Kentucky fails to receive a vote in AP college basketball poll

Kentucky+Wildcats+guard+Cason+Wallace+%2822%29+dribbles+towards+the+basket+during+the+Kentucky+vs.+No.+7+Alabama+mens+basketball+game+on+Saturday%2C+Jan.+7%2C+2023%2C+at+Coleman+Coliseum+in+Tuscaloosa%2C+Alabama.+Alabama+won+78-52.+Photo+by+Jack+Weaver+%7C+Staff

Jack Weaver

Kentucky Wildcats guard Cason Wallace (22) dribbles towards the basket during the Kentucky vs. No. 7 Alabama mens basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Alabama won 78-52. Photo by Jack Weaver | Staff

Samantha Money, Assistant Sports Editor

The Kentucky Wildcats took a brutal loss against the Crimson Tide this past weekend which saw Alabama move up the AP Poll rankings and Kentucky remain unranked with no votes this week.

Alabama now sits at No. 4 as the highest ranked team in the Southeast with Tennessee right behind at No. 5.

Houston surpassed now No. 3 Purdue to claim the No. 1 title while Kansas moved up to No. 2 after its 76-62 win over West Virginia.

Arkansas took a small hit after its 72-59 loss to Auburn and now holds a No.15 ranking while No. 20 Missouri stays the same and No. 21 Auburn moves up a rank.

The SEC along with the Big 12 continue to dominate the AP rankings.

The 26-point loss to Alabama resulted in Kentucky falling out of the Coaches Poll as well. Last week, the Cats were tied at 25th, but ultimately fell out after their trip to Tuscasloosa. They did, however, receive 11 votes this week.

Kentucky’s upcoming ranked match up will see the Wildcats and the Volunteers go head to head in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Jan. 14, at noon EST.

The Wildcats will then take on SEC opponents Georgia, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt before hosting No. 2 Kansas inside Rupp Arena on Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. EST.

A full list of AP rankings are below:

1 Houston (16-1)

2 Kansas (14-1)

3 Purdue (15-1)

4 Alabama (13-2)

5 Tennessee (13-2)

6 UConn (15-2)

7 UCLA (14-2)

8 Gonzaga (14-3)

9 Arizona (14-2)

10 Texas (13-2)

11 Kansas State (14-1)

12 Xavier (13-3)

13 Virginia (11-3)

14 Iowa State (12-2)

15 Arkansas (12-3)

16 Miami (13-2)

17 TCU (13-2)

18 Wisconsin (11-3)

19 Providence (14-3)

20 Missouri (13-2)

21 Auburn (12-3)

22 Charleston (16-1)

23 San Diego State (12-3)

24 Duke (12-4)

25 Marquette (13-4)

Others receiving votes: Baylor 93, Clemson 43, FAU 33, Indiana 30, Michigan State 24, Saint Mary’s 24, Northwestern 21, Rutgers 13, Mississippi State 13, Illinois 13, Ohio State 9, NC State 4, North Carolina 4, Creighton 4, LSU 3, Pittsburgh 2, New Mexico 2, Nevada 1.