Iowa State climbs to No. 2 in latest men’s college basketball rankings

Following loss by Tennessee, Iowa State moves into No. 2 slot in latest rankings
Curtis Jones and Iowa State are ranked second in both the AP and Coaches Polls this week.
Curtis Jones and Iowa State are ranked second in both the AP and Coaches Polls this week. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Aems Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State men are now ranked second in both the AP and Coaches Polls for college basketball.

After a loss by Tennessee while No. 1 to Florida, the Cyclones moved up one spot from No. 3. Auburn, the only team to defeat Iowa State (14-1) this year sits atop the polls. 

The Tigers received 60 of 62 first-place votes in the AP Poll and 25 of 31 in the Coaches Poll. The Cyclones picked up five first-place votes in the Coaches Poll, with Tennessee getting the other one.

In the AP Poll, Duke and Florida each received a first-place vote.

Kansas, who will travel to Ames this week and face Iowa State, is ranked ninth in the AP Poll and 10th in the Coaches Poll.

Other Big 12 teams ranked in the AP Poll include Houston (No. 10) and Baylor (No. 25). Houston is eighth in the Coaches Poll while Baylor is 24th and West Virginia is 25th. 

Iowa State owns wins over Marquette, who is seventh in both rankings, and Baylor. They play West Virginia after taking on Kansas. 

Here are the latest men’s college basketball rankings: 

AP Poll Top 25

(Jan. 13, 2025)

1. Auburn (60)

2. Iowa State 

3. Duke

4. Alabama

5. Florida

6. Tennessee

7. Marquette

8. Kentucky

9. Kansas

10. Houston

11. Texas A&M

12. Michigan State

13. Oregon

14. Connecticut

15. Mississippi State

16. Gonzaga

17. Purdue

18. Memphis

19. Illinois

20. Michigan

21. Ole Miss

22. Utah State

23. Georgia

24. Wisconsin

25. Baylor

Others receiving votes: St. John's 83, Oklahoma 63, West Virginia 61, Arizona 26, Louisville 17, Texas Tech 12, Maryland 11, Clemson 8, Missouri 8, Cincinnati 4, San Diego State 4, Saint Mary's 3, UC Irvine 2, New Mexico 2

Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma 17, West Virginia 21, UCLA 22

Coaches Poll Top 25

(Jan. 13, 2025)

1. Auburn (25)

2. Iowa State (5)

3. Duke

4. Florida

5. Alabama

6. Tennessee (1)

7. Marquette

8. Houston

9. Kentucky

10. Kansas

11. Texas A&M

12. Michigan State

13. Connecticut

14. Oregon

15. Purdue

16. Gonzaga

17. Memphis

18. Mississippi State

19. Michigan

20. Illinois

21. Ole Miss

22. Utah State

23. Georgia

24. Baylor

25. West Virginia

Others receiving votes: St. John's 52, Wisconsin 29, Arizona 29, New Mexico 19, Oklahoma 14, UCLA 12, Maryland 8, Texas Tech 6, Clemson 5, Saint Mary's 4, Louisville 3, Indiana 3, Missouri 2, San Diego State 2, UC Irvine 1

Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma 16, UCLA 21


Published |Modified
Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in north-central Iowa.