Purdue Basketball Remains Atop AP Top 25 For Third Week

When the AP released their Top 25 today there was little question as to who would be the number 1 team in the nation. It would remain the Purdue Boilermakers who attained the top ranking two weeks ago and remain undefeated on the season. Purdue is now just one of three undefeated teams remaining in college basketball. The other two? UCONN and New Mexico. Quite the assortment there.

Purdue is of course coming off a victory over New Orleans where they were without Naismith Award front runner Zach Edey who was out with an illness. He was listed as questionable but Purdue had no need of his services in the blowout victory.

Purdue came into this season an unknown with most, including myself, thinking this would be a bit of a down year. So much was lost via graduation, early NBA departure, and the transfer portal. And yet, Matt Painter finds a way to surprise yet again.

After getting hot out West thanks to Nike and Phil Knight Purdue shot up the rankings and has really burrowed themselves into that top spot. With only one game remaining in the year against a moribund Florida A&M (currently at 357 on KenPom) it seems reasonable to believe that Purdue will be the nation’s number one team when rankings come out for the first time in 2023. That would make it the third calendar year in which Purdue has received the number one ranking. Gotta say that’s really cool. Much bigger goals loom ahead on the horizon including Big Ten title 25, Big Ten Tournament Champions, and of course a Final Four and National Championship. For now though, enjoy this number one ranking for as long as we can.