Kentucky jumps to No. 5 in latest AP Top 25

Kentucky+Wildcats+forward+Lance+Ware+%2855%29+and+guard+TyTy+Washington+Jr.+%283%29+dance+off+the+court+after+the+UK+vs.+Kansas+basketball+game+on+Saturday%2C+Jan.+29%2C+2022%2C+at+Allen+Fieldhouse+in+Lawrence%2C+Kansas.+UK+won+80-62.+Photo+by+Jack+Weaver+%7C+Staff

Kentucky Wildcats forward Lance Ware (55) and guard TyTy Washington Jr. (3) dance off the court after the UK vs. Kansas basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. UK won 80-62. Photo by Jack Weaver | Staff

Hunter Shelton

Kentucky basketball has cracked the top five in the latest AP Top 25.  

The Wildcats moved up seven spots from No. 12 in the latest rankings, checking in at the No. 5 spot in Monday’s rankings.  

The new ranking marks the first time that the Cats have reached the top five since November 2019.  

Kentucky’s big jump is thanks to an 80-62 thumping of the then No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks inside Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday night. KU fell five spots to No. 10 in Monday’s rankings. 

UK has not seen its name amongst the top ten since early December. The 17-4 (6-2 SEC) Wildcats will continue to attempt to climb towards the top of the rankings this week, with matchups against Vanderbilt (11-9, 3-5 SEC) on Wednesday, Feb. 2 and a road trip to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) on Saturday, Feb. 5.  

Kentucky versus Vanderbilt is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. EST inside Rupp Arena.