Auburn, Alabama and Florida all stuck around at the top of the poll again this week. But with the way things are going throughout the conference, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before the SEC flips over on itself.
Here’s everything you missed in Week 12 of the college basketball season, and the latest Associated Press men’s basketball poll.
Auburn holds SEC lead
Johni Broome is back, and Auburn is still on top of the SEC.
The Tigers picked up their 11th straight win on Saturday night when they beat Tennessee 53-51. It marked Broome’s first game back from an ankle injury. He had a team-high 16 points and 13 rebounds off the bench in the win, which marked the lowest point total the Tigers have had all year.
Though it wasn’t a great offensive showing — Auburn went just 3-of-20 from the 3-point line — it was a win nonetheless. Auburn held onto the No. 1 ranking in this week’s poll and kept its lead in what has been an otherwise chaotic stretch of conference play. It’ll travel to LSU on Wednesday before a road game against No. 23 Ole Miss on Saturday.
The top five in this week’s poll didn’t change, with Duke, Iowa State, Alabama and Florida all holding strong. Cooper Flagg and the Blue Devils, who will host North Carolina this weekend, grabbed their 13th straight win on Saturday by beating Wake Forest on the road. The Cyclones survived a tight road win over Arizona State on Saturday, too.
Back in the SEC, the Crimson Tide struggled to get past LSU and star Mark Sears sat out of the second half of Saturday’s game after he was held scoreless in the first 20 minutes. The Gators, still 18-2, will turn around and take on Tennessee — which dropped two spots to No. 8 — on Saturday. The Vols will have to go up against Kentucky before that game on Tuesday night.
The Wildcats dropped their second straight game this past week, too. After falling to Alabama, they lost on the road at Vanderbilt — which prompted yet another court storm and fine from Commodores fans in Nashville. The Wildcats fell to No. 12 this week as a result.
Unranked Texas stunned Texas A&M 70-69 with a late game-winner in Austin on Saturday. The Aggies, despite losing three of their last five, held at No. 13.
Still, the SEC has an incredible 10 teams ranked in the polls this week. Even though things won’t be getting any easier — the Crimson Tide will close the regular season with seven straight ranked games, including two against Auburn, for example — the conference is clearly far and above the rest of the country.
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Games to watch this week
Tuesday, Jan. 28
No. 12 Kentucky at No. 8 Tennessee | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Wednesday, Jan. 29
No. 4 Alabama at No. 14 Mississippi State | 9 p.m. ET | SEC Network
Saturday, Feb. 1
No. 5 Florida at No. 8 Tennessee | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
No. 20 Missouri at No. 14 Mississippi State | 1 p.m. ET | SEC Network
No. 1 Auburn at No. 23 Ole Miss | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
North Carolina at No. 2 Duke | 6:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
No. 25 UConn at No. 9 Marquette | 8 p.m. ET | Fox
AP Top 25
The full Associated Press men’s basketball poll from January 27, 2025.
1. Auburn (18-1)
2. Duke (17-2)
3. Iowa State (17-2)
4. Alabama (17-3)
5. Florida (18-2)
6. Houston (16-3)
7. Michigan State (17-2)
8. Tennessee (17-3)
9. Marquette (17-3)
10. Purdue (16-5)
11. Kansas (14-5)
12. Kentucky (14-5)
13. Texas A&M (15-5)
14. Mississippi State (16-4)
15. St. John’s (17-3)
16. Oregon (16-4)
17. Wisconsin (16-4)
18. Illinois (14-6)
19. Memphis (16-4)
20. Missouri (16-4)
21. Louisville (15-5)
22. Texas Tech (15-4)
23. Ole Miss (15-5)
24. Vanderbilt (16-4)
25. UConn (14-6)
Others Receiving Votes: Michigan 129, Maryland 116, Utah State 99, Clemson 92, Arizona 47, Saint Mary’s 45, Gonzaga 34, Texas 22, Creighton 12, Baylor 8, New Mexico 4, VCU 4, West Virginia 3, Oklahoma 2, Bradley 1, UCLA 1