UCLA moved into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time this season after beating former Pac-12 teams Washington and Oregon during Big Ten play last week.
The Bruins (8-1) were ranked No. 24, while Tennessee moved into the No. 1 spot after former No. 1 Kansas lost twice and Auburn lost to Duke. The Jayhawks (7-2) dropped to No. 10 while Auburn (8-1) remained in the No. 2 spot.
Among UA opponents this season, Duke (7-2) moved up from No. 9 to No. 4, Wisconsin (8-2) dropped from 11 to 20, Cincinnati (7-1) dropped from 14 to 22, Houston rose from 17 to 15 and Oklahoma (9-0) moved up from 21 to 13.
ASU (8-1) received the 27th most points in voting while Baylor (5-3) and West Virginia (6-2) were the other Big 12 teams receiving votes. Arizona (4-4) has not received any votes since losing two of three games in the Battle 4 Atlantis over Thanksgiving week.
FWIW, I was one of three voters with Auburn in the top spot on my AP ballot.
The Wildcats and Bruins are scheduled to meet Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. The game between former Pac-12 rivals will be carried on ESPN2.
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) puts up a shot during the second half of the Wildcats’ Pac-12 Championship-clinching victory over UCLA last season in Los Angeles.
