Purdue Falls to No. 5 in Latest AP College Basketball Top 25 Poll

After a huge loss at Michigan, followed by a one-point victory at home against Maryland, Purdue basketball fell to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press College Basketball Top 25 poll. The team will hit the road for a matchup with Northwestern on Wednesday.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Last week, Purdue basketball dropped its road game against Michigan but managed to get back in the win column with a narrow victory over Maryland at Mackey Arena. 

Poor shooting performances in each matchup were uncharacteristic, and the pair of games resulted in the team dropping to No. 5 in the most recent Associated Press College Basketball Top 25 poll.

Gonzaga — with all but four first-place votes — returned to the No. 1 spot in the country, followed by Auburn, Arizona and Kentucky. 

Purdue was one of five Big Ten teams ranked and remains the highest-rated program in the conference. The other teams included No. 12 Illinois, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 18 Ohio State, No. 19 Michigan State. Iowa and Rutgers also received votes. 

The Boilermakers, now 22-4 overall and 11-4 in Big Ten play, are still fighting for the lead in the conference with five games in the regular season left to play. 

On Saturday, Feb. 5, Purdue tipped off against Michigan on the road. It was the second matchup between the two teams in the span of six days. The Boilermakers were wallopped as the Wolverines earned an 82-58 win. 

The team suffered from poor shooting, and that carried over into a game against Maryland at Mackey Arena. Purdue overcame its offensive struggles and pulled out a 62-61 victory. 

The team is preparing for a road game against Northwestern on Wednesday. The game will be aired live at 9 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network. 

AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll, Feb. 14

Here is the Week 15 Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll, with Big Ten teams in bold.

1. Gonzaga (21-2)
2. Auburn. (23-2)
3. Arizona (22-2)
4. Kentucky (21-4)
5. Purdue (20-3)
6. Kansas (20-4)
7. Baylor (21-4)
8. Providence (21-2)
9. Duke (21-4)
10. Villanova (19-6)
11. Texas Tech (19-6)
12. Illinois (18-6)
13. UCLA (17-5)
14. Houston (20-4) 
15. Wisconsin (19-5)
16. Tennessee (18-6)
17. USC (21-4)
18. Ohio State (15-6)
19. Michigan State (18-6)
20. Texas (18-7)
21. Marquette (24-2)
22. Wyoming (21-3)
23. Arkansas (19-6)
24. Connecticut (17-7)
25. Alabama (16-9)

Others receiving votes:

Marquette 77, Xavier 51, Colorado State 29, Saint Mary's 22, LSU 18, Iowa 17, Notre Dame 17, SMU 14, Rutgers 10, Virginia 4, Miami (FL) 3, Boise State 3, Toledo 3, South Dakota State 3, Belmont 2, San Francisco 2, Vermont 1, Wake Forest 1

Stories Related to Purdue Basketball

• PURDUE NARROWLY GETS PAST MARYLAND: Purdue basketball dodged what could have been a last-second defeat by holding off Maryland on Sunday at Mackey Arena. Sasha Stefanovic led the way with 17 points, including five 3-pointers. CLICK HERE 
• PURDUE TROUNCED AT MICHIGAN: Purdue's stay atop the Big Ten didn't last long after suffering its first blowout loss of the season Thursday night at Michigan. The Wolverines won 82-58 thanks to red-hot three-point shooting. CLICK HERE
• STEFANOVIC NAMED FINALIST FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD: Purdue guard Sasha Stefanovic was named one of 10 finalists for the 2021-22 Senior CLASS Award. The award winners will be announced during the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four and NCAA Women’s Final Four. CLICK HERE

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