AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s very early in the college basketball season, but poll voters think very highly of the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team.
The Longhorns (5-0) moved up two spots to No. 2 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 rankings that were released Monday. It’s the program’s highest ranking since it was ranked No. 1 in January 2010.
Texas is coming off a 91-54 win over UTRGV on Saturday, a game that was part of the Leon Black Classic at Gregory Gym to honor the former UT player and coach, but the team goes back into the Moody Center on Thursday for a top 10 clash with one of the best shooting teams in the country.
The Longhorns host No. 7 Creighton (6-1) at 6 p.m., and the Bluejays’ only loss this season came to No. 4 Arizona 81-79 last week. Creighton, in Omaha, Nebraska, is the No. 11 team in the country in terms of field goal percentage, shooting 51.2% through seven games. To take their offensive efficiency even further, the Bluejays are No. 6 in the country in effective field goal percentage at 60.2%, which weighs three-point shooting higher than two-point shooting in its calculation.
Texas guard Tyrese Hunter (4) goes up to shoot against Texas Rio Grande Valley guard Will Johnston (4) and forward Ahren Freeman (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas) 
Texas forward Christian Bishop (32) reacts to fans after he was fouled during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) 
Texas guard Dillon Mitchell (23) goes up for a dunk against Texas Rio Grande Valley forward Dima Zdor (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas) 
Texas forward Dillon Mitchell (23) reacts to a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) 
Texas forward Brock Cunningham (30) reaches between Gonzaga forward Anton Watson (22) and guard Julian Strawther (0) for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) 
Texas guard Marcus Carr (5) shoots against Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) 
Texas guard Tyrese Hunter (4) celebrate a score during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) 
Gonzaga guard Malachi Smith (13) is pressured by Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice (10) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
In their other top-10 matchup this season, the Longhorns thumped then-No. 2 Gonzaga 93-74 on Nov. 16 behind tremendous outside shooting and team defense.
The Longhorns are one of the nation’s top teams defensively so far this season. They are No. 7 in the country in scoring defense, allowing an average of 52.8 points per game, and No. 9 in opponents’ field goal percentage. They’ve allowed teams to shoot just a hair above 35% so far this season.
Houston is the country’s No. 1 team for the first time in 39 years. The Cougars received 45 first-place votes and 1,534 points to move up one spot to the top. The Longhorns received eight first-place votes and 1,467 points to slide in at No. 2. Virginia, Arizona and Purdue round out the top five. The Boilermakers, behind 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey, skyrocketed up the rankings 19 spots after starting the season 5-0 and pounding then-No. 8 Duke 75-56.
Other Big 12 Conference teams in the AP Top 25 are Baylor at No. 6, Kansas at No. 9 and Iowa State at No. 23.
