chances, hitting No. 3 for a few weeks. It would have even probably been No. 1 had Ohio State not scored on the Keita Bates-Diop putback. The chance appears past, however. Because of the three-game losing streak concluding with the loss to Wisconsin, Purdue has fallen to No. 9 in this poll. Still good, but not the rarified air at hte top:

1. Virginia (42) 1,601
2. Michigan State (19) 1,565
3. Villanova (4) 1,509
4. Xavier 1,398
5. Duke 1,292
6. Texas Tech 1,206
7. Gonzaga 1,206
8. Kansas 1,166
9. Purdue 1,130
10. North Carolina 1,074
11. Cincinnati 954
12. Auburn 873
13. Wichita State 870
14. Arizona 831
15. Clemson 683
16. Ohio State 680
17. Michigan 615
18. Rhode Island 455
19. Tennessee 427
20. Nevada 330
21. West Virginia 329
22. St. Mary’s 291
23. Houston 263
24. Middle Tennessee State 87
25. Florida State 63

Special congratulations for Middle Tennessee State receiving its first ranking ever!

Purdue is also 9th in the coaches poll:

1. Michigan State (20) 782
2. Virginia (8) 773
3. Villanova (4) 745
4. Xavier 656
5. Duke 655
6. Gonzaga 602
7. Texas Tech 588
8. Kansas 566
9. Purdue 526
10. North Carolina 498
11. Cincinnati 497
12. Wichita State 404
13. Auburn 358
14. Arizona 340
15. Ohio State 339
16. Michigan 325
17. Clemson 324
18. Rhode Island 263
19. Tennessee 208
20. St. Mary’s 173
21. West Virginia 168
22. Nevada 143
23. Houston 119
24. Middle Tennessee State 72
25. Arizona State 47