The latest AP Top 25 poll is here in college basketball and, as always, there were some big risers and fallers. The UConn Huskies, after suffering their second loss of the season, dropped three spots following the defeat to St. John’s. The BYU Cougars, on the heels of losses to unranked Oklahoma State and ranked Houston, slid six spots down the rankings. In terms of risers, no one soared up the ranking higher than the Houston Cougars and the St. John’s Red Storm.
But what teams missed the cut this week—and could make the cut next week?
Let’s take a look!
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes took up residence in the top 25 poll just once earlier this season, back in Week 8. They have a good chance to get back there in the Week 15 version of the rankings, for the Hawkeyes have a big upcoming showdown on Saturday against the 12th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Iowa, ranked 18th in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency (a useful metric for how teams measure up), could once again test the Boilermakers, whom they gave a scare in a January loss. Plus, Iowa is already in the voters’ good graces, receiving the second-most votes to join the top 25 among teams that didn‘t make the cut.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide spent the first 12 weeks of the poll as a resident of the top 25—and were once as high as eighth in the country—but have since fallen out of the ranks. The Tide have had its fair share of ups and downs in a competitive SEC, as evidenced by losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Florida, as well as wins over Kentucky, Texas A&M and Auburn.
However, this is a good team. Alabama is ranked 20th in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency and boasts six Quad I wins, tied for the fourth-most in the country. And while the Tide will benefit from playing the SEC’s have-nots this week—Ole Miss and South Carolina, it shouldn’t detract from what’s a Top 25-worthy resume.
NC State Wolfpack
The Wolfpack may not have what amounts to a signature win yet, but the program possesses the third-best record in the ACC and have handled its business against the conference’s lesser teams, something that can’t be said for the neighboring Tar Heels.
NC State has one of the best offenses in the country—top 25 on points and three-pointers made—and ranks among the 25 best teams in the nation in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency. Perhaps Monday’s date with 24th-ranked Louisville could be the Wolfpack’s chance to break through?
Tennessee Volunteers
The Volunteers stumbled this past week with a loss to Kentucky, but Rick Barnes’s Volunteers have all the makings of a top 25 program. Among unranked teams, Tennessee is the highest-rated team in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency at 17th, has the sixth-most Quad I victories in the country and boasts a signature win in the form of a November triumph over the Houston Cougars, a win that looks better by the day.
As long as the Volunteers take care of business against Mississippi State and LSU this week, they should have a decent chance to return to the top 25 in next week’s rankings.
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies have lived on the periphery of the top 25, winning just enough to stay on the voter’s radar, but not enough to whet their appetite in the form of inclusion among the country’s 25 best. The Aggies have the third-best record in SEC play, rank 27th in the country in point differential, and 33rd in adjusted efficiency.
Texas A&M had a golden opportunity to join this week’s top 25, but lost against SEC rivals Alabama and Florida. Now, another chance beckons this coming week in the form of two more conference games vs. a sneaky-good Missouri Tigers team and a ranked Vanderbilt Commodores program.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five College Basketball AP Top 25 Snubs Who Could Make Poll Next Week .
