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Baylor has eclipsed almost everything in the Big 12 this season as he tries to finish an unbeaten season.
Oklahoma has made its own statement.
With a win over then-No. 9 Alabama On Saturday, the Sooners became the second team in 25 years to beat three consecutive top 10 opponents. Oklahoma is also the first team since 1974 to beat four top 10 teams in the same month.
The Sooners’ run led to a big jump in this week’s Associated Press men’s basketball poll. Oklahoma climbed 15 spots to No.9 in the Top 25 released on Monday, its highest ranking since reaching No.4 in 2017-18.
“Anytime you can win a game like this it’s big from a recovery standpoint, big from a confidence standpoint, big momentum,” said the Oklahoma coach. Lon Kruger after the 66-61 victory over the Crimson Tide. “He continues to move in the right direction. These victories, you never take them for granted.”
Oklahoma has had to replace leading scorer and rebounder Kristian Doolittle this season and was selected to finish sixth in the Big 12 preseason poll.
The Sooners got off to a shaky start from the Big 12, opening 2-3 after losses to Baylor and Kansas.
Oklahoma (11-4, 6-3 Big 12) has been on a good run since then, winning the then-No. 9 Kansas, No. 5 Texas and Alabama.
The Sooners, who beat West Virginia’s No.17 earlier this month, knocked out the Crimson Tide despite playing without Austin Reaves and starting goalie Alondes Williams due to COVID-19 protocols.
“I thought these guys (Oklahoma), they play hard to start with and then when they lost two starters they really got on,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said.
AT THE TOP
Gonzaga and Baylor remained atop the poll for the 11th week in a row.
The Zags (17-0, 8-0 West Coast) received 61 first-place votes from a media panel to place No.1 after confusing San Diego and Pepperdine last week. The Bears (16-0, 8-0 Big 12) received the other three first-place votes after wins over Kansas State and Auburn.
Villanova and Michigan stayed at No. 3 and 4, with Houston completing the top five. The Cougars have their best ranking since Phi Slama Jama’s side reached second in 1983-84.
LOVE THE DRAKE
Drake won 24 games in his debut season under coach Darian DeVries and had 20 last year before the pandemic canceled everyone’s season.
The Bulldogs have taken the next step this year, going through an unbeaten season.
After three wins last week, Drake was ranked for the first time since 2007-08 in this week’s poll at No.25.
The Bulldogs (16-0, 7-0 in the Missouri Valley through Sunday) recovered from an 11-point deficit to beat Illinois State 78-76 in overtime this weekend and are at their best start in 13 years.
RISING
Oklahoma made by far the biggest jump in this week’s poll, but the Ohio State No.7 also broke the top 10 by climbing six places. The Buckeyes beat Penn State and crushed Michigan State last week.
11th Tennessee climbed seven places after beating Kansas by 19. 12th Illinois also advanced seven places after a five-point victory over Iowa, which fell three places to 8th.
FALL
No.17 West Virginia dropped six spots after a home loss to Florida and a one-point victory over No.13 Texas Tech. … Virginia No.14 also dropped six spots after a 14-point loss to Virginia Tech, as did No.18 Missouri after losing to Auburn last week. … No.19 Wisconsin dropped five spots after being blown away by Michigan.
IN AND OUT
Florida entered the poll for the first time this season in 22nd after beating West Virginia. … No.24 Purdue also made his debut this week with a victory over Minnesota. The Gophers dropped out of No. 21. … Saint Louis fell from No. 22 after a loss to Dayton and Louisville came out of No. 25 after losing to Clemson.
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